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The Importance of Stories

Author: Sophia

what's covered

In this lesson, you will learn about why storytelling can be an important component of your speech. Specifically, this lesson will cover:

Storytelling
The Power of Storytelling
The Utility of Storytelling in Public Speaking

1. Storytelling

Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, sound and/or images, often by improvisation or embellishment.

Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and instilling moral values.

A seafarer tells the young Sir Walter Raleigh and his brother the story of what happened out at sea.

term to know

Storytelling

The conveying of events in words, sound and/or images, often by improvisation or embellishment.

2. The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool, a means for sharing experiences and knowledge. It's one of the ways we learn.

Peter L. Berger says human life is narratively rooted, humans construct their lives and shape their world into homes in terms of these groundings and memories.

Stories are universal in that they can bridge cultural, linguistic, and age-related divides.

3. The Utility of Storytelling in Public Speaking

Because human life is narratively rooted, incorporating story telling into public speaking can be a powerful way of reaching your audience.

For example, communicating by using storytelling techniques can be a more compelling and effective route of delivering information than that of using only dry facts.

summary

In this lesson, you learned that storytelling is the conveying of events in words, sound and/or images, often by improvisation or embellishment. The power of storytelling lies in the fact that stories are universal— they can bridge cultural, linguistic, and age-related divides. Communicating by using storytelling in public speaking can be a more compelling and effective route of delivering information than that of using only dry facts.

Source: Boundless. "The Importance of Stories." Boundless Communications Boundless, 3 Mar. 2017. Retrieved 20 May. 2017 from https://www.boundless.com/communications/textbooks/boundless-communications-textbook/supporting-your-ideas-9/using-life-experience-narrative-50/the-importance-of-stories-200-4195/

Terms to Know

Storytelling: The conveying of events in words, sound and/or images, often by improvisation or embellishment.