A Way of Seeing

An excellent essay on the art of storytelling was published on one of my favorite places to read articles and reviews, Scott London's website:

Here's an excerpt (quotes are cited at the link below):

Storytelling, in the form of both personal narratives and the established literary tradition, gives us a fuller understanding of ourselves and the experiences of others. "The whole point of stories," he observes, "is not 'solutions' or 'resolutions' but a broadening and even heightening of our struggles."[21] They remind us of what is important in life, admonish us, point us in new directions, engage us in self- reflection, and sometimes inspire us to lead lives of moral integrity. The beauty of a story, he says, is in its openness -- "the way you or I can take it in, and use it for ourselves."[22] Often they embody "the moral contradictions and inconsistencies in our personal lives," and thus give context and meaning to the social and political narratives of society at large.[23]

I found this when perusing a recorded conversation for work, only to run across the name of Robert Coles, only to find that Scott London has written about him. Was I surprised to find this item on London's site? Not quite, but i'm intrigued...especially to read more from Robert Coles himself.

Anyway, if you're interested in the role that story plays in the life of the reader, I recommend checking this out: http://www.scottlondon.com/articles/coles.html

More to come...