We live our lives inside of stories. Memories are faulty, events from one decade can be confused with events from another, things that seemed very important at the time can be forgotten. Stories can help us keep the essential pieces together, the meaning of the event, without focusing too much on the “facts.” I learned a lot about European history from stories and novels, that allowed me to remember the relationships between the players. I listened to my family’s stories about times and people past as well.
Stories have been used since humans had speech to convey values, hopes and fears, and ideas about how the world works. The oral tradition allowed for stories to be modified to meet the needs of each audience, each teller, each time.
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