Why are stories and storytelling essential?

You're never going to kill storytelling, because it's built into the human plan. We come with it.” These are the words of world famous Margaret Atwood. Plot, characters, setting, theme and conflicts, these are some of the elements of a story. Isn’t it simply mesmirizinng how the combination of these elements create something so beautiful and powerful enough to extract a piece of the reader’s heart?

One of the main reasons behind stories and storytelling being so important to people is how they fulfil basic human needs like love and connection. Ever wondered how there are so many people who fall in love with fictional characters? Why do you think that happens? The answer is, because it’s in stories where they find their companions, and their solace. Stories also give us the comfort of knowing that we are not alone. The world we live in has become a little ruthless. It shares its success and hides its failures, making people feel alone and aloof. But stories, they always assure you that you’re never alone, either with the help of an example or their message. How can something that soothes such yearnings of the human heart not be dear to humans?

Not only this, stories are also transformational. They hold the power to change people, both physically and mentally, as well as emotionally and spiritually. The magnitude of this change may vary person to person, but this change itself, is always constant.

Stories and storytelling, in one way or another, challenge people to explore and then fit new pieces into the definition of who they are. A good story or effective storytelling can make us aware of once forgotten ideas and feelings lying somewhere in the corner of our minds. They can also give birth to new hopes and dreams.

Stories also aid a lot in our learning process. No matter what age we are at, no matter what story we are reading, it always teaches us something new.

Stories and storytelling also develop a sense of belonging in individuals. One fine example of this would be the way in which many people get connected to their cultures. It’s because of the stories they are told that they develop such sense of belonging.

Stories and storytelling, for a lot of people, works like an emotional escape, too. There are times in life when we all feel like running away from our circumstances but can’t because of our responsibilities. At such times, a good story reading or storytelling session works wonders. Not only does it distracts us and gives relief, but also provides us with clarity about how we are supposed to handle our issues.

Many researchers have worked and are currently working on the effects of stories and storytelling, and all of them agree that they indeed are quite therapeutic.

Apart from these emotional benefits, stories and storytelling enhance our overall personality development, therefore making us a good human overall. We all should feel thankful towards stories and storytellers who helped us in discovering pieces of ourselves.