The Impact of Storytelling

From the beginning, communication left a major impact on how stories were told by various groups of people. Both time and place affect how a story is told. A story from India during the twentieth century will differ greatly from a story told in England in modern-day. Such tales are conveyed through the tongue, writings, art, actions, or even technology. As time progresses, humans are able to convey their feelings and ideas through more mediums. At present day, we convey these stories through online posts and the media.

The Canterbury Tales is a story detailing the journey of characters during the middle ages. It is an account written by Geoffrey Chaucer and he begins by sharing the descriptions of each character. Like movies and books today, Chaucer provides an introduction to the characters and their complex nature. No two characters are the same. Each has a different role in the story to fulfill. Take a look at most of the movies filmed today. We are first introduced to characters and along the way, we realize how complex each one truly is. The actors and director gives us a basic understanding of the characters in the beginning, but as we finish watching the movie, our knowledge of the character grows. We realize their motivations, their emotions, and why they say or do the things they do. In other words, the audience realizes that there is more depth to the character than what meets the eye. The Canterbury Tales is a great example of character development. Each character is given a description, but their journey entails their true nature and incentives.

“Story” is a flexible word still used today. It can be used when we tell people about events that occurred in the past. It can be used when we talk about novels or movies. Stories are also heard through podcasts and songs. A story is simply a way to convey something through a format. It can be real, fictitious, or a mixture of both. There is no limit to how or why a story is told.