Connections and the Importance of Stories
Stories are a common talking point in a group of people. Why is this an occurrence though? One possibility among many is that stories connect people together, and build a bond. Stories can also come in many different forms. Among these are legends, personal stories, and lesson teaching stories. When people tell these stories they can connect emotionally and mentally through laughs or similar hardships in the stories. In The Canterbury Tales however, the hierarchy of the story tellers provides a way to bond with the audience through their different backgrounds.
The character descriptions presented in the “General Prologue” of The Canterbury Tales offer the audience a character to favor, and connect with due to their hierarchical position in society. Although no stories are told in the “General Prologue,” we do see in depth character introductions in the hierarchical order of society. The knight is the first character introduced, placing him at the top of the social hierarchy in this group. Through his quests as a knight, he traveled the world as “In Latvia raided he, and Russia” as well giving him many experiences of stories to tell (Line 54). A person who could connect with the traveling knight could be a person of wealthy background who also travels the globe. This is because the knight could tell stories about legendary battles at a present day historical sight where the wealthy person has traveled. In addition, both the knight and the wealthy share a spot at the top of the societal hierarchy further cementing a connection from the past to the present. Another connection that could be made is between the physician and a present day doctor. Through the description of the physician we know that he is a modest man, like doctors today, but unlike present day doctors “he loved his gold exceeding all” (line 446). The difference in motivations between the physician and present doctor does not sever the connection and interest though. This is because the doctor could be interested in the physician’s tales of curing since “he was a very good practitioner” (line 424).
Besides the multitude of stories in The Canterbury Tales offering a connection between past and present, the stories we hear in everyday life can teach us lessons. These stories can be fiction or nonfiction, the retelling of events or an exaggeration, truly stories cannot be defined as a single category. Children learn morals and ethics at young ages through fictional tales. Adults learn valuable lessons about adulthood through stories about true events. No matter the age or category, a story remains relevant in teaching us knowledge about what life or the future holds.
In addition to teaching us lessons, the story also has a large amount of uses in life. Some of these include in courts where the defendant can tell their side of a story, and a person using a sob story to collect money from people they wouldn’t normally receive. These are examples of stories that use pathos to persuade others. A story can also be used to entertain others to make a positive impact, like a personal story about raising oneself out of drug use. In The Canterbury Tales, the stories are used to entertain a group of people on a pilgrimage. These unique ways stories can be used make storytelling so significant in our lives.
On the whole, stories appear often in our daily lives and their importance is vast. Stories can connect us with the past, and allow us to shape a better future for ourselves through their lessons.
