I have spent several days with this text and started my reflection three times. This article gave so many paths that could be explored. I could have discussed the differences between transformed storytelling to traditional storytelling, or how literacy moves from an oral tradition in a close knit community to a written literacy so that all who read may know a story of survival.
Frances, Chol, and Ezra all pointed out that there was a distinct difference between story telling here in the United States and Africa. They pointed out several times throughout the text that the stories were told in a small group in the evenings. What they described was a very intimate affair. The story seems to draw the people together and unite them. They are suspended in another time whether it be a story about their past or a story of things that are to come.
There was a respect given for the leaders who brought the knowledge of the past to the fire just as there was respect for the young people in the audience that brought the hopes for the future.
So why does storytelling matter in a society that is driven by the written word? In a place where data is retrieved in seconds using the internet and digital books have replaced paper?
I think we still have that strong desire to sit around an evening fire and reflect on our past and our future. We are doing it right now as we blog and read each other’s thoughts. As we search through each post looking for someone who views things the way we do. When a personal story is shared we want to respond and support each other with a response.
I cannot deny that blogging may not give us the same warm and fuzzy feeling you might get listening to a voice in the night. Yet it is still intimate because we are sharing our innermost thoughts with another human being who is there to listen.
Candy Mooney
Comments (4)
I also think storytelling is important because we find out who we are and where we come from. I think we all think of storytelling as oral literacy, but I wonder if we couldn't be just as successful with these forms of literacy you mentioned. I find storytelling very difficult, but when you mentioned technology it made me think of the comic strips we are using in my other class. Would it be so bad if my stories were told in this way? I'm not sure. I definitely agree that it nice to sit around and laugh and talk about the past and the future, but for someone that finds this difficult, me for example or a student, maybe we could give them other outlets to tell their stories.
Posted by Angie Sigmon | June 18, 2010 9:25 AM
Posted on June 18, 2010 09:25
Technology in my point of view is FANTASTIC, but speaking with someone face to face is nicer at times than reading it from an email for example. You mentioned comic books...I made one online for a grad class and found it very time consuming. But it requires you to think out side of the box and become equipped with technology in other ways. Because I did enjoy making one and was proud of how well it turned out I required my students to do one on online and draw one out. Most agreed they enjoyed doing it on the computer more. I honestly couldn't blame them.
I like you two, enjoy sitting at a campfire telling and hearing stories.
Posted by Candace B Heffinger | June 18, 2010 5:28 PM
Posted on June 18, 2010 17:28
Candy,
Excellent title! I just had to read your post with a title so close to my heart. This section of your post brought a new light to my own thinking of the digital conversation, “I think we still have that strong desire to sit around an evening fire and reflect on our past and our future. We are doing it right now as we blog and read each other’s thoughts. As we search through each post looking for someone who views things the way we do. When a personal story is shared we want to respond and support each other with a response.” I had never really considered, blogging, a thing of “school” to be such a beautiful discord between peoples before your post. I guess I was too caught up in the professionalism portion to ever consider the broader implications.
I also found it VERY difficult to focus this posting as there was so much to choose from. It made me feel like a kid at a candy store that has a selling going on.
William Byland
Posted by William Byland | June 18, 2010 7:50 PM
Posted on June 18, 2010 19:50
Candy,
You gave me new insight to the thought of storytelling. Your post made me realize that storytelling as transformed into the digital age. Your are right about your comment of connecting to the post on this blog. As I read each post I am looking for something that I can connect to something that has personal meaning to me. Your post made me think about the story telling of today, I think that our storytelling has transformed into facebook and blogs. Instead of sitting around a fireplace at night people all over the world log onto their computer at night and share their ideas or thought of the day through facebook and other blogs that they are connected to. Our story telling has turned to print and reflection of the voices that we hear in our head from what we read.
Angie Somers
Posted by Angie Somers | June 18, 2010 11:05 PM
Posted on June 18, 2010 23:05