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Only a Story! by Lauren Thompson
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Only a Story! by Lauren Thompson
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Last year when a man asked me what I majored in at university and I replied Professional and Creative Writing, he promptly responded, "I don't like creative writing. I don't read either because stories aren't true."
I paused for a moment. I wondered, are the things that come from my imagination unimportant because they're not based in reality? Is something not worth our time because it's "not true"?‖
Many people throughout history seem to disagree. The Celtic people had a proud tradition of storytelling and their bards enjoyed a high standing in society. During the Irish national gathering called an Ard Fheis, storytellers would meet together and compete in the complexity and vividness of the stories. They spun tales of great kings・ exploits, faeries and the magical beings known as the Sidhe. The passing of their grand and vibrant collection of lore from one generation to the next is a proud Celtic tradition.
Many other cultures from around the world also have a strong tradition of storytelling. The stories from the Dreamtime contain knowledge, spiritual beliefs and wisdom. They were aimed at all ages and covered such as survival skills, animal behaviour and moral behaviour.
The folk tales passed from each generation of the poorer classes in England were later collected by the Grimm brothers and written down. Today, those tales are some of the most beloved and recognized fairy tales in the world.
Cinderella is per-haps the most famous of all fairy tales, with many adaptations created in both cine-ma and books. Whenever a person achieves success or reaches a high standing in the world, it is often referred to as a ―Cinderella story.‖People from around the world have been captivated by the story of a girl forced to work as a servant for stepmother and stepsisters, but eventually married a prince and lived happily ever after.Stories are an integral part of cultures and individuals. They have inspired and shaped thoughts and ideals for countless years. So I believe that stories are just as important as things that come from ―the real world.‖
