For the record, I define story very loosely and plan to let each of us define it for ourselves rather than impose one definition. In fact, maybe our first act together should be to share how we define it.
OK, I’ll go first (full disclosure—I am a word geek):
Story is “a narration of a happening.” I tweaked this language from the listing for the word story at etymonline.com. Apparently, this use of the word dates to the year 1200. I like it because it is simple and allows a lot of room for going in many different directions. Yet, the word “narration” feels rather writing-centered and that is not my intent. So, I dug further. Looking at the word history, which is related to story, I found the Greek historia which originally meant “a learning or knowing by inquiry.” I like the idea of story as being centered around inquiry and exploration. So here is my working definition:
Story is a learning or knowing by inquiry that is shared in any art form.
What’s your definition?
I am a teller of stories and therefore an optimist, a believer in the ethical bend of the human heart, a believer in the mind’s disgust with fraud and its appetite for truth, a believer in the ferocity of beauty.
TONI MORRISON
My search for the definition of story included: “an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment” and “an account of past events in someone’s life or in the evolution of something”. The first offends me slightly because my story isn’t just for entertainment. Maybe story is an account of the evolution of something?
I like your thought about the evolution of something being a key ingredient in story. I lean toward seeing story as a vehicle for transformation or healing, but if it’s entertaining, as well, then great. But I agree that in its creation, story should be for the maker, not the audience.
I think of story as a record of change. You’re inviting me to think beyond written record, which I appreciate! Story always has beginning, middle, and end–some form–that holds change.
Yes, story as a record of change. I agree!
I think that story is a soul by which one may see the world. Story carries life. Story carries vision. Story carries our hearts to encounter places and people and ideas beyond our thinking.
Wow, this idea of story as a living being, a soul, captivates me. There is a lot to think about there! Thank you for that. I agree that story carries vision. And really like your words about story and heart– that story can be a means for taking us places beyond our own thinking. Yes, yes, yes. I do agree that if we let go into the process, story creation can show us perspectives on our own stories that we never realized before. I appreciate your chiming in!
I too love this idea of story having soul, and carrying life, carrying vision, carrying heart. It makes me think now of our typically human-centered version of what is story, and of how limited our concept of story may be…what story does a tree hold, what is a particular mountain’s story, what are the stories of the landscape around us? What are the stories held in whale song, and what is the form of those stories? Stories arise in words, in images, in multiple other non-human languages, unfolding in different timelines, in multiple forms, often outside of our human awareness. As I’m writing this, I can feel how very alive story is.
So many intriguing threads here in what in what you’ve said. Definitely the aliveness of story is resonating deeply for me. I also love this observation of yours: “how limited our concept of story may be…” What are the boundaries of story? Are there boundaries? And what are the stories that places or nature hold? Your notion of de-centering the human presence in story and seeing where that leads has a lot of energetic pull for me, too.