:: Why We Long for Stories, 2 of 3 ::

My final lecture in my TCU communication class this week spoke to the human longing for "story" as one of the primary means of persuasion and communication. First, we spoke of the use of story through all of history's communication, and the return to story that's currently occurring in our post-literate society. We closed that section by asking "Why might this return be happening?" Here's the answer, & the next part of the lecture:

Why might this trend be occurring? Because as much as humans are logical, and have become accustomed to learning by logic, analysis, and literate-style thinking, research shows that as we connect best with story. And I submit that humans have always connected best to stories, because we're a "story-formed" people. What I mean by that is that on some level, we realize we're part of a greater story, a history that's far bigger than any one of us. And so in every story we hear, we get to experience echoes of that greater story we're a part of.

I submit that the story we're a part of has four basic parts; four movements; four acts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.

Seeing This Story Everywhere
Think about it: we love stories of brokenness being restored; of underdogs pulling it out; of the impossible becoming possible, especially if it happens at the last second, just when it seems hopeless. We love happy endings. So consider movies we love: whether it's Braveheart, or Star Wars, or any romantic comedy, or any suspense thriller, we love this same pattern: something is good [Creation], it becomes broken, bad, hurting, or wrong [Fall], and there's an expectation that by the end, it's fixed [Redemption]; everything's resolved, settled, and made good again [Restoration]. In fact, think of movies where resolution doesn't happen: we leave feeling a yearning, a longing, a suspense, because we know what should be there, isn't. This same pattern follows the best books, short stories, plays, musicals, historical accounts, and any other expression we love.

But we don't have to look to the works of others to see this same story: we find this same pattern in our own lives and experience. Think of nature: obviously, it was created and is good, but you don't have to look far to know that it's broken, hurting, and we're kind of destroying it. Think of human relationships: we've all been in friendships, family situations, and romantic-type relationships that were good, but are now hurting, broken, and experiencing pain. Think of the world around us: physical pain, financial hurt, war, famine, disease. We know all these things were created (because they each exist), and we see ourselves living in this state of fall; of brokenness; of "this isn't what it should be." And in each of these - in nature, in relationships, in pain, famine, hurt, and disease - as a human race, we're collectively longing, hoping, yearning for it to be made better. We see creation and fall, and we're desperate for redemption and restoration.

It's in our literature. It's in our drama. It's in our history. It's in our art. It's in our very lives. This story connects. To every human; to every aspect of life; to every need. We see it over and over again, in different situations, books, and experiences. The same story repeats itself. And we love this story, and we long for its happy ending. Because each of these "little stories"; each of these repetitions; each variation of this central theme, reminds us on some level of the same story, the greater story - the main story, which being played out on a much grander scale than we often realize.

[Next up - Part 3: Why end the semester this way?]