The Culture of Storytelling

The “Culture” of Storytelling: A Journey into Allegory, Mythology, Fable, and Fairy Tale

Humans have always been bound by stories. Even before they were written down, stories were told through words and pictures as a means of expressing culture, tradition, values, history, and religion. This senior selective will take students on a journey through various storytelling platforms which include classic myth, fables, and fairy tales, only to conclude in a study of the modern novel and film as a reinterpretation of classic storytelling forms. Students will learn to see the allegorical and metaphorical dimensions of various narratives as expressions of human experience and human endeavor. The course will also encourage an appreciation of the universal motifs and themes which transcend culture and geography. Students will write analytical essays, engage in class discussion, perform literary and film analysis, and learn to synthesize various storytelling forms. The culminating activity for the course is a group project on the significant role of various archetypes, including the monsters and the hero.