Storytelling #1: the (imaginary) audience
At work lately, we've been discussing the idea of transformative storytelling. In general, the concept refers to the idea that the narrator/creator is changed through the act of telling a story (in our case, we're talking about digital storytelling).When I first read about the idea in these words, it made sense in my gut (me being a recovering diary-addict). I can recall many times where I'd sit down to write in my diary, bothered by a particular problem or issue - for example, let's say a friend made a biting remark to me at the lunch table. Through writing down the complaint, I'd often realize that the issue seemed trite or childish, or would be inspired to consider possible alternate explanations (was the friend feeling insecure about something? had i said something to them earlier?). It appeared that the mere act of putting the thoughts into words and onto paper inspired me to frame my life in a more balanced way that had I just allowed the thoughts to stew in my brain.
Why was this? Well, we have to get into the specifics a bit for the probable explanation to emerge. My theory is that it's not the act of putting the words on paper that inspired me to think differently, but fact that the act of writing intrinsically inspired a sort of self above the self, who reacted to what I was writing. In other words, there was the "me" that was having the thought or emotional reaction to the event and recording that as such, and then there was the "me" that served as the audience - in effect, there was Cheryl as "writer" and Cheryl as "reader."
So, whenever storytelling is involved, even when there is an intended audience, the "self" audience is really primary, or in the "front row" so to speak (yaaay, metaphors). The interesting thing I've found through journal or diary-writing (and, to be clear, i haven't done much actual diary writing since pre-college; the blog counts in a way, but it's differnet due to there being a wider intended audience than just myself) is that the "self" as reader tends to be an idealized self. As I react to what I've written, I prompt myself to be better, more fair, deeper, and wiser. And, the weird thing is...as I write the more balanced and fair accounts, I actually end up becoming that person I'd like myself to be...amazing!
One of my bosses, Phil, mentioned this as being one of the things he's noticed with the Bridges students over the past 5-6 years as he's done these storytelling projects. He observes that as they kids tell their stories, they tend to inflate aspects of their lives, and through that act they start seeing themselves and their lives in a different, more positive light.
Because we have our students create the stories with an intended international audience, that adds a whole new dimention to the "audience" issue. Now, the "reader" is not only the self, but is a group of one's peers in drastically different cultural contexts around the world. This makes the whole "self" audience a bit more complexified, because as the kids create their stories, they imagine the reactions of their peers as well, and start seeing themselves differently.
Firstly, of course, they see what they take for granted - when explaining what "lacrosse" is to a group of kids enamored with soccer in the Tibetan Children's Village in india, for example, a group of Seattle students might recognize how much physical content goes into their game. Through watching a story about the lengths that children go through in Kenya to gather water, the kids at the Tibetan Children's village might be grateful for the water that flows through their pipes. Through watching a story about how alcoholism tore apart a family in the US, the Kenyan kids might see their family structures in a new light.
Anyway, this is all just very interesting stuff to me, and I hope you enjoy my ramblings on the subject as well! | posted by Cheryl, 7/19/2006 03:55:00 PM
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