Instead of working on my novel today, I’m focusing on the theme of my blog: why we tell stories. Here is part one with many more to come. This post is an extension of my master’s thesis and touches briefly on that topic.

Why Do We Tell Stories?

On the surface, it seems to be a simple question. But simple questions don’t actually exist. Ancient cultures, who lacked a written language, kept their histories alive through the art of storytelling. One famous example, which lives on in the modern consciousness, is the story of the battle of Troy. This tale is most likely a wild exaggeration. Yet, the story’s principles hold more significance than its historical validity. Paris and Helen’s love inspire us to believe in and to seek true love at any costs. Achilles’s fatal flaw—his heel—reminds us that even the mightiest among us have vulnerabilities or weaknesses. No one is without flaws. The faithfulness of Prince Hector to defend his family and city against the overwhelming Greek forces inspires us to be courageous and loyal. The vast number of characters in the story-–film or epic poem—each give us an example of how to live.

Our advancements in writing, history, science, philosophy, and technology have created a sizeable gap between us and our ancient ancestors. Our passion lies in recounting stories of exceptional and notorious individuals.

The twentieth century saw major technological advancements such as the airplane, automobile, and internet. The motion picture was one such transformative technology for storytelling. Through this, stories became more vivid on the big screen, letting us experience the emotions in a whole new way.

In 1917, a storyteller emerged from obscurity to become one of the most influential film directors of the twentieth century. He was especially known for westerns. His name was John Ford. From 1917 to 1973, Ford directed over one-hundred thirty-five films. During the late 1940s through the 1960s, he created some of the most memorable Westerns. He drew audiences to his films by creating an internationally recognized view of the American West. His films affected how people saw violence, race, nostalgia, and their role in history.

Ford tackled controversial subjects in his films, using a blend of gravity and humor to draw attention to them. The Wild West provided distance from the subject allowing the audience to confront hard truths. His work helped create the Myth of the Old West that we know today, or at least the version we see on film. And like Troy, it holds historical truths, but embellishes too. The end product was a romanticized and exciting view of America’s own frontier.