Interesting stories
I liked Robyn’s dad’s story the most. It was interesting and the idea was new to me. I could relate to it the most. The comment about the purpose at the end made me smile.
“It was cool. It made him stand out. And if anyone wanted the window down, or the radio on, they had to go through him.”
Like many people, I can relate to the story because I have a family member (my mom) that has repeated many stories to me as if I didn’t hear them before. But I can relate in another way because there were times I would try to stand out or be unique. I may not remember specific incidents, but I know that feeling.
What makes a story interesting is how thought provoking the content is. Being able to relate to the story is part of this, since the story makes you think of memories and feelings about the matter. If the person can relate to the story, then he or she can think about the differences and expand on something.
An interesting story could use universal topics, which many people can easily relate to or think about. You may not be able to relate to a story, but if the message or a particular part makes you think, you probably found it interesting. Irony in a story is good, and the shock or surprise gets you to think, whether it be your own experiences with irony, how the characters feel about it, or what would happen now. Sometimes people expect a plot twist and when they are right, they do not find it interesting because there is nothing new to it so it’s not as thought provoking. Stories with new concepts make you think about such concepts and the possible situations with them, making them more likely to be interesting. Concepts or situations that seem old to some people may be new to others, so the interest would vary. Some stories may be more thought provoking towards certain audiences, which could probably be the intended audience. And some people may think about how a story is not interesting and how things were done before or how part of it seemed pointless, but that’s not the thinking I’m talking about. I hope that made sense.
3 responses so far
You make a great point here! When you can relate to a story, it makes you think of similar experiences you’ve had and ultimately, you can go off on a completely different train of thought. Sometimes you even wonder how you began thinking about something. No two people are the same, so naturally everyone has different interests, which may or may not cross with those of the people around them. I could also relate to the stories told by parents. My dad has a story for every occasion and he tells it every. single. time. But hey, when we’re older I bet we’ll do the same.
None of my family members really tell stories like Robyn’s dad does, so I don’t really know that experience. But I do agree that relatable stories makes one reflect on similar experiences and veer off into a different pathway of thought. Listening to these stories will probably lead me to do the same in the future, but with my excellent memory, I doubt that I will ever tell the same story twice. I have many different stories about many different people and that can lead to a multitude of possibilities and thoughts.
I really like how you talk about what “makes” a story – about how thought provoking it is to the listener – because I feel like without that part, a story falls flat. I do think that if you think long enough about the stories presented, you can realize some meaning behind them. Unfortunately, I haven’t been bothered enough to do that, so, uh, go right ahead with that if you want!