Chapter Overview

Chapter 7 explores the cultural functions of storytelling, a universal popular form of entertainment and education. It examines the occasions on which people tell stories and how (and why) these stories are told. Chapter 7 also investigates who tells stories and the different types of storytelling. Storytelling is not only about entertaining, but it is about understanding and reordering the world in which we live.

The Companion Website continues the themes from the chapter. The Web Exercises explore Urban legends, rumors, and story telling. The Wired Culture activity asks you to look closely at video games and story telling, while the Film Clip investigates the writing legend of Stephen King. Visual Culture Online explores the graphic novel, and finally, Mining the Web offers links to digital storytelling Web sites you may wish to explore.