Storytelling: A 30,000-Year-Old TL;DR

By Jordyn Enrile

Telling stories has always been an important part of human history, connecting people across generations. It is an old practice that has changed and grown in amazing ways, just like our world is always changing. Telling stories has evolved a lot over the years, from the first cave paintings that whispered stories of survival to the immersive virtual worlds of today. This look at the history of storytelling takes us back in time to see how stories have been made, shared, and read, and how they still affect our culture, and how we think about what it means to be human.

The Dawn of Oral Tradition 

It is easiest to tell a tale out loud. Families would gather around campfires and tell stories to entertain and teach the next generation. Stories from the past were told in this way to teach children and grandchildren about the simple ways to live. Since many of the great epics were passed down from generation to generation, they changed over time into what they are today. The story changed until someone decided to write it down. There are so many reiterations of Cinderella or the hare and the tortoise that it's hard to keep track of them all; however, someone had the bright idea to write these narratives down to make them last through time.

The Written Word and the Birth of Literature 

Civilizations like the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Greeks started writing down their stories on tablets and scrolls, which is seen as a turning point in storytelling. It made stories more accessible to more people because they could travel further and be retold more accurately. The Odyssey, the Bible, and the Quran are all examples of religious texts that came from these scrolls and tablets. Today, we have access to early works of literature like Plato's musings and stories like The Epic of Gilgamesh thanks to these easy methods of publishing. At the end of the 1300s, playwriting also gained popularity as a result of church services, with the Ancient Greeks producing some of the earliest works of Western literature still in existence. 

By making the printing press in the 1400s, Johannes Gutenberg made it easier and cheaper for many people to get books. Thereby making books more popular. This made the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the start of literary genres like fantasy possible, which let stories change in a way that opened up new ways to push education, religion, and creative writing. 

The Golden Age of Radio and Television 

The 20th century brought us radio and TV, which made stories more interactive by letting us hear and see them. These dramas and shows captivated audiences and established cultural touchstones that bonded people together in ways that weren’t thought possible. Classic shows like "The War of the Worlds" on the radio and "I Love Lucy" on TV changed the way stories were told and showed how powerful these forms of media can be in captivating large audiences. It gave a way for this new audience of people to connect to new people across the world, because even if their lives were completely different, at least they could say they had one thing in common.

The Digital Revolution and the Internet Age 

When the internet came along, storytelling took a huge step forward. Everyone can share their ideas, thoughts, musings, and history with the world through blogs, social media, and other online platforms. New ways to tell stories have come about because of technology, like interactive fiction, webcomics, video games, and viral videos. People started to interact with stories in ways that had never been seen before, co-creating content and taking part in immersive experiences. Conventions, clubs, and meeting places all began to pop up in rapid fire, creating environments for people to share and contribute more to the growth of the change in literature.

Along our journey through time, we have seen how storytelling has changed a lot, from whispered stories by the fire to the immersive versions of today. The way we tell stories has changed, grown, and evolved to reflect how the world is changing. But at its core, storytelling is still a powerful way to connect people from different cultures and generations and to shape the human experience. We are on the edge of the future, and stories are still changing. AI, virtual reality, and augmented reality all have the potential to change how stories are told and experienced. As shared stories become more common, the lines between creators and consumers become less clear. There are countless possibilities for storytelling in the future, where everyone can share and deeply personalize stories.

Jordyn is a dedicated college student pursuing a B.A. in Information Science. Her passion lies in the exploration of the world of words and stories. Jordyn aspires to find her place in the publishing world, where she hopes to bring stories to life, while also working towards a career as a children's school librarian, nurturing young minds to discover their own literary adventures. Her spirit animal, the octopus, reflects her appreciation for the diverse ways creativity can reach out in various directions, embracing the wonders of the world.