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Archive Number 2505 | ||
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Date: Sat, 18 Jan 2003 16:14:47 EST
In a message dated 1/18/03 12:54:59 PM, andreh@USFAMILY.NET writes: << As in the case of Laura's story. The story assumes that there is a value of mother and father or else there wouldn't be any dilemma making it necessary for the boy to choose or for the community to choose --if it is used within a community setting. The teller may not value one choice over the other of who should die but the teller does value the process of decision making and has made the judgment to do it with this story. In other words there is no such thing as a story that is not told nor based on judgments and values. >> I agree that we choose stories to tell based on our own values. AND I would like to suggest that what we hear in the story MAY NOT be what our listeners hear. For instance in this story, I did not hear an assumption of equal parental value. What I primarily heard at first was simply the message that our actions have consequence that we sometimes cannot forsee. And that there are times when we are presented with a choice we do not wish to make or that is painful to make. And what then? So I go back to the question of the storyteller's choice (?) judgement (?) to "point" the listeners interpretation in a specific direction either didactically - "This story means...." or more subtly - "When I hear this story, I wonder...." I don't think any of us can tell always what a listener will hear. I do think we should know what is important to us in the story - and that includes the values, or what the story means/says to us. And I do think there are times to share our take on a story, and times to just sit in the silence at the end of the story along with other listeners. Gail Gail Rosen, storyteller 410-486-3551 721 Howard Rd. Pikesville MD 21208 NEW website www.GailRosen.com Check out the Healing Story Alliance website: HREF="http://www.HealingStory.org">www.HealingStory.org | ||