Locate a story within the public sphere and scrutinize its purpose.
Become aware of how stories are used in the public sphere by paying attention to your surroundings. Choose an instance in which a story is being told either from the past or present day.
For example, you might be sitting at home watching TV when a commercial comes on, you notice that it’s telling a story about a lost puppy that found his way home. Or you might be sitting at home and you hear your parent telling your sibling a story from when they were young. Or, you might be sitting at home watching a movie and notice that one of the characters is telling a story.
The key here is to observe and analyze throughout the week.
Once you’ve chosen your story, please answer the following questions:
What is the story being told? Please summarize here being as descriptive as possible.
Who was telling the story?
In what context was this story told?
What was the purpose of the story?
How were they telling the story? Think about aspects of non-verbal communication and apply them here.