Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Think about the elements of great storytelling. What makes a storyteller effective—the story, the technique, or both? What are some of the purposes of storytelling around the world and/or throughout history?

Teaching Suggestion: Storytelling is one way many societies share their culture and educate new generations. To help students reflect on the significance and theme of Storytelling in the book, draw them into a discussion on the purpose and tradition of storytelling, both historically and currently. Guide the discussion to include a writer’s possible motivations for writing a memoir; is the motivation the same or different for other modes of storytelling (written, oral, stage play, film, etc.)? Also, many universal stories are hero-driven; examining Kingston’s memoir and/or the embedded “talk-stories” through Joseph Campbell’s lens of the monomyth is another way for students to consider Storytelling as a theme. 

• Harvard Business Publishing has a two-part series of articles (Part 1, Part 2) about the effects of storytelling on the brain. Many businesses are leveraging the power of storytelling to impact sales.