Every book, story, and poem has a message. This message is portrayed in different ways. This message is usually relates to the theme of the story. Most of the decisions humans make revolve around something they have experienced in the past. In Arthurs W. Franks “Letting Stories Breath: A Socio-Narratology”, he brings up the concept of how stories affect people’s reality and what is their true meaning. His excerpts are tied into Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Wife of Bath’s Tale in different ways. Each story is different but one thing they have in common is that they all influenced the readers’ thoughts. This impact is what associates all three stories to Arthurs W. Frank’s assertions.
Explanation #1: Interpretation of Letting stories breath: A Socio-Narratology The theme of a story is the message the author is giving the reader. The theme is not given but instead the author wants the reader to interpret it himself or herself. Every story has a theme, even if it might be difficult to understand what exactly the author is trying to tell the reader. When Arthurs W. Frank states ““[s]tories work with people, for people, and always stories work on people, affecting what people are able to see as real, as possible, and as worth doing or best avoided” (3).” he is interpreting that stories can have a significant impact in a person’s life. For example, if a person is a reading a book about a child who was injured in a house fire, that person may have children, this story could affect the way he or she takes care of their family. They would not want their child to get close a fire or do anything that could endanger them. This ties back to Frank’s statement because the book or story does not only affect the reader’s actions but it could also affect the people around him. Frank also explains that stories “do not merely entertain, inform, or distress us—they show us what counts as right or wrong and teach us who we are and who we can be”.(back cover) This relates back to the theme, usually the theme is seen as a life lesson. When Frank says that stories are not meant to just “…entertain, inform, or distress us…” he is describing that there is more than just entertainment when it comes to a story, a story can teach us life lessons, morals, and many other things. This can vary from a children’s book to a news story. All of these affect the readers mind and any decision they might take. Explanation #2: Franks assertions in relation to Beowulf Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney, is a book where the message the author is trying to portray is more difficult to understand. The theme could be anything. One of the themes that are closer to what the author was trying to portray is that a person’s legacy will follow them even after death. This …show more content…
She describes her life and her bad experience with husbands. She had five husbands and all of them died. She also describes how she would gain control over them. Moreover, she starts telling the tale of young knight who was part of King Arthur’s court to. She tells this particular story to prove her point. She thinks that a man is happier when the woman is in control. The Wife of Bath’s Tale is similar to Sir Gawain and The Green Knight because they both contain very good messages to the reader. The difference here is that the message is given in the text. Arthur Franks states that stories work for the people, and in this particular story that can relate. Instead of given the reader life changing reflection, it gave a specific group of individuals’ advice. According to Rebecca Chamberlain, “Stories help humankind to understand, reinterpret, and reframe the meanings that under-gird their existence” (The Power of stories, 15). Additionally, if the reader was a woman this could potentially change their view when it comes to relationships. Similar to what Chamberlain said, it helped reinterpret what the significance of a relationship is and what each partner’s role should be. This would of not had happened if it wasn’t for the real significance of the
Explanation #1: Interpretation of Letting stories breath: A Socio-Narratology The theme of a story is the message the author is giving the reader. The theme is not given but instead the author wants the reader to interpret it himself or herself. Every story has a theme, even if it might be difficult to understand what exactly the author is trying to tell the reader. When Arthurs W. Frank states ““[s]tories work with people, for people, and always stories work on people, affecting what people are able to see as real, as possible, and as worth doing or best avoided” (3).” he is interpreting that stories can have a significant impact in a person’s life. For example, if a person is a reading a book about a child who was injured in a house fire, that person may have children, this story could affect the way he or she takes care of their family. They would not want their child to get close a fire or do anything that could endanger them. This ties back to Frank’s statement because the book or story does not only affect the reader’s actions but it could also affect the people around him. Frank also explains that stories “do not merely entertain, inform, or distress us—they show us what counts as right or wrong and teach us who we are and who we can be”.(back cover) This relates back to the theme, usually the theme is seen as a life lesson. When Frank says that stories are not meant to just “…entertain, inform, or distress us…” he is describing that there is more than just entertainment when it comes to a story, a story can teach us life lessons, morals, and many other things. This can vary from a children’s book to a news story. All of these affect the readers mind and any decision they might take. Explanation #2: Franks assertions in relation to Beowulf Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney, is a book where the message the author is trying to portray is more difficult to understand. The theme could be anything. One of the themes that are closer to what the author was trying to portray is that a person’s legacy will follow them even after death. This …show more content…
She describes her life and her bad experience with husbands. She had five husbands and all of them died. She also describes how she would gain control over them. Moreover, she starts telling the tale of young knight who was part of King Arthur’s court to. She tells this particular story to prove her point. She thinks that a man is happier when the woman is in control. The Wife of Bath’s Tale is similar to Sir Gawain and The Green Knight because they both contain very good messages to the reader. The difference here is that the message is given in the text. Arthur Franks states that stories work for the people, and in this particular story that can relate. Instead of given the reader life changing reflection, it gave a specific group of individuals’ advice. According to Rebecca Chamberlain, “Stories help humankind to understand, reinterpret, and reframe the meanings that under-gird their existence” (The Power of stories, 15). Additionally, if the reader was a woman this could potentially change their view when it comes to relationships. Similar to what Chamberlain said, it helped reinterpret what the significance of a relationship is and what each partner’s role should be. This would of not had happened if it wasn’t for the real significance of the