The Art of Story-Telling By Marie L. Shedlock

The Art of Story-Telling is the definitive guide to the ancient craft of narrative, transforming it into a sophisticated educational tool. Shedlock addresses the challenge of engaging young minds, offering a masterclass in selecting, preparing, and presenting stories that shape character and intellect,. This book matters today as a vital counter-narrative to digital over-stimulation, proving that the spoken word remains the most powerful method to ignite the imagination.

Who May Benefit

• Educators and Teachers seeking to vitalize the curriculum.
• Librarians building a repertoire for young audiences.
• Public Speakers wishing to master delivery and the “art of pausing.”
• Parents wanting to select healthy, imaginative material.
• Psychologists interested in the impact of narrative on development.

Top 3 Key Insights

1. Dramatic Joy is Paramount: The primary goal is satisfying the child’s craving for “dramatic joy,” not didactic teaching.
2. The Art of Concealment: True artistry requires “apparent simplicity,” concealing the rigorous preparation behind the delivery.
3. Indirect Moral Instruction: Morals must grow naturally from the narrative, never be forced or explicitly stated.

4 More Takeaways

• Avoid Visual Aids: Pictures stifle the “inward eye”; the spoken word compels children to create their own mental images,.
• Master the Pause: A judicious pause is the most effective artifice for focusing attention and heightening curiosity.
• Eliminate Sarcasm: Children lack the experience to understand satire; it perverts their sense of kindness.
• Cultivate Humor: Use stories to develop a “sense of proportion,” helping children avoid taking themselves too seriously.

Book in 1 Sentence

The Art of Story-Telling is a masterclass in selecting and performing narratives to foster imagination, joy, and moral growth without didactic preaching.

Book in 1 Minute

Marie L. Shedlock presents storytelling not merely as entertainment, but as a high art requiring “saturation” with the subject matter. She argues against the “didactic emphasis” of traditional teaching, urging storytellers to let moral lessons emerge naturally from the logic of events. The book outlines specific dangers to avoid, such as sensationalism and side issues, while promoting elements to seek, including robust humor and the “element of the unusual”. Shedlock emphasizes the “artifices” of performance, particularly the use of the pause and the danger of over-gesturing. She vigorously defends the spoken word over visual illustrations, arguing that listening stimulates the “inward eye” and allows children to construct their own mental pictures. Ultimately, the book serves as a manifesto for using dramatic joy to counteract the “dead mass” of facts and the sordid influences of modern life.

1 Unique Aspect

Shedlock introduces the concept of “saturation,” arguing that a storyteller must live with a story until they cease to be a mere interpreter and become a creator, causing even inanimate objects in the tale to come alive.

Chapter-wise Summary

Chapter I: The Difficulties of the Story

• “The difficulties are many, and yet they ought not to discourage the would-be narrators.”
• Shedlock identifies common pitfalls that ruin a narrative’s effect, such as chasing side issues which bore the audience or altering stories to “protect” children, often leading to confusion,. She warns against using unfamiliar words without explanation and the “fatal readiness” of asking questions that lead the narrative astray,. Furthermore, she argues strongly against over-illustration, positing that showing pictures forces the whole audience to see the same thing, thereby robbing the child of the educational value of personal visualization.
• Chapter Key Points:
  • Avoid distracting side issues.
  • Trust the spoken word over pictures.
  • Explain unfamiliar words immediately.

Chapter II: The Essentials of the Story

• “Simplicity should be the keynote of story-telling… a simplicity which comes after much training.”
• This chapter defines the core requirement for success: “apparent simplicity,” which is the art of concealing art. Shedlock emphasizes that a storyteller must be “saturated” with their idea, much like an actor living a role, to ensure dignity and effectiveness. She advises teachers to repeat a small selection of polished stories often, rather than offering a large quantity of mediocre performances, comparing the process to the slow, perfect growth of a flower.
• Chapter Key Points:
  • Simplicity requires hard work.
  • “Saturation” with the story is vital.
  • Quality trumps quantity.

Chapter III: The Artifices of Story-telling

• “See that ye o’erstep not the modesty of Nature.”
• Shedlock explores mechanical devices to hold attention, identifying the “judicious Art of Pausing” as the most effective tool to focus interest. She discusses the use of gesture, warning that it should be sparing and subtle, unlike the broad movements of the stage. The chapter also covers the importance of striking beginnings to arrest attention and dramatic endings that leave a lasting impression.
• Chapter Key Points:
  • Pausing creates focus and curiosity.
  • Gesture must be subtle.
  • Start with immediate action.

Chapter IV: Elements to Avoid in Selection of Material

• “Stories that dwell on the analysis of feeling are dangerous.”
• The author categorizes material unsuitable for children, specifically warning against stories involving introspection, sarcasm, and sentimentality, which require adult experience to process,. She advises against “direct moral” preaching, which she compares to tying a flower to a stick rather than letting it grow. Additionally, she rejects stories with excessive sensationalism or those that mix science with fairy tales, as this compromises the integrity of both.
• Chapter Key Points:
  • Avoid analysis of motive.
  • Do not force a moral.
  • Eliminate excessive sensationalism.

Chapter V: Elements to Seek in Choice of Material

• “I want to go to the place where the shadows are real.”
• Shedlock outlines positive qualities to look for, starting with elements familiar to the child’s life to build a bridge to the imagination. She advocates for stories containing the “element of the unusual,” strong romance, and beauty to escape the commonplace. The chapter also highlights the value of stories showing kinship with animals, resourcefulness (often through the “youngest son” trope), and robust nonsense to develop a sense of proportion and humor,.
• Chapter Key Points:
  • Seek the unusual to stimulate imagination.
  • Include “constructive excitement”.
  • Use nonsense to develop humor.

Chapter VI: How to Obtain and Maintain the Effect of the Story

• “If a thing has appeared before us in a vital form, nothing can really destroy it.”
• This chapter examines the long-term impact of storytelling, asserting that dramatic presentation fixes ideas in the memory more permanently than rote learning. Shedlock argues that stories can counteract the “lurid appeals” of street life and newspapers by providing legitimate, constructive excitement. She also discusses the danger of asking children to reproduce or dramatize stories immediately, as this can weaken the artistic impression and emotional depth the storyteller worked to create.
• Chapter Key Points:
  • Stories counteract negative environmental influences.
  • Avoid immediate reproduction by children.
  • Dramatic presentation aids long-term memory.

Chapter VII: Questions Asked by Teachers

“Cultivez l’imagination, messieurs. Tout est là.”

Shedlock answers practical queries, advising that when children ask “Is it true?”, one should explain that truth is relative to the world of the story. She defends the use of fairy tales against those who dislike them, suggesting the dislike often stems from a lack of imagination. She also reiterates her stance against dissecting stories with questions, preferring a period of silence to let the effect sink in.

This chapter addresses practical queries from teachers regarding storytelling techniques. Shedlock argues that storytelling requires rigorous training similar to acting. She advises handling questions about the “truth” of fairy tales by distinguishing between imaginative and literal truth, helping children see the “higher truth” in fiction,. She discusses the nuance of memorization versus using one’s own words and emphasizes the necessity of “living with” a story to master it,. Crucially, she opposes analyzing stories immediately or asking children to reproduce them instantly, as this destroys the artistic impression; instead, she advocates for a period of silence to fix the effect,.

Chapter Key Points:

• Truth is relative to the “make-believe” world.
• Silence is better than analysis.
• Humour teaches a sense of proportion.

Chapter VIII: Stories in Full

“To your good health!”

This section presents a curated collection of stories exemplifying Shedlock’s educational and artistic principles. It includes classic Andersen tales like The Nightingale, The Swineherd, and The Princess and the Pea, chosen for their dramatic quality,,. Other narratives range from the historic Story of Sturla to legends such as St. Christopher and Arthur in the Cave,,. The selection covers diverse cultures, featuring Russian folk tales like Snegourka and Buddhist fables like The True Spirit of a Festival Day,. These stories illustrate how to provide dramatic joy and offer ethical examples without direct moralizing, serving as practical models for the storyteller.

Chapter Key Points:

• Examples of dramatic and humorous tales.
• Illustrations of “saturation” in practice.

10 Notable Quotes

1. “Story-telling is almost the oldest Art in the world—the first conscious form of literary communication.”
2. “The moral of a story should not be tied on like a flower to a stick but should grow out of the narrative naturally.”
3. “Simplicity should be the keynote of story-telling, but… it is a simplicity which comes after much training.”
4. “Emphasis is the bane of all story-telling, for it destroys the delicacy.”
5. “For them thinking is seeing over again… words… awaken vividly-coloured images, pictures far more brilliant than would be called into being by the objects themselves.”
6. “Let us be realistic, by all means, but beware, O Story-teller, of being too realistic.”
7. “A sense of humour… is really a sense of proportion.”
8. “If a thing has appeared before us in a vital form, nothing can really destroy it.”
9. “Moralising in a Fairy Story is like the snoring of Bottom in Titania’s lap.”
10. “The great artist works in and through and from moral ideas; his works are indirectly a criticism of life.”

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About the Author

Marie L. Shedlock (1854–1935) was a renowned English storyteller and educator, often referred to as the “Fairy Godmother” of storytelling. She is credited with inspiring the storytelling movement in American libraries, particularly influencing the New York Public Library system. A gifted artist rather than a mere elocutionist, she emphasized the dramatic and educational power of the spoken word. Shedlock traveled extensively through the United States and England, lecturing on the educational value of narrative and demonstrating her theories through her acclaimed performances of Hans Christian Andersen’s tales,.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should I memorize stories word-for-word? For classics like Andersen or Kipling where style matters, yes; otherwise, absorb the atmosphere and use your own words.
2. How do I handle children asking if a story is true? Explain that truth is relative; things are “true” within the world of the story and the imagination.
3. Should I show pictures while telling a story? No. Appealing to the eye and ear simultaneously is distracting and robs the child of creating their own mental images.
4. Is it wrong to change a story’s ending to be less scary? Yes. Altering folklore to avoid alarm confuses stages of development; it is better to wait until the child is older.
5. Should I explain the moral at the end? Never. Direct moralizing is futile; the lesson should be absorbed unconsciously through the dramatic events.
6. How can I stop children from asking questions during the story? Do not use the method of asking them questions, which invites interruption; use the “art of pausing” to control attention,.
7. What if a child dislikes fairy tales? Persevere to develop their dormant imagination, or explain that truth has many sides.
8. Why is “saturation” important? Living with a story allows the teller to become a creator, making even inanimate objects feel alive to the audience.
9. Can stories teach history? Yes, a dramatically told story from Homer or the Sagas can light up a whole period of history better than lists of facts.
10. Should children retell the story immediately? No. Silence is better to fix the impression; immediate reproduction often weakens the artistic effect.

How to Use This Book

Use this text as a manual for preparation, not just performance. Apply Shedlock’s criteria to “weed out” unsuitable stories from your repertoire. Practice the “art of pausing” and low-key gesture before a mirror. Finally, focus on “saturation”—living with a story until you own it—rather than rote memorization.

Conclusion

The Art of Story-Telling is a timeless manifesto for the power of the spoken word. Read it to transform your narrative approach from simple recitation to a profound educational art that shapes character and ignites the “inward eye.”