We tell stories to talk out the trouble in our lives, trouble otherwise so often so unspeakable. It is one of our main ways of making our lives sensible. Trying to live without stories can make us crazy. They help us recognize what we believe to be most valuable in the world, and help us identify what we hold demonic.
William KittredgeWe live in stories. What we are is stories. We do things because of what is called character, and our character is formed by the stories we learn to live in.
William KittredgePlaces come to exist in our imaginations because of stories, and so do we. When we reach for a "sense of place," we posit an intimate relationship to a set of stories connected to a particular location, such as Hong Kong or the Grand Canyon or the bed where we were born, thinking of histories and the evolution of personalities in a local context. Having "a sense of self" means possessing a set of stories about who we are and with whom and why.
William KittredgeDon't worry about meaning. If a story's any good, it can't help but have meaning. Let the PhDs tell you what your story means.
William KittredgeWriting is a funny business. You sit in your room and listen to voices and write everything down. What kind of a profession is that?
William Kittredge