Chapter 1: The first chapter if a book is a very efficient way for an author to grab the reader’s’ attention. The first chapter of The Storytelling Animal did just that. Originally, I had not planned to make this chapter one to talk about, but it was incredible. The one main conclusion to take is simple: everything is or has a story. Whether it be a daydream, reality TV, sports, or a well-written novel, everything has a plot in a sense. Relating to novels, the part I found most interesting is how written words essentially give readers no more than an outline. The text paints pictures for readers, but it is left to the reader’s imagination to fill in all the blanks of the scene. The Moby Dick scene being described, for example, is extremely vivid and shows what is going on, but there are so many extra details such as clothing and facial features that the reader must create. Having some knowledge of the WWE, the Vince McMahon portion of the chapter was also intriguing. Obviously pro wrestling is “fake”, but everything else that tells a story filled with drama is “fake” in the same sense. McMahon, as a business mogul, understands what it takes to release a good product for fans. Likewise, he understands the process of the human mind and consequently uses pro wrestling as a storytelling outlet. Packed with everything that a best-selling novel has; drama, good, bad, evil, victory, defeat. All of those elements are present in the WWE. This chapter served as a good precursor to the rest of the book. It helps readers prepare for what is to come by illustrating just how vital storytelling is.

Chapter 8: This chapter takes a dive into the world of real-life memories and how they can often be construed in a variety of ways. I particularly enjoyed this chapter because of the real-world elements it presents. Although our minds are filled with everlasting memories, it is not uncommon for our minds to piece together fictional elements that help support our stories or memories. The first tale that Gotschall presents is perhaps the most interesting. David Carr, a well-respected writer for the NY Times, lived a dangerous and often questionable life in his early years of his career. Alcohol and cocaine had his life on a bad path which resulted in a more than eventful day with his friend Donald. As the story goes along and we reach the end with the part about the gun, we learn it was David who had the gun, not Donald. The whole story David was convinced that Donald was threatening him with a gun, but in reality it was David threatening the life of Donald. While unrelatable, it fascinated me that such a vivid and eventful story could have such an important detail misconstrued. Gotschall continues the chapter by pointing out examples of memoirs that are almost entirely fiction, written by authors using an alias that are just trying to tell a story, a story that they did not experience first-hand. The portion regarding 9/11 also caught my attention. “Flashbulb memories” are relevant to everyone who has experienced trauma. Every person who experienced the world when 9/11 happened could probably recall their location and other simple details, but often times those memories are distorted by lies and perception that often enhance the story being told. This chapter made such a fantastic connection to real life experiences for readers. We all continue on with our life and memories, but those memories can easily be altered in order to best fit what we want the story to be.