shape of stories

In traditional culture, as mentioned in the Tao Te Ching, Chapter 41," Great sounds are rare, but elephants are invisible." It meant that the most beautiful music sounded lonely and silent, and the tall image could not be seen. This concept reflected the Taoist understanding of the nature of things. Truly great and grand images or things often exceeded the definition of shape and form in people's conventional cognition. They were a kind of metaphysical and abstract existence. In addition, there were other levels of interpretation of the " invisible elephant ". From the point of view of an elephant, an elephant was huge and powerful, but its existence was not only reflected by its size and strength. Its existence could be felt through symbolic meaning. In Asian culture, elephants were regarded as mascots, symbolizing strength and wisdom, not only because of their size and strength, but also because of their wisdom and gentleness. From a historical and cultural point of view, in ancient India and Southeast Asia, elephants were used as tools of war and work, as well as for religious ceremonies and celebrations. These historical and cultural meanings deepened the significance of elephants 'existence. In terms of ecological value, elephants were key species in the forest ecosystem. They helped maintain the balance of the forest, promote the growth and reproduction of plants, and protect the habitat of other wild animals, which made the existence of elephants more important and indispensable. Other than that, there was also a mystery novel and manga titled " The Invisible Elephant."

The'shape of stories' refers to the general pattern or structure that a story follows. For example, some stories have a rising action, a climax, and a falling action, which can be seen as a particular shape. It helps in understanding how a story unfolds and engages the audience.

Functionality is a key element. For example, the shape of a car is designed to be streamlined for better aerodynamics. This helps in fuel efficiency and speed.

Origin stories shape cultures in many ways. For example, they can create a sense of identity. Take the origin story of a Native American tribe. Their story of how they came to be in a particular land gives them a connection to that place and a unique identity within the broader world. Origin stories also often have moral lessons. In the case of many religious origin stories, they teach values like kindness, justice, and respect. This influences how people in that culture interact with one another.

History provides the backdrop and context for ghost stories. Events like wars, plagues, and disasters leave a mark on a place. For example, areas that were hit hard by the Black Death in Europe might have ghost stories related to the many who perished. The suffering and death during that time became part of the local psyche and were eventually incorporated into ghostly tales.