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- DictionarySto·ry/ˈstôrē/
noun
- 1. an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment: "an adventure story"
- 2. an account of past events in someone's life or in the evolution of something: "the story of modern farming"
People also ask
What is an origin story?
Why are origin stories important?
What is an example of an origin story?
What is a culture's origin story?
Origin story. The trauma of his parents' murder serves as the origin story for the popular comic book superhero Batman. In entertainment, an origin story is an account or backstory revealing how a character or group of people become a protagonist or antagonist .
Feb 18, 2024 · An origin story is a narrative construct detailing the genesis of a character or organization. It encompasses the critical events, influences, and circumstances that shape the character's traits, beliefs, values, and motivations.
Feb 29, 2024 · Warner Bros. An origin story is a narrative account that reveals the circumstances and experiences that shape a fictional character. It explores the pivotal events, internal transformations, and motivations that define the character's identity, purpose, and often their powers or abilities.
- Overview
- Origin Stories Introduction
All humans yearn to know where we came from and how our world began. We may have different stories, but they all serve a similar purpose.
By Cynthia Stokes Brown
All humans yearn to know where we came from and how our world began. We may have different stories, but they all serve a similar purpose.
Everywhere around the world people tell stories about how the Universe began and how humans came into being. Scholars, namely anthropologists and ethnologists, call these tales “creation myths” or “origin stories.” In comic-book lingo there is a specialized meaning for “origin stories.” They are accounts that relate how superheroes got their superpowers.
Some origin stories are based on real people and events, while others are based on more imaginative accounts. Origin stories can contain powerful, emotional symbols that convey profound truths, but not necessarily in a literal sense. In the United States, many people tell stories about Santa Claus. But everyone, except young children, knows that he is a symbol of love and generosity, not a person who actually exists. Many cultures tell stories that seem strange to outsiders but have deep meaning to group members.
When people in a culture become literate, they write down their origin stories. But the stories frequently go back way before written records, to when people told them aloud. This is called an “oral tradition.” Multiple versions of each story often exist, since people — from group to group and generation to generation — may change them slightly as they retell them. I have chosen to summarize, in writing, five origin stories from a wide number of places and eras — feel free to tell them aloud to each other.
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In this activity, you will become familiar with the idea of an origin story. Cultures around the world have their own origin stories, ways in which they believe and describe how the Universe came to be.
Origin stories aren’t just for caped crusaders; they’re a powerful tool in writing that gives depth to characters and provides readers with a gateway into their motivations and transformations. We’ll jump into what makes an origin story compelling and why it’s crucial for character development.
Greek Origin Story: The Titans and the Gods of Olympus. An illustration of Zeus crowned by Victory © Bettmann/CORBIS. Compiled by Cynthia Stokes Brown. This origin story comes from some of the earliest Greek writings that have survived.
