--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is an ancient need to be told stories…" description: "\"It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a great storyteller. Thanks for all of it, Jo.\" — Alan Rickman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/alan-rickman-4156_ancient_it-is-an-ancient-need-to-be-told-stories_1773141.jpg" --- # It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story… ![“It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a great storyteller. Thanks for all of it, Jo.” quote by Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/alan-rickman-4156_ancient_it-is-an-ancient-need-to-be-told-stories_1773141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/alan-rickman-4156_ancient_it-is-an-ancient-need-to-be-told-stories_1773141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/alan-rickman-4156_ancient_it-is-an-ancient-need-to-be-told-stories_1773141.jpg) > “It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a great storyteller. Thanks for all of it, Jo.” [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytelling is an ancient human need, requiring skilled storytellers to convey narratives. **In simple terms:** Stories need good tellers. Key Takeaway Value and develop storytelling skills. Themes storytelling human nature communication Mood inspirational thoughtful Type personal When to use this quote - education - media - entertainment Key Concepts narrative craft skill development cultural tradition Questions to Reflect On - Who inspires your storytelling? - How can you improve your narrative? A Different Perspective Not all stories are equally impactful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storyteller/) ## Related quotes > [“Perhaps we have overrated roots as a psychic need. Maybe the greater the urge, the deeper and more ancient is the need, the will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/perhaps-we-have-overrated-roots-as-a-psychic-need-maybe-the-greater/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [And it's a human need to be told stories. The more we're governed by idiots and have no control over our destinies, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/and-it-s-a-human-need-to-be-told-stories-the-more-we-re-governed-by/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I don't like being told what to do, and I don't need to be told what my record should sound like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/i-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do-and-i-don-t-need-to-be-told-what/) [Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/) > [You told me you love me... You told me you need me.. You even told me that you miss me.. But baby why didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima/you-told-me-you-love-me-you-told-me-you-need-me-you-even-told-me-that/) Arunima > [“Would you leave me, if I told you what I've done? And would you need me, if I told you what I've become?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilliana-anderson/would-you-leave-me-if-i-told-you-what-i-ve-done-and-would-you-need-me/) [Lilliana Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilliana-anderson/) > [I'm sure you get the best out of people if you look for the best in them. People don't need to be told when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-m-sure-you-get-the-best-out-of-people-if-you-look-for-the-best-in/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“But sometimes people need to be believed in more than they need to be told what is so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-mather/but-sometimes-people-need-to-be-believed-in-more-than-they-need-to-be/) [Adriana Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-mather/) > [How many times do I have to lie and say I'm fine before anyone gets the point that I'm really not ok? How many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-stidham/how-many-times-do-i-have-to-lie-and-say-i-m-fine-before-anyone-gets/) Nicole Stidham > [There are two kinds of people: the ones who need to be told and the ones who figure it out all by themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-the-ones-who-need-to-be-told-and-the/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [I want to be a part of the stories that need to be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-fry/i-want-to-be-a-part-of-the-stories-that-need-to-be-told/) [Lucy Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-fry/) > [“You'll be all right, Cassie." "No! I won't be! I need you-" "Why? What can I give you that others can't?" "What?" Green eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/you-ll-be-all-right-cassie-no-i-won-t-be-i-need-you-why-what-can-i/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [I'm never happy with the work I put in. No. I need to be told by my director and people around me that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shraddha-kapoor/i-m-never-happy-with-the-work-i-put-in-no-i-need-to-be-told-by-my/) [Shraddha Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shraddha-kapoor/) > [Sometimes people need to be told to sit down and shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/sometimes-people-need-to-be-told-to-sit-down-and-shut-up/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [“Our stories are important and need to be told”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-brown/our-stories-are-important-and-need-to-be-told/) [Diane Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-brown/) > [Every love story needs a catalyst of some sort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/every-love-story-needs-a-catalyst-of-some-sort/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) ## More by Alan Rickman > [Every so often you read a play and a character just speaks to you - almost seems to speak through you, in fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/every-so-often-you-read-a-play-and-a-character-just-speaks-to-you/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [My definition of palatable might be slightly different from yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/my-definition-of-palatable-might-be-slightly-different-from-yours/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Three children have become adults since a phone call with Jo Rowling, containing one small clue, persuaded me that there was more to Snape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/three-children-have-become-adults-since-a-phone-call-with-jo-rowling/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I do feel more myself in America. I can regress there, and they have roller-coaster parks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-do-feel-more-myself-in-america-i-can-regress-there-and-they-have/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I have a love-hate relationship with white silk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-have-a-love-hate-relationship-with-white-silk/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that theater is, we're in deep trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-which-is-all-that-theater-is/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I was 7, and I remember being given a part in a play and thinking, This is exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-was-7-and-i-remember-being-given-a-part-in-a-play-and-thinking-this/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [The difference between being an actor and a director is simple. The director has to hide his panic; the actor doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/the-difference-between-being-an-actor-and-a-director-is-simple-the/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Do you know that moment when you paint a landscape as a child and, when you’re maybe under seven or something, the sky is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/do-you-know-that-moment-when-you-paint-a-landscape-as-a-child-and/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Who I am gets in the way of people looking innocently at the parts I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/who-i-am-gets-in-the-way-of-people-looking-innocently-at-the-parts-i/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I don't think it's right that everybody knows everything about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-don-t-think-it-s-right-that-everybody-knows-everything-about-me/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [One thing I will say - my job gets harder and harder. The more you understand about what you are capable of, the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/one-thing-i-will-say-my-job-gets-harder-and-harder-the-more-you/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [On the screen were some flashback shots of Daniel, Emma and Rupert from ten years ago. They were 12. I have also recently returned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/on-the-screen-were-some-flashback-shots-of-daniel-emma-and-rupert/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I was coming from a very cerebral, dark, difficult, layered play by Christopher Hampton and doing an action movie in Hollywood (Die Hard) with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-was-coming-from-a-very-cerebral-dark-difficult-layered-play-by/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I don't play villains, I play very interesting people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-don-t-play-villains-i-play-very-interesting-people/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) [Explore all 115 Alan Rickman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a great storyteller. 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