Author(s): Mark J. R. Wakefield

Abstract: The power of storytelling is acknowledged as having a powerful capacity to help readers think about characters and reflect on their own lives through the experiences of the characters explored in such tales. Having been part of the cultural character of the wider human community from time immemorial, storytelling retains its strong capacity to inspire critical reflection. This paper seeks to explore the relationship between storytelling and critical thinking and how one can stimulate the other and expose the overall benefits such an exercise can produce.

Keywords: education, culture, English literature, critical thinking, reflective practice

Article Info: Received: 16 Jun 2026; Received in revised form: 15 Jul 2026; Accepted: 18 Jul 2026; Available online: 22 Jul 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.114.17