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Digital Storytelling Rationale
Zackary Shoemaker
Northwest University
COMM 1003/1009: Introduction to Human Communication
Jillene Krause
16 October 2023
Story Link:
https://storybird.s3.amazonaws.com/generated-book/10774816/tM8bP6NpF8/the-gobble-de-goo
k.pdf
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Digital Storytelling Rationale
The communication issue at hand in “The Gobble-De-Gook” is that there is an initial
power imbalance between the two siblings Keith and Lydia. Keith has a considerable amount of
power at the beginning of the scavenger hunt, leading him to take charge of the hunt while
excluding Lydia from participating in finding the solution. Lydia does not address this head-on
and instead just struggles to follow. Keith notices that Lydia is feeling ostracised and otherwise
melancholy about the situation based on her demeanor and addresses the concern. This allows
Lydia to open up about her feelings which leads Keith to include her in solving the clues for the
scavenger hunt. The pair then briefly reflect on the scenario in the denouement of the story.
Some evidence that this communication disconnect occurs is tied to the prevalence of
sibling rivalries as a method of attaining power and distinct attention from others, including
parents and each other. As Whiteman et al. (2011) describe, “...rivalry between siblings is
grounded in each child’s need to overcome potential feelings of inferiority. As a means of
reducing competition, siblings often differentiate or ‘de-identify,’ developing different personal
qualities and choosing different niches,” (Whiteman et al., 2011). This is illustrated by how
Lydia feels inferior to Keith at the beginning of the hunt and through communicating they work
to overcome that discrepancy. However, such a peaceful resolution is not always commonplace
in sibling relationships.
The feelings of inferiority in sibling relationships impact children substantially in how
they develop relationships with other people, particularly peers outside of their family unit. As
Dunn (2002) writes, “There is evidence for associations between the quality of siblings’
relationships and their externalizing (aggressive, oppositional, rule-breaking) and internalizing
(worrying, anxious) behavior, links found both contemporaneously and over time,” (Dunn, 2002,
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p. 228). Lydia internalizes her feelings in the story, which explains why she does not initially
want to divulge her feelings to Keith, instead waiting for him to open up to her and create a safe
space for her to be vulnerable. Again, though, while present in the story, open communication
between siblings - especially when vulnerable - is not always present.
In particular, this distance between siblings can have significant impacts on how siblings
develop relationships with others later in life since a lack of open, vulnerable communication can
lead to relationship uncertainty between the siblings. “RU [relationship uncertainty] interferes
with message processing and produces negative emotional and cognitive states (Knobloch &
Satterlee, 2009), which in turn are likely to impede the development and maintenance of close
and satisfying relationships,” (Schrodt & Phillips, 2016, pp. 491-492). By not developing a
caring relationship like the one illustrated between Lydia and Keith, children can find themselves
struggling to perceive the emotions of others properly, especially in relationships where openness
and vulnerability are key - romantic relationships, for instance.
As such, it is pivotal that children learn that communicating and particularly listening to
their siblings is important, even if they may perceive each other as annoying or even as
competition. This only becomes more important as siblings grow up and grow apart, where
siblings can often provide support more often and better than parents in most instances (Dunn,
2002, p. 230). Therefore, the earlier this foundation of trust and openness can be created between
siblings, the stronger their future relationships, both with each other and with others outside their
family, will be much stronger and more supportive.
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References
Dunn, J. (2002). Sibling Relationships. In P. K. Smith & C. H. Hart (Eds.), Blackwell Handbook
of Childhood Social Development (pp. 223-237). Wiley.
https://gacbe.ac.in/images/E%20books/Blackwell%20Handbook%20of%20Childhood%2
0Social%20Development.pdf#page=240
Schrodt, P., & Phillips, K. E. (2016). Self-disclosure and relational uncertainty as mediators of
family communication patterns and relational outcomes in sibling relationships.
Communication Monographs, 83(4), 486-504.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul-Schrodt/publication/309366286_Self-disclosur
e_and_relational_uncertainty_as_mediators_of_family_communication_patterns_and_rel
ational_outcomes_in_sibling_relationships/links/5bb2340792851ca9ed339c3a/Self-disclo
sure
Whiteman, S. D., McHale, S. M., & Solis, A. (2011, June 01). Theoretical Perspectives on
Sibling Relationships - PMC. NCBI. Retrieved October 16, 2023, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3127252/