The Concept of the Main Idea
Both survey results showed that the original intent of the article was changed when it came to the finer details and what was interpreted as the point. Though readers essentially got the same information, what was considered the main idea differed. In the rewrites, though dealing with the same subject, the writing became deeper because there needed to be context to form a story. The articles gave the information without any gloss or fancy packaging; they simply provided the reader with straightforward facts. But when that same information was used to create a story, people’s interpretations of the main idea became more focused on the characters and their experiences instead of a simple report the events that occurred. Though ideas can become warped when retold in a fiction-like format, the responses also show how people will naturally hone in on the characters within a story, looking to see how the story relates to the character(s) rather than viewing it from the detached perspective of an outsider.