There's a reason we place such value on stories in our culture. They're full of intrigue, love, courage, and characters like Samwise Gamgee, sure, but they're also full of lessons. We often use them to pass on knowledge or to guide a person to an answer they're having trouble finding on their own.

In his speech, Obama told a number of different stories, including his own, in efforts to contextualize broader issues for his audience. We hear all about race and gender discrimination, but sometimes these concepts don't really hit home until we understand them in story form. Putting a face to a problem helps us understand why it should matter to us, why we should care, and why we should work overtime to find a solution to the problem.