Stream of consciousness is a writing style that lets us peek into what's happening inside a character's mind. This way of telling a story can make reading much more engaging and personal.

1. Getting into the Character's Mind: Authors like Virginia Woolf, in her book "Mrs. Dalloway," show us what a character is thinking and feeling. Instead of just a simple storyline, we move through bits of thoughts and feelings. This helps us really understand what the character is experiencing.

2. Feeling Strong Emotions: This writing style can make us feel a lot. For example, in James Joyce's "Ulysses," we dive into Leopold Bloom's thoughts and feel his happiness, regrets, and everyday life. The way he writes, without much punctuation, reflects how messy our thoughts can be, which makes us connect more emotionally.

3. Changing What Readers Expect: If you're used to regular storytelling, stream of consciousness might be tricky. It requires us to really think and put together the meanings behind the words. This makes us more involved and thoughtful as we read.

4. A Different Structure: This style also changes how stories are put together. Instead of following a straight line from beginning to end, the writing might jump around in time or themes. This pushes us to look at storytelling in a new way.

Overall, stream of consciousness turns reading from something you just do into a fascinating journey through someone else's thoughts and feelings.