In Lewis’s article “On realism” he says
Secondly if we are
to use the worlds childish or infantile as terms of disapproval, we
must make sure that they refer only to those characteristics of child-hood
which we become better and happier by out-growing; not to the which every sane
man would keep if he could and which some are fortunate for keeping
For me this
quote really resonated as it’s a view that I believe many others have wrongfully developed towards fantasy literature. To
elaborate: it seems as though many people have this disenfranchised lesser view
of fantasy, as if they're embarrassed at the thought of indulging in another
world. Many others that I have had conversation with seem content to lock their secret obsession with fantasy in the cupboard under the
stairs never to let it get out to the larger public. This is upsetting to me because I believe that all people should be advocates of the positive things that are apart of their lives
As I reflect on the writings of
Tolkien and Lewis I can't help but wonder what has reinforced this view in some
individuals.
Having lived the adolescent life as a young boy, growing up I
had a mother who was engrossed in many different fantasy authors and still is
today. While I largely attribute my love
of fantasy to her, I think several other circumstances in my life may have prodded me
into that direction. One of them is growing up in the "underbelly" of society... (I kid) but seriously
Having
grown up in the lower middle class I really understand where some people might be
coming from when talking about the “escapist” qualities of fantasy. That being said, at least in my own life, I
believe that fantasy literature has served an all-together different
purpose. Yes I may have procured a love for fantasy as a
sort of escape into another world for a time being, but I always came back to
reality. In fact, I believe that those cherished stories we all grew up with may have given me a new sense of vigor and importance
that not many other things could have.
Courage and foundation of character were some of the many things those
books gave me growing up and I'm very thankful for their influence in my life.
On whether or not fantasy is only for children, I don't see why fantasy should be limited to just
them. This issue brings to mind Matthew 18:2-4 where we are instructed to become like little children. I believe that this directly correlates with what Lewis is saying in the aforementioned quote. Children have an uninhibited sense of awe and
wonder through which fantasy becomes a perfect outlet of imagination. Perhaps some adults lose that though the experience
of growing up, maybe some have retained that beautiful encapsulation of the
mind. In the end I think that fantasy is deeply ingrained in our cultures
imaginative and creative body and I pray that we never lose that.
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
-J .R.R. Tolkien
No comments:
Post a Comment