In one sense, all fictional stories are fantasy in that they did not occur in reality, so I am not digressing from my genre this week as I discuss the broader concept of Story and its impact on our lives.
Story is very useful as a medium to impart truth. As I mentioned in a previous post, Jesus used Story in the form of parables, to teach spiritual truths. The prodigal son, the lost sheep, the rich man and Lazarus. Much of the Bible is in narrative or Story form (albeit, true stories).
Why is it that God utilized narrative form so often in His message to us? I believe as humans we have an innate interest in anything that is a Story. God, as the author of the ultimate Story, His plan for the universe, created in us a desire to know the true Story and we seek bits of that in every story we read, consciously or not.
I would argue that even in books we read "purely for entertainment" we are seeking pieces of that one true Story. We are looking for a feeling of escape from the present world, or a satisfying conclusion to the conflicts presented in the book. This reflects a perhaps unexpressed desire for God to right our world, to experience life free from conflict and enjoy all the blessings He has in store for those that love Him. Even those who don't believe in a God still have a sense that life is not as it should be, that there is a better society to strive for. I believe this reflects the image of God in them, that each of us have, which cries out for God to make His creation the way it's supposed to be.
As we wait for that day, God uses both the true stories of Scripture, and its parables to enlighten us about the true Story and its ending - whether lived "happily ever after" or not depends on our response to Him. The stories written by others also contain either complementary pieces of the true Story, or a twisted, incorrect view based on this fallen, imperfect world and the author of lies, who wishes us not to recognize the true Story when we see it. Do you know which story you are reading? Do you know which story you are writing?
Something to think about.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
Fantasy Goes Mainstream?
I do apologize for missing last week's posting. I couldn't think of anything to write about, as sometimes happens to us writers. I do thank Sonja for reading and commenting, however! My first commenter, though hopefully not my only reader.
The other night I was watching the movie Ella Enchanted on television. I rather like this as a film, taking into account its intended audience of pre-teen and young teen girls, who had already loved Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. It's not a particularly faithful adaptation of the novel, which disappoints me, but it has its own charm with its use of old pop songs and modern twists on fairytale conventions.
I also stumbled across a world of "fanfiction," or fictional stories written by fans of various movies, books, TV shows, etc., that spin further tales of favorite characters. There was an abundance of Harry Potter, Anime, popular sci fi shows, etc. Even some really obscure shows and movies that are decades old.
The internet will also lead you to a variety of role-playing games in the fantasy genre. The Realm is a personal favorite of mine, but there is also Ultima Online and others.
So what do these three sources of entertainment and much wasted time have to do with each other? Well, first let me add a fourth item.
I taught my first classes of the school year on Tuesday. After finishing a tad (okay, a half hour, but the classes are 1.5 hours) early, my quad of lively Sophomore girls quickly turned the scholarly atmosphere towards entertainment. (With my tacit permission.) The girls seemed communally interested in -- besides handsome male actors, or perhaps because of -- several fantasy movies and books, such as Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean (I would consider it a fairytale of sorts), The Chronicles of Narnia, and the ever-present Lord of the Rings.
What connected all of these for me is the growing popularity of the fantasy genre. Fantasy or fairytale movies almost always do well at the box office, especially if based off of well-written fantasy novels, and unbelievable numbers of people of all ages are so enthralled by the movies or books that they begin writing in the genre. (If you don't believe me, follow the link to fanfiction.net, click on books, and then Harry Potter, to see an example of how many thousands of spin-off stories one character has generated.)
Fantasy was once perceived to be the genre of nerdy high school boys sitting at home on Friday nights playing the dubious Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game, or grown-up nerdy computer programmers, likewise home alone on date night, reading Lord of the Rings and naming their pet goldfish Gandalf.
Slowly over the decades, but now with increasing frequency, fantasy is being embraced by all types of people, as well as the economic market. Companies are realizing that fantasy sells, and we see more and more of it out there. Who out there hasn't at least heard of The Lord of the Rings, thanks to Peter Jackson's enormously successful film trilogy? Then Narnia followed suit, though its success remains to be seen as we await the next film. On The Realm, for another example, I have met other players from 14-year-old, modern-day Dungeons and Dragons fanatics, to 50-some year old grandparents. The embracing of fantasy brings a community of like-minded people together.
Fantasy seems to have gone mainstream. I believe this is because of the inherent creative element of the genre. We are made by an imaginative Creator, who also gave us the ability to create, and take pleasure in what we make. Fantasy is a place with unlimited potential to invent new worlds. In this, I also see an inherent desire that all of us have for a world different from the one we inhabit. We know in our souls this world is not how it was meant to be, and we long for the new world God will create someday. In fantasy, we reach out to grasp an idea of what that world can be.
The other night I was watching the movie Ella Enchanted on television. I rather like this as a film, taking into account its intended audience of pre-teen and young teen girls, who had already loved Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. It's not a particularly faithful adaptation of the novel, which disappoints me, but it has its own charm with its use of old pop songs and modern twists on fairytale conventions.
I also stumbled across a world of "fanfiction," or fictional stories written by fans of various movies, books, TV shows, etc., that spin further tales of favorite characters. There was an abundance of Harry Potter, Anime, popular sci fi shows, etc. Even some really obscure shows and movies that are decades old.
The internet will also lead you to a variety of role-playing games in the fantasy genre. The Realm is a personal favorite of mine, but there is also Ultima Online and others.
So what do these three sources of entertainment and much wasted time have to do with each other? Well, first let me add a fourth item.
I taught my first classes of the school year on Tuesday. After finishing a tad (okay, a half hour, but the classes are 1.5 hours) early, my quad of lively Sophomore girls quickly turned the scholarly atmosphere towards entertainment. (With my tacit permission.) The girls seemed communally interested in -- besides handsome male actors, or perhaps because of -- several fantasy movies and books, such as Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean (I would consider it a fairytale of sorts), The Chronicles of Narnia, and the ever-present Lord of the Rings.
What connected all of these for me is the growing popularity of the fantasy genre. Fantasy or fairytale movies almost always do well at the box office, especially if based off of well-written fantasy novels, and unbelievable numbers of people of all ages are so enthralled by the movies or books that they begin writing in the genre. (If you don't believe me, follow the link to fanfiction.net, click on books, and then Harry Potter, to see an example of how many thousands of spin-off stories one character has generated.)
Fantasy was once perceived to be the genre of nerdy high school boys sitting at home on Friday nights playing the dubious Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game, or grown-up nerdy computer programmers, likewise home alone on date night, reading Lord of the Rings and naming their pet goldfish Gandalf.
Slowly over the decades, but now with increasing frequency, fantasy is being embraced by all types of people, as well as the economic market. Companies are realizing that fantasy sells, and we see more and more of it out there. Who out there hasn't at least heard of The Lord of the Rings, thanks to Peter Jackson's enormously successful film trilogy? Then Narnia followed suit, though its success remains to be seen as we await the next film. On The Realm, for another example, I have met other players from 14-year-old, modern-day Dungeons and Dragons fanatics, to 50-some year old grandparents. The embracing of fantasy brings a community of like-minded people together.
Fantasy seems to have gone mainstream. I believe this is because of the inherent creative element of the genre. We are made by an imaginative Creator, who also gave us the ability to create, and take pleasure in what we make. Fantasy is a place with unlimited potential to invent new worlds. In this, I also see an inherent desire that all of us have for a world different from the one we inhabit. We know in our souls this world is not how it was meant to be, and we long for the new world God will create someday. In fantasy, we reach out to grasp an idea of what that world can be.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Approaching Fantasy
I've been contemplating my rationale and approach to teaching fantasy. I will be using several fantasy novels in my classes, starting in two weeks, and I wonder what I would say if any parents raise questions about my particular choices. Sometimes people seem to view fantasy as unique among fiction, and it obviously is its own genre for a reason. But in a way, the "rules" I've come up with for approaching a fantasy work equally apply to the other genres of fiction.
- Recognize that fantasy is just that: a created world, not the real world. Even if it takes place in a setting meant to resemble our universe, it is still a made-up place, and the author can create whatever rules and truths he wants for that universe.
- Fantasy can be a useful medium for spiritual truth. Jesus often used fantasy - think of the parables He told. Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Abraham's bosom? Scholars debate whether this story really occurred, but if it didn't, it's a superb example of a fantasy in the Bible. (Thanks to Bryan Davis for pointing that out.)
- The reader's job is to discern differences between the fantasy world and the real world, and to choose how to respond to them. A reader should never approach a book written by a fallible human being and unthinkingly accept the message presented in it. He should always be prepared to evaluate the author's intent (for every author has one) and to respond to it from a Biblical perspective (if he is a Christian).
I hope I can teach my students to remember these principles so they won't have to fear fantasy. Anything (aside from Scripture) we take in has potential to harm us or confuse us spiritually, so we must always be alert and thinking as we read, and careful as we write.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Learning from Others
As part of my inspiration for writing my own fantasy novel, I've been reading Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis. Reading the work of others is a great way for beginning (and experienced!) writers like myself to learn. It also helps me to see that an idea can be explored in many ways without wearing out. Davis explores the concepts of humans turning into dragons, dragons being viewed as evil, the existence of dragon slayers -- all ideas that I explore in my current project or others on the back burner. We use these ideas in very different ways, however -- one of the reasons fantasy can tread the same ground and still be unique.
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