Monday means Fantasy with Friends time! All the prompts are hosted at Pages Unbound, if you’d like to join in. This week’s prompt is about whether fantasy is about “real things”:
Some people argue that fantasy isn’t worth reading because it’s not about real things. What is your response?
Mostly, I think that if fantasy isn’t for you — if you can’t suspend disbelief, or you argue too much with basic premises, or can’t keep the worldbuilding straight, or whatever it is — then… don’t read it, that’s no skin off my nose!
But I do think fantasy is still about real things. It’s written by people, and inevitably it’s about people, even if those people have pointy ears or fangs or transform into werewolves or have implausible monarchies or whatever it is. I think there are probably some exceptions, because there always are, but we’re a pretty self-centred species and I think it’s often about us, really, and the themes and plotlines are generally things of interest to humans — just wrapped up in a fantasy setting.
And like I said, I can get if that’s not your jam, absolutely, but I don’t think it’s factually correct to say that “fantasy isn’t about real things”. On a superficial level, sure, it’s about potions, spells, fantastical beasts, transformations, fairies, etc, etc. But that’s just the way we dress it up; it isn’t just about that. Even the simplest fantasies aimed at kids get at real human things that kids are interested in!
I don’t read a lot of fantasy but I do read some and enjoy them mostly when I do. I think they can say a lot about us and our world while being in a different world.
Kathryn recently posted…It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Exactly, yeah!
We’ll leave aside obvious, intentional allegory like CS Lewis. The classic example of “fantasy is about real things” is of course Tolkien, whether we are talking about Sam and Frodo very much being about the real relations between officers and other ranks and batmen, the destruction of Shire and forests reflecting Tolkien’s concerns regarding modernisation and industrialisation, or just that the Dead Marshes are absolutely the Somme (something he said himself!). With Tolkien, people seem to get confused and think that he denied LotR had anything to do with WW1, when what he actually said that it was not an allegory for WW2, because it was not published until after *that* war, and he did sometimes talk about some of the direct influences of the Great War, though again, not allegory. What is Lord of the Rings if not an exploration of the very real idea of human courage? Sometimes fantasy is the best way for a particular author to tackle something that otherwise is too big or too painful otherwise.
HarpGriffin recently posted…Post will be later today (no, really!)
Ha. Guess who wrote a whole MA essay on the premise that The Lord of the Rings was (among other things) an examination of Tolkien’s idea of “northern courage” (courage even in the face of certain defeat)?
Oh I know I’m preaching to the choir here! I just like trotting out the most indisputable classic.
HarpGriffin recently posted…Post will be later today (no, really!)
I’m not sure why people have to argue about books. Every book written is based on someone’s personal experience or understanding. There may be space guns or werewolves, but the core of how humans (or sometimes animals) work is still there. Sometimes it’s based on real world events, other times it’s based on a feeling the author has, but it all originates from somewhere.
And again, why are we arguing that any book isn’t worth reading? If a book bring someone joy, that’s all that matters.
Kristin recently posted…Review: Willing Prey by Allie Oleander
That seems to be pretty much the same as what I said, yeah! 🙂
Yes! This was basically my argument too. Fantasy is always about real people and real themes.
I think most things humans do is, ahaha.