People love to read and when it comes to reading there are many different types of books to choose from. These types range from murder mysteries to romance novels, non-fiction to historical fiction and everything in between. A genre that has been overlooked, but has recently gained popularity, is that of fantasy. With its rising popularity there has been an increase in the misconceptions and criticism. It seems that few people know what fantasy is about or what it even is.
The logical place to start is defining fantasy. Fantasy is not easy to define, unlike most other genres the rules governing what is or is not a fantasy are more like blurred lines then the rigid rules that govern such things as poetry. At best it can be described as a narrative that, when set in our reality, is impossible or, when set in another reality, that the reality itself is impossible as we perceive reality. As you can see this is a very broad definition and as such other genres some times are confused as fantasy, though normally that genre is science fiction.
Go into any bookstore and find the fantasy section. Most of the time when you get there the area will not be mark “Fantasy”, but will instead be marked “Science Fiction/Fantasy”. This has lead to a common misconception that science fiction and fantasy are the same thing, they are not. While the definition of fantasy is about the realm of impossibility, science fiction is the exact opposite, the realm of possibility. By definition science fiction must stay within the bounds of nature and/or possible laws of nature not yet realized. A good example of the differences can be shown in two well known movies, Star Trek and The Lord of the Rings. In Star Trek the reality is based upon possibilities that we may not have yet reached, such as faster than light travel; while in the reality of The Lord of the Rings there are many impossibilities, such as dragons and magic existing within our reality. One last thing fantasy is not, though some believe it to be, is erotica, which is written to sexually arouse the reader.
Now that we know what fantasy is the question is have you read fantasy? Many people say they haven’t read fantasy and don’t want to either because they don’t like the “magic” aspect of it or for other reasons that will be covered later on. The answer to the question though is yes; most likely you have read fantasy. You may protest that you haven’t but, with the broad definition of fantasy, many books are fantasy and you don’t even realize it. As a child you might have read Dr. Seuss, or many other children’s books for that matter, which is fantasy. In high school you might have been asked to read Ulysses or The Iliad, which, while considered classics, are fantasy. If you are a religious person you might have read the Bible or the Koran which, while still debated amongst the devoutly religious, is considered fantasy. Now that you have read fantasy let us touch on those misconceptions you and others might have about fantasy.
The first misconception we will touch upon has been becoming more popular with the rising popularity of Harry Potter, and that is the belief that fantasy is about witchcraft and devil worshipping. This misconception has lead to the attempted banning and banning of some fantasy books and has kept people from reading books they my enjoy and could also help them understand their mainstream faith. A good example of this is a prolific Christian fantast writer named C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis was a devout Christian who wrote fantasy, Christian apologetics, and a combination of both called Christian fantasy. His works include such book as The Screwtape Letters, a collection of letters by an experienced demon about how the Devil leads people from God, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, a near parallel to the Bible. Interestingly C.S. Lewis claims that is was fantasy that turned him from agnostic to devout Christian. The book that solidified his faith was Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women by George MacDonald a Christian minister.
If that example is not enough to help clarify this misconception let’s talk about mainstream fantasy books that are popular today. Fantasy books tend to touch upon certain themes, good vs. evil, sacrifice for the greater good, the importance of friends and teamwork, and true power coming from within yourself. These themes tend to lean away from satanistic tendencies and lean more towards what mainstream religions advocate. In almost every fantasy book the theme of good vs. evil is played out with good triumphing over evil. In The Belgariad “evil” is represented by a lesser god that wanted more power from the most powerful god and was cast out, a close parallel to the story of the devil. In The Sword of Truth the theme of sacrifice and teamwork come up time and time again teaching the reader the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice, and working together. In Harry Potter the main theme is that true power comes from within and that power is love. The antagonist, Voldemort, is without love and his soul is maimed and torn and is defeated by the protagonist, Harry Potter, because of the fact the Harry’s soul is pure and he is filled with love for his follow man. The themes and lessons played out in fantasy are not the lessons of Satanism, but are the lessons taught not only from mainstream religions but of society itself.
The other misconception we will discuss is that fantasy is all about magic. First we will have to narrow down the fantasy genre to the books that do contain magic in the traditional sense. This rules out some of the books already mention like the Bible, The Iliad, and Ulysses, but will keep books like Harry Potter, The Sword of Truth, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. While there is magic in many fantasy books that is not what they are about, no more than a war novel is about the guns used to fight the war. It is most certainly an important part of the story it is merely a tool to move the plot. If fantasy is not about magic then one could reasonable ask, “What is it about?” T.A. Barron gives us an idea about what fantasy is about when he said, “In pure fantasy, readers on the journey discover truths about themselves and about their connection to humanity.” In much of fantasy the hero’s quest become one of much soul searching and reveals thoughts and ideas about themselves and each other and allows us to learn about ourselves. Sometimes it is through the use of magic that these truths are revealed and those truths are what fantasy is about.
Now that we have discussed the misconceptions around fantasy the question remains why should you read fantasy? There is one argument put forward by a popular fantasy writer, Ursula Le Guin that it doesn’t matter what genre any book is. She argues that you should read a book because it interests you not because of what genre it is; genres themselves are meaningless. Another reason you should consider reading fantasy is that you yourself believed in fantasy as a child, the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause being examples of that. If fantasy gave you so much joy as a child why allow the adult side of you cloud that joy. Fantasy is for all ages as a quote from Terry Brooks tells us, “Fantasy is one of the most flexible genres. It is one of the few genres in which the same book can be read by an adult and a 12-year-old - comfortably and without any explanation.” Fantasy allows you to connect to all age groups and find a common thread among you. A final reason to read fantasy is that it allows you to escape from your own reality. While many other genres remind you of your own reality fantasy allows you to escape to a reality where anything is possible.
So now you know a little more about fantasy. Fantasy is a viable genre to itself and is meant to be enjoyed. Fantasy is not out to corrupt the youth of the world, but to teach them valuable life lessons. Fantasy can be away to reconnect with your spiritual side. Fantasy is not about the magic; it is about the story and the journey the story takes you on. Fantasy is fantasy, not science fiction. Fantasy is for all ages to share and connect. Most importantly fantasy is meant to be read and enjoyed.
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