” Fantasy is a natural human activity. It certainly does not destroy or degrade reason; and it neither blunts the appetite for scientific truth, nor obscures its perception. On the contrary, the more clear and distinct the reason, the better the imagination will do. If men were ever in a situation in which they did not want to know or could not understand the truth (facts or evidence), fantasy would linger until they recovered” (J.R.R. Tolkien).
It’s too bad that “fantasy” is often used as a derogatory term. As a category of literature, it is looked down upon and considered unworthy of the endeavor of any truly talented writer. And as an intellectual activity, it is almost ridiculed, as if people who enjoy fiction (whether someone else’s creation or their own) are somehow suffering from a case of arrested development. Yet fantasy is not only a legitimate intellectual and artistic endeavor, the capacity to enjoy it is among the most pleasurable of our human resources. This is one of the channels through which Pleasure Comes to us: joy in the higher, purer, supernatural sense. Those whose hearts have never been flushed with the sharp, sweet joys of the “dangerous zone” have lost one of life’s noblest pleasures and one of its most refreshing experiences.
Eudora Welty made a useful observation about fantasy when she said, “fantasy is no good unless the seed from which it springs is a truth, a truth about human beings.” People who say they like stories that are “true” need to understand that the power of fiction comes from nothing less than its truth. Despite all their strangeness and wonder, truly magnificent rings are true – Absolutely Truth – What we know is in our hearts, both good and bad. But it doesn’t stop at the truth of what it is; What leads us to believe in the bright truths of It is possible. This shows that what we experience in the earthly world is not everything that will ever be, and it is still not everything in reality!
Imagination is one of the greatest gifts given to us. It is clear that it is not always used well or wisely, but nothing more can be said of any of our powers. Instead of relegating the imagination to the nursery, we as adults would be better off respecting it and involving ourselves in the knowledge of its joy. Like education, imagination is too good to be confined to the young.
“Now I enjoy fairy tales better than in childhood: now I am able to put more in, and, of course, I get more out” (CS Lewis).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
