Why Fantasy? - Part 1
This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 23. 2006 and is filed under Vision and Mission,Posts by Bryan.
I had the same questions. When I first started writing with an eye to getting published, I was no fan of fantasy. For two years I labored over a contemporary/adventure series, and my eldest son, a true fantasy enthusiast, insisted that I come over to the wild side and write in his favorite genre. He would tactfully explain that my story was too dull to pique the interest of modern youth.
I countered that I didn't like how fantasy heroes so often escaped their dangers with a new magical power or a call to a Tom Bombadil-type character (LOTR fans, please don't flame me) who magically released them from an impossibly difficult trap. My son then played his logical trump card. "Then don't write your fantasy story like that."
How could I argue? He had won, we both knew it, and so began my journey.
Soon after, I had a dream about a boy who could breathe fire. I told my son about it, and he and I agreed that this would be a great foundation for a fantasy story. We brainstormed for two hours and came up with the basis for my Dragons in our Midst series.
Although I thought the idea was great, being a Christian, I wondered if God would approve. Was the dream from God, or did I just have too much pepperoni on my pizza the night before? Would God want me to teach eternal truths using a story that was untrue, in fact, impossibly untrue?
As is my custom, I searched the Bible for an answer and found that Jesus taught using stories—but not just any old stories. Some clearly contained elements of fantasy. I read about a camel passing through the eye of a needle, an impossible event without God's miraculous intervention. Much of the story of the rich man and Lazarus couldn't possibly happen in the world Jesus' hearers knew, for they had never seen the afterlife dimension that Jesus described. These stories fall squarely into the realm of fantasy—stories that can't happen in our world without some kind of supernatural cause, in these cases, God's power.
And Jesus made fantasy stories come true. He made a coin appear in the mouth of a fish. A fig tree withered at His command. He calmed a storm with a spoken word. He walked on water. Without His power, none of these events could ever occur. They are fantasy stories brought to life. And each one taught us a lesson we will never forget. Why? Because fantasy brands images on our minds that cannot be erased. As we recall the images, we remember the lessons behind the amazing pictures. Fantasy creates indelible portraits of God's wondrous truths.
Jesus knew how our minds work, so he taught using fantasy elements in His stories. With such a powerful, authoritative fantasy trail-blazer leading the way, it seemed clear that I should simply follow.
Although my stories are untrue, and could never be true, they paint pictures of faithfulness, courage, love, and prophetic fulfillment that reflect timeless truths in a way that young people, I hope, will never forget. The messages I receive from readers all over the world prove that my dream of a fire-breathing boy has kindled a newly-awakened passion in thousands of young people.
So, Christian fantasy isn't an oxymoron. It's a natural combination that Jesus Himself authored. And this logic geek is happy to venture into the land of the unreal, as long as I can see His footsteps leading the way.
Next week: Why Fantasy? - Part 2 I will look at why traditional fantasy characters resonate with so many readers.
Bryan Davis
http://www.dragonsinourmidst.com
Comments
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Mir wrote:
Writing for a younger generation is a high trust, and it's cool when it's your own son who encourages you.
I figure all fiction falls into the description "the lies that tell the truth." In fantasy, the lies are just bigger, sparklier and more dazzling, but then the truth might be even more dazzling and bigger as well.
I like to think so. :)
Mir
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Pixy wrote:
That's wonderful that your son got be a part of that. I'm sure you've made him proud. :)
I revel in fantasy and find it can tell a truth--as Mir said--even better then what we see can. When Paul said we don't war against flesh and blood he wasn't joking or pretending. There is a whole world out there that we don't see. There is so much we don't understand. And praise God that he gave us vivid imaginations to bring new truths to life every day.
Thanks for your contribution Bryan.
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Rebecca LuElla Miller wrote:
I countered that I didn't like how fantasy heroes so often escaped their dangers with a new magical power or a call to a Tom Bombadil-type character (LOTR fans, please don't flame me) who magically released them from an impossibly difficult trap.
Well, I certainly won't flame you, Bryan, but I find it interesting that you don't like a character who serves as a type of Christ, or is it the action? Well, same difference, I guess—not liking an action that serves as the type for salvation.
Wouldn't you say you have characters who do such things? Merlin in Candlestone for instance?
Becky
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Bryan Davis wrote:
Becky, I certainly have very helpful characters in my stories, but my protags work with their strength, courage, knowledge, and wisdom in concert with the external help they receive.
In LOTR, Frodo is hopelessly trapped in tree roots, and Bombadil sings him out. Later, Frodo calls out to Bombadil for help and gets swept to safety. I might be alone in this, but I don't think that makes for good story.
There is no doubt that God saves us by faith alone, but it seems that after we are saved, we work with the gifts He has given us in order to battle the evil one and build God's kingdom. If all of our accomplishments came about because of a lightning bolt from above, our own stories would be quite boring indeed.
In The Candlestone, Billy used a great deal of wisdom and courage to battle the power of the imprisoning gem. It was because of his love and courage that he was left alone in the gem to face the slayer. He fought with all his might and received help from above. I don't think this is of the same stripe as Frodo's escapes.
I realize that I risk ruffling feathers when I criticize LOTR, but I hope you understand that I don't dislike the story. I even use LOTR in my writing seminars to illustrate the greatness of Tolkien's understanding of important characters. I have criticisms about some story details, but these are likely just personal preferences.
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Bryan Davis wrote:
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Rebecca LuElla Miller wrote:
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Galactic Overlord wrote:
I think Bryan meant he didn't care for the deux ex machinas that would be used to get heroes out of danger. At least that's what I thought.
Also, from what I've read, Tolkien made Tom Bombadil as more of an observer, a neutral individual, not a savior figure.
- Jason
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Mir wrote:
I have no problem with rescuers. And certainly not when the character is purposely made small and weaker (hobbit), so that it's the ancient and stronger (wizard, ent, etc) who must come and help the weaker succeed.
I think this ties in with the weakness of humanity and the aid (angelic and Divine) that is given to help us through, even when we're not aware of the invisible aid.
Mir
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Mir wrote:
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Wednesday, August 23. 2006
Martin LaBar wrote:
That's an interesting thesis!
Thanks for posting this.
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Thursday, August 24. 2006
William Shontz wrote:
This is a great argument: "And Jesus made fantasy stories come true. He made a coin appear in the mouth of a fish. A fig tree withered at His command. He calmed a storm with a spoken word. He walked on water. Without His power, none of these events could ever occur. They are fantasy stories brought to life."
And let's not forget Jewish Apocalyptic literature, full of fire-breathing dragons and multiple-headed monsters. It was religious lit. never intended to be taken literally, and the genre even made it into the New Testament--the Book of Revelation (the "Apocalypse" in the original Greek).
There was a time when Apocalyptic lit. was "beneath" the attention of scholarship--then it became the rage. Perhaps the same fate awaits Christian fantasy.
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