Fantasy is not a safe genre.
It challenges our perceptions of reality. It asserts the
existence of the supernatural. It shakes the foundations of everything man
thinks he knows. We would do well not to tread this genre carelessly.
Rather, let us recognize the dangers that we might deal with
them. Four major zones stand out to me in
fantasy as an overall genre:
Escapism:
A yearning for a better world—for heaven—is a healthy pull . . . until
it so dominates our desires that we withdraw from this world and become of no
earthly good. So with fantasy. It can inspire us to greater acts of courage—or
so sour us to this world that we retreat into the fictitious to avoid dealing
with the real.
Rebellion: Classic fantasy pitches good against evil,
often in David-and-Goliath proportions. This can be good. Such impossible-odds
stories gives us hope for our lives. However, a reader can also easily transfer
his identification with the protagonist into the real world, turning himself
into a victim while villainizing anything or anyone who stands in his way. In
light of “such evil,” the reader can then justify acts of rebellion and avoid
learning the need to stand firm, persevere, and submit.
Power
Obsession: Our world is chaotic. Humans are control freaks. The
supernatural offers control, whether directly or indirectly. Need I say more?
Supernatural Distraction: God gave humanity
curiosity. We want to know, desire to understand. However, since fantasy often
traffics in what-ifs based on the obscure, it can drive us to dwell on the
minor and to seek answers in less than healthy ways.
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