Reality distortion field

Fiction is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it helps us see the world around us with new eyes, letting us live a thousand lives and yet remain ourselves (to paraphrase C.S. Lewis). Fiction allows us to peer into another’s mind, to confront situations vicariously and observe the consequences without having to experience them ourselves.

And yet fiction isn’t perfect. I’m thinking primarily of fictional romances — most of the time they’re not realistic, and yet we often expect them precisely because they’re what we’ve seen in movies (which I’m counting as fiction) and read in books. Prince Charming doesn’t exist. Neither does the princess. What we do have is a lot of ordinary people, like you and me, who are trying to do the best they can. (Well, most of them are. :))

So fiction raises false expectations. Is this bad? Potentially, but at the same time I think it can raise us to higher levels as well. It’s because of fiction that I try to become a Prince Charming (or a Darcy or a Knightley or what have you). Sure, I fall short, but at least I have an ideal to reach for.

If this post seems a bit muddled, it’s because I’m in the middle of stir-frying my brain as I prepare for finals. :)

You’re probably right, but i got to say that sometimes reality is more “fiction” than fiction itself! ;)

Funny that you posted this. I was just thinking of sending you an e-mail making a book recommendation while addressing this very topic. Interesting.

Okay…back to my final

I protest! If fairytales and myth are divorced from their symbolism, I might recant, but I see Prince Charming as a Symbolic representation- The Christ Archetype, and therefore he does exist. The only perfect men (or women) are those perfected in Him.

I was not a literature reader. I dabbled in SciFi in the 70s. I spent most of my life reading to know, loving dictionaries, languages, histories, and facinating information.

Then about 7 years ago I was convinced of the value of classics. Quite frankly I see Jane Austen more as a commentary on human nature than as a romance, I see Bronte’s Jane Eyre as a Pilgrim’s Progress, and so forth. Lots to learn from both.

Yes, I enjoy the girl getting the guy, but I do not fantasize that these guys are great men, or prince charmings. They are showed in all of their humaness, warts, and all. Fiction shows how people fail, how people can recover from failings, and both the negative and positive end of human nature. Stories that clothe biblical themes in other times and place, so we can liken to ourselves. Great themes of repentance, forgiveness, overcoming great trials.
Learning of Pride, Optimism, the evil of revenge, compassion, faith…

I take President Monson’s encouragement here, he reads classics, and attends theater with a pencil in hand, to record the one line that makes the ticket worth it. When I read a classic, I expect to be better for having done so. No delussional tendancies here.

No worries, Darcy and Knightly were far from perfect too. If we can learn from their better graces, take the warnings of what human nature red flags to avoid, and get the lessons these books teach, we will be better.

Teacher, teacher my brain is full can I sit down and recover? I just finished Nichomachean Ethics and found little that resonnated with me. I have never read The Return of the King, I think that will be the next book.

Hmm, I just realized that the end of the first paragraph was missing. Whoops. :) (It’s fixed now.)

Caroline: LOL, quite true. :) And while it’s a funny comment, I think there’s actually a deeper, rather profound truth behind it. With all the facades people put up, shielding themselves from hurt, much of what we think is reality actually isn’t real at all. Don’t worry, I’m not saying that nothing is real. :) In fact, the unreality of much of life (I’m thinking mainly pop culture here, but it extends far beyond that) makes the reality (and here I’m thinking of family bonds, friendship, and so on) so much sweeter and more luscious.

Katherine: So are you ever going to send that recommendation? :)

Donna: True, Darcy and Knightley weren’t perfect, so they probably weren’t the best examples to use. :) And while I do agree with you that Prince Charming could certainly be a type for Christ, none of us here is going to be marrying him, literally. (Metaphorically, yes, but that’s beside the point. :)) The fact is, all of us are going to be dealing with humans, none of whom is perfect. And we create these ideals in our heads — ideal spouses, ideal relationships, ideal jobs, etc. — which most of the time don’t exist. Life comes fraught with challenges. That’s part of the deal.

Not all fiction is idealistic like this, of course. Personally, I prefer the idealistic stuff — the noble, ethereal elves of Middle-Earth, for example — and I think that does make me a better person, but it’s also a good idea to stay solidly grounded in reality as well.