The Hidden Message

            I have been asked many times before why it is that I love fantasy so much. To be honest, I don’t know all the reason – it is simply the only subject that completely captivates my interest. However, there’s one reason that I do know: I love the hidden meanings in the stories.

            To be fair, that extends to a lot of fiction, but fantasy in particular tends to have carte blanche to say whatever it wants. The writers can explore into the depths of morality, use allegorical political and religious situations and even express the odd scientific supposition.

            And no one questions any of it.

            Why? Because it isn't real. No one will ever tell you to watch a fantasy movie or read a fantasy book and tell you it really happened (at least, I hope they wouldn't. If they do, you may want to run away). Anything that is said can easily be brushed off.

            But hidden deep within those stories is an element of truth. The story may be an adventure, but underneath is a brilliant examination or commentary on human nature. What’s more, they usually don’t preach – more often than not, an idea is simply presented as if asking, “Hey, have you ever thought about that this way before?” I think that the inherent creativity in fantasy also encourages the reader and writer alike to think outside the box – something immensely important to our society as a whole.

            Recently I've been reading Colleen a lot of the books I read when I was younger. I'm amazed at how often I've come across phrases or ideas that stuck with me for years when I had no idea where they came from. These books shaped who I am today – not because they told me how to think, but because they presented me with ideas that resonated with me so much that I could never forget them.

            I think that future generations should probably take a cue from this fact, particularly when it comes to teaching. So often, these days, our education teaches what to think, rather than how to think. If we took the fantasy approach, by presenting a story and letting the student decide what is right, people would end up a lot truer to themselves.

Click here to find the charity anthology containing a couple of my short stories.

If there's any subject you'd like to see me ramble on about, feel free to leave a comment asking me to do so.