Escapism

In English class today, our questionable teacher introduced our next unit by going through an overview of literature in two categories: escape fiction and interpretive fiction.

He described escapism and interpretive works to be two ends of a scale, with the stories we read falling into a place between the two extremes. He went on to praise interpretive fiction as being the more gritty, life-like, real stories, with escapism being nothing but 2D characters undergoing little development, narrow archetypes and formulaic same-old same-old plots.

...just...what?

It took some lengthy conversation with a friend of mine to realize just what was so incredibly wrong about these statements. And it still irks me that I didn't have the courage to put up my hand and combat this line of thinking. A fantasy "escapist" story with incredible character development and a moving moral isn't just "an escapist story with interpretive elements". All fiction, because that is what it is - fiction, have these elements, they have a protagonist and a problem, a state of ordinary and a state of unrest. He made it out to sound like the hero's journey and all the groundwork of the greatest pieces of literature in the world today are somehow lesser compared to works of "post-modernity" with their jumps in time and characters without clear good/evil alignments and just - no. These are factors that can be a part of any work of fiction. These are factors contributing to any good novel. You can't call escapist and interpretive stories apart like they're different genres of fiction - all fiction should take you somewhere else, the purpose of it all is to experience something else, reading fiction, in my friend's words, is the pinnacle of being human, it's empathy in its truest form.

This friend went on to talk about all the works of escapist fiction she grew up on that shaped her, gave her personality - made her who she is today. Diagnosed with ADHD, as a young girl looking out for stories that she could somehow relate to, most of the stories she came across were about struggling kids trying to fit in and problems with families and the whole shebang of the disorder affecting the lives of these characters. She told me these weren't the kinds of stories she wanted to hear though, she wanted to read book about people who had these struggles, but doing something else. The Percy Jackson series was the embodiment of this sentiment, and she explained how while the series explored such rich themes and life lessons such as dysfunctional families, fitting in, discovering who you are and your place in the world, facing destiny, being thrown into difficult situations and making the most out of it - this wasn't the synopsis slapped on the back of the book. Percy Jackson struggles in school, but now he's this kid going off to safe the world cause the flippin' gods aren't gonna do it. There's a way to embrace the fullest extent of imagination and creativity in literature without forcing a theme and morals down the reader's throat. This book series that enveloped the childhoods of most teenagers today is why stuff like this is so well loved and appreciated. You can't have all those classy, grown-up, "post-modern" stories without this kind of fiction - it just doesn't work that way.

A couple years ago I was actually pretty terrified of growing up if that meant I wouldn't have characters like Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl in my age range anymore, cause damn, adult fiction is...depressing. And dark. It's a cringey rom-com or a horror thriller murder scandal and I just can't find myself jumping on board with all that. We want adventure and magic and worlds that can only exist in our heads, hands and television screen. To hell with nonsense about having our heads in the clouds - that's where you have the prettiest view. We know what reality is like, is there really danger in believing in a world where anything is possible? Because that is our world. The time to do things is now. Situations may be bleak but we struggle onwards until we reach the stars. That's what literally every story we tell is all about, a thousand different retellings of good vs. evil. So what's a little escapism?

Thinking about all the stories that have shaped me since I was a kid, man, there are so many authors and people I owe so much to. Now as I scour my shelves and Netflix list, here's a short and definitely not exhaustive list of some of the biggest escapist media that has shaped my life immeasurably:

A Series of Unfortunate Events / All the Wrong Questions

This universe taught me so much about paying attention to others, about family in the unlikeliest places, about perseverance, about rationality, about tying your hair back and using your head. Also about being perceptive, solving puzzles and mysteries, being kind to the people you meet, and just the power of knowledge. Violet, Klaus and Sunny were characters that didn't change much throughout the course of the thirteen books, but while their situations and circumstances continued to change and reconstruct itself around us every new book, this was almost their most important characteristic - they remained something we could hold on to and know better each situation they found themselves in. Yet these books included gruesome deaths, grief over lost loved ones, adult figures that just weren't there or were unreliable and immature. It was about staying true to oneself and holding onto the truth even if no one else believed you, even if because of your age or your situation or any other defining characteristic of yourself deemed you as inferior and less knowledgeable in the eyes of others. This was definitely one of the greatest series I've ever read.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Holy heck I could talk about this all day. Avatar is a perfect show, Avatar is my favourite show and I don't think anything could change my opinion on that. A well-constructed story, character driven and just so well executed. In this world torn by war and disagreement, in this fantastic world with magic and bending and elements and running around the schoolyard pretending to send current of air hurtling towards your classmates, we met some of our best friends (literally and in the course of the story). We cared so much for Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph. Prince Zuko and Iroh. We got to understand them and what makes them work so deeply, we understood their motives and motivations, we saw them grow and save the world together and it was just the most amazing universe to watch and feel like I was a part of, if only in 20 minute time fragments.

The Bartimaeus Trilogy

I only picked this up in my first year of high school, which I regret, as I hadn't read it earlier, but also am really grateful for because I was really able to fully grasp the concepts and the system and the world way better than had I read it when I was a lot younger. And also would have made my parents throw hands if they saw it in my possession as an impressionable 12 year old (it's one of those books that you just kind of know is banned in Christian households...) This series...the magic system wasn't even what sold it for me, frickin' Bartimaeus this snarky little dude who meets this protege mage with so many issues and a heck of a complex just - spoosh - blew my mind. It was watching Nathan - er, John Mandrake - in all his flaws and insecurities and just utter childish foolery still keep his wits with stuck-up wizards three times his age in a corrupt society, knowing he deserves so much better but just isn't given that opportunity and so is molded into jerk face he is and its inexcusable. But getting to know him in those three books - everything you know he is capable of, you can't help but pin your hopes on him, to make a change, to save the day, to be the good person we know he can be. It's frustrating watching him at times - so frustrating. But that sweet, sweet, bitter ending just is an explosion of all you know and really induced such an emotional reaction of me I just couldn't - it's a beautiful story.

The Little Prince

The Little. Flippin'. Prince.

What more can be said?

It's one of those books I read as a kid and loved the aesthetic, saw referenced in the Eloise at the Plaza movie and could only really associated with a little asian boy named Leon Worth for the longest time. But. Holy heck is it the most poignant, sweetest, loveliest story in existence. An inspiration for a current work of mine actually (maybe I'm borrowing a bit too much of it but no matter I'll never finish it anyways lol). A children's tale yes but the older you get, the realer, the sadder, the more...auUSHJAF it becomes. So much goes on in that story, and hey Mr. B, it's so post-modern: Unnamed characters? Leaps in time? Writer breaking the fourth wall? Something that might've just been some kind of hallucination? Check, check, check, check. And its an escapist children's story. Take that.

(I really mean no offense dear English teacher just this is the only place I can put what's been sitting in my mind all day into words -it's hard to teach a bunch of uncooperative teachers I will not get in your way unless you really say something so immeasurable wrong that I'll finally get the courage to really say something. Man the subjectivity of English studies I get why people can get ticked at it.)

STEVEN DEMAYO UNIVERSE

A literal life-changing series (who cried in Change Your Mind this sad child the morning before her exams yeah that's right I was stressed and scared OK this brought me so much peace and much needed faith). This fantastic world of rock aliens and a goofy little ukulele playing boy I am so happy that it exists and I want to go more in depth but ahh I really need to go now...(follow-up post will come out soon)

Other fantastic works that I love to this day include: The Secret Series (pseudonymous bosch); Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer); I never got around to reading the last installment but Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a flippin' classic; The Flash, even though the more recent episodes have been getting just a tad repetitive; Kimi no Na Wa; Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, Howl's Moving Castle, damn, ALL THE GHIBLI; (frick now I'm on myanimelist) BARAKAMON, ANGEL BEATS, ERASED, UM UM, YOUR LIE IN APRIL! Video games like Zelda and Fire Emblem! The Legendary Starfy! Wonderful stories and terrific works of fiction. Every last one of them. Makes life worth living. Really boils my water. Really floats my feathers.

OK that was really long but, well, there ya go. Wanted to make sure I got all this down because it was really an amazing discussion. And really brought me back to a lot of the things I loved. I've felt so disconnected from these things for a while it feels so great to discover them all over again like this.

Well, I have a biology project that was due...yesterday. And each day I waste is 10% of my grade so I really better skaddadle.

(I'm so screwed)

GOODNIGHT AND STAY SALTFUL!

#stevenuniverse #characters #alittlebitofrandom #school