Robots and Aliens vs. Elves and Orcs

[Sapphire_Flame]

a truly wonderful sci-fi/fantasy book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

42!!!

My personal feeling is that writing about dragons and Elves doesn't make a book escapist, any more than writing about viruses or new technology automatically makes a book "relevent" to life. You can have one author who handles dragons and Elves in such a way that it makes you think about important things: the questions people raise to explain why they're here and what they're doing. And you can have someone else write abook about modern, "relevent" things that really doesn't have much thought behind it. That's the kind of a book you read once and toss away and never look at again.

A very good point, Regin. In my sophomore English class we were required to read a "realist" book (I cannot recall the title); but it was one of those books that, through over-emphasis on the point the author wishes to make, the point (and the audience) get lost and immediately vacate the premises. I got nothing whatsoever out of the book, aside from a deep loathing toward my English teacher for making us read it. On the other hand, I have acquired some really brilliant lessons and insights from reading so-called "escapist" literature (LotR, HP, Sword of Truth (by Terry Goodkind)).

Tolkien himself had a few things to say about this. (The exact quote is inaccesible to me at the moment, but I will return with it as soon as I can...)

Abedithon le,

~ Saphy ~

[Sapphire_Flame]

I have found the quote.

Tolkien believed that you could tell more truth with myth than you can with history. Tolkien believed that history, in the sense of relating facts to an audience as facts, was a weak way of conveying ideas: it was tendencious, it was facile, it lacked depth, and it lacked meaning. And he felt that myth was a far better way of conveying the truth. And his friend C.S. Lewis said, "Well, myth is lies." And Tolkien said, "No, myth isn't lies. Myth is a story that tells you something so important that it doesn't matter whether it is literally true. What's important is the idea that's conveyed."

I found this is a Tolkien documentary entitled "J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of the Rings".

Abedithon le,

~ Saphy ~

[Encaitare]

Thanks for posting it.

And Tolkien said, "No, myth isn't lies. Myth is a story that tells you something so important that it doesn't matter whether it is literally true. What's important is the idea that's conveyed."

I like that. I swear, the guy gets cooler every day.

[tar-ancalime]

My personal feeling is that writing about dragons and Elves doesn't make a book escapist, any more than writing about viruses or new technology automatically makes a book "relevent" to life.

Yes, exactly!

I think Radagastly hit it on the head, though--science fiction seems more relevant because it is often concerned with social commentary; it is frequently a projection of our own society into the future, a what-could-happen-to-us-if-we-don't-shape-up kind of story. I have to admit that I don't read a lot of science fiction, but my husband does, and these kinds of stories are where his taste runs--I know that there are other kinds of science fiction stories in the world, but my experience is mostly with authors like Philip K. Dick, whom my husband occasionally foists upon me. He likes these books at least in part because of the social commentary; he reads them as cautionary tales and realistic, thoughful projections into the future. I don't like them--I've only rarely read a science fiction book that I didn't find to be at least a little preachy. Philip K. Dick in particular really sends my preach-o-meter spinning.

Fantasy, on the other hand, tends to have its primary relationship with the past instead of the future and therefore relieves itself of any resposibility to comment directly on our current society. Tolkien, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Jack Whyte (again, I'm betraying my own personal taste here--I know that there are other kinds of stories to tell)--all of these authors are telling stories that are supposed to have taken place a very long time ago. The society they describe is not ours, nor is it a society we're in any danger of becoming. Therefore, both the author and the reader can treat it as a little more "other" than many of these science-fiction worlds. We don't have a responsibility, in other words, to find lessons in these books, and the authors don't feel a responsibility to put them in. I think that's why I like Tolkien so much--there is so much meaning, so many universal truths, and so many important themes, but there is never any kind of urgency or imperative to my taking them in. I can read the book ten times and find something new in it each time, and I never have to feel Tolkien is making a specific negative point about the world I am currently living in. It would be interesting to read some science fiction that attempts a similar kind of storytelling--any recommendations?