Sunday, September 16, 2012

To Read Or Not To Read, That Is The Question


My name is Abby McGrath and I am a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. I’m not ashamed to admit it. So why are other people? For that matter, why do some people feel that fantasy is stupid and not even worth reading?
Rather than give the typical “people are stupid” answer, I’ve decided instead to post my major arguments for reading sci-fi/fantasy:
1) It’s an escape from reality. Sometimes real life can be a real bummer. The solution? Losing yourself in mythopoeia (a big word made by Tolkien that just means fictional world created by a writer). Your problems seem trivial compared to Frodo’s quest to destroy the ring or Eragon’s quest to become a Dragon Rider, which gives you a new perspective. And speaking of character’s problems:
2) The problems are way more interesting than in real life. Boyfriends and girlfriends cheat on each other all the time. Men at work complain about how much they hate their jobs. Your life sucks. We get it. But in fantasy, boyfriends and girlfriends betray each other to nefarious wizards. Men at work complain about how long they have to wait to go into battle. Your life sucks, but the lives of the whole kingdom are in your hands. Much more interesting.
3) It’s inspiring. The vivid imagery and descriptions of characters makes your imagination go wild, explode if it’s really good fantasy. Soon you may start to create your own illustrations or write weird fan fiction based on what you’ve read. You enter a world within the fantasy world.
4) It IS relatable. Contrary to popular belief, fantasy is applicable to real life. The morals that they teach us are important to know- half of Dumbledore’s quotes are more valuable than anything you’ll find in a “real” book. Plus, all characters have qualities that are similar to our own personalities, even animals and aliens. After all, Kirk did say about his friend Spock the Vulcan: “of all the souls I have encountered....his was the most human.” ‘Nuff said.
Sci-fi/fantasy is extremely fascinating, and it IS worth reading. If you don’t agree with me, fine. All I can say is you’re missing out. 

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