The Spirit of the Poets

The Importance of Art in Times of Trial, Part 1

Sometimes life reeks.

Sometimes reality is too much - or too little - to bear. Sometimes the world we live in isn't enough to satisfy us.

So we turn to fantasy.

I'm sure you've heard, in one way or another, that escapism is a sin. It's a dirty word. Something we don't do if we're decent members of society. You've probably heard it associated with drugs or alcoholism.

The word escapism actually means 'An inclination to escape from routine or reality into fantasy'.

Don't mistake me: the complete rejection of reality and responsibilities is harmful. But a reprieve from 'real life' every so often - say, reading a fantasy novel - can be healthy. . . and even needed.

To put it another way, escaping into fantasy (in moderation) helps refresh us for daily life.

But what about the times when life is full of struggle on every level? From depression to disease to wars and global conflict, everything seems to require our full attention and drain our energy simultaneously. It's difficult - even frowned upon - to waste time indulging in entertainment or daydreams.

So why should writers continue to create fantasy in times like these?

Some might say it's foolish to pretend life is anything more than what it is. To pretend that there is magic and wonder and heroism when there's not. And trust me, I know how hard it is to feel creative when the book of Revelation seems to be the script for this season of Earth. Fantasy, science fiction, and anything not 'practical' or 'necessary' should be the first to fall by the wayside.

Shouldn't they?

No. A thousand times no. This is when we need fantasy most of all.

---

There's a song I love by Casting Crowns, titled City On A Hill. It tells the story of a city that crumbled from the inside out because its people looked at each other's differences with contempt. The rich silenced the poor, and soldiers sneered at the 'weak' poets. If only they had leaned on each other's strengths - if only the writers had written words of life, and the warriors had drawn courage from them - the city might still be standing.

We need art to nourish our spirits, as much as we need good food to strengthen our bodies. It may not hold much practical value, but art holds symbolic meaning in a way that other entertainment can never do.

Any gift, if not offered in love, lands flat and hollow. But the arts nearly require love to even attempt them. A painting, if the painter does not love what they do, means nothing. But if they love both their subject and the person who sees the painting, how beautiful their gift is!

We need art, because art - good art, at least - has meaning. There's always a message.

Whether you're a writer, an artist, a dancer, or a musician, no one should be able to tell you that your work is trivial in these times. Some people are called to lead; some are called to fight; some are called to preach; and some - you and I - are called to witness through our art.

No gift is more important than another, and no part of a body can say to another 'I don't need you'.

---

But what is the purpose of fiction and fantasy?

If you've ever been to the eye doctor, at some point they have you look through a device with different lenses that can be changed or layered on top of each other. These lenses make whatever you're looking at become clearer, or more blurry, and the doctor will keep changing them until the image in front of you is as clear as possible.

Fantasy, and fiction in general, should act like a lens. What the reader sees doesn't change, but they can see it better because they're looking at it through something else.

As Christian writers, it is our duty and our privilege to shape our lenses to give our reader a clearer view of Christ; of what the Christian life looks like; and how they, in turn, can share this worldview with others.

And upon returning to the 'real world', perhaps they can see life and hope where it wasn't before.

Simply surviving is not enough.

We need fiction to remind us that there is something more than survival. Something bigger than ourselves, beyond what we can see and touch with our physical bodies. We need fantasy, we need the magic and wonder of other worlds to remind us of the magic that exists in our own world. Our souls desperately long for assurance that this earth is not our home, that this is not all there is, that we were created for more. The ability to watch other people, realistic human characters, struggle and fall and crawl back up and fight their greatest battles helps us understand how to fight our own battles.

The epic nature of a story reminds us

of the epic nature of our story.

We were made in God's image, with His likeness. And the first thing God did was create a wonderful new world, full of fantastic creatures and mysterious beauty.

So next time you wonder if writing is a waste of effort, remember that it's not about what our brain tells us is real - it's about what our heart trusts is real.

---

If you liked this post, remember to share it on whatever social media platform you deem fit. And if you're new here, please consider subscribing! Not only does it help me beat the algorithm, you'll be able to stay up to date with new posts and other news!

Keep a weather eye out for part 2, because it's on its way. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the need for art in desperate times? I'd love to hear from you!

Onward!

- Lydia