Sunday, 21 January, 2007Prompt #43 Fantasy/Phantasy
Why do you love/not love fantasy? Or, what does fantasy mean to you?
My thoughts about fantasy are spelled out perfectly in Laini's post today. Never at a loss for words myself, I will expound futher on why I love fantasy, and what I think it is.
I think fantasy is make-believe, and I love make believe. It's story-telling, escapism, imagination stretching , wishful thinking,
and for me, soul soothing.
I don't make much of a differentiation between such terms as fanasy, sci-fi, and "normal" fiction. Each weaves it's own magic in my mind, capturing my interest and transporting me to a world of mystery and intrigue, a world I'm happy to inhabit for a short time.
Phantasmagoric
Deceptive apparition
Escapism, magic
When I was 9 years old, or there abouts, I introduced myself to Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Tarzan of the Apes". From that point on I was and continue to be an avid reader of fantasy books, and magazines.Besides the Tarzan stories, I also devoured the stories about Bomba, the jungle boy.Written by ghostwriters (most stories are attributed to Howard Garis)
It wasn't long before I discovered Merlin the magician and reveled in the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table. In fact those stories still captivate me to this day. ie: Mary Stewart's " The Crystal Cave"
Naturally, it came to pass that I met another hero model in Robinhood of Sherwood Forest and his band of merrie men, who stole from the rich to give to the poor. Golly, how many make-believe scenerios my friends and I played out in the local woods nearby. (I wasn't always Robin, sometimes I was Alan A Dale the minstrel with Robin's band of merrie men.)
Alan led me to Ivanhoe and more medieval tales of daring-do, of under dogs saving the day and winning the hand of the fair maiden from the evil doers.
I refuse to believe that there isn't a little fantasy in everyone's life. Maybe, just maybe, I indulge more than most, but no, I doubt it. I believe in Santa Claus, the "Polar Express", the Easter Bunny, and the tooth fairie.
Fantasy is a restorer of hope. It reinforces my belief that we can overcome the evil warmongers, the money-grubbers and charletons who rule the earth, or think they do.
As a certified practioner of hypnosis for 25 year, give or take, I verbally described fantasy with imagery for my clients, to enable them to find relaxation and surcease from stress, to curtail habits that had become addictive and bothersome. In other words, I helped them use their imagination to make their real world a better place to live. The books and movies I've enjoyed have helped me create fantastic worlds where anything is possible.
Without some fantasies this world of ours would be too mundane or fearful to tolerate for long. We must escape, from time to time, in order to replenish our faith, our hope, our belief in a better future for us, our children, on Ad infinitum.
Why even now as a 29 year old man in a 61 year old body I have fantasies: I have fantasies of becoming a successful writer, and poet. I imagine myself living to be 100 years old with the physical and mental capabilities of a 40 year old. I think that the magic answer will appear to me in a dream as how to make Huxley's "Brave New World" a reality. I still have sexual fantasies, and ....well never mind about that.
Perhaps you don't believe in phantasy, but for me it would be a dull life indeed without it!
For more Phantasmagoric fantasy... fly over__ ,through this fantastical internet blogsphere impossibility, to Sunday Scribblings and escape for a moment or two!
Hi-Yo Silver, Aw-a-a-a-a-y!
posted by rel at 5:24 AM
20 Comments:
I *believe* that you can be a 100 year old with the capabilities of a 20 year old. That is not a fantasy (-:
I love fantasy stories as well because of their other worldliness. My first introduction to fantasy was the JRR Tolkein books. The idea that there are other places or places that used to exist which are completely different from this reality is tantalizing.
The more I read you, the more I like you, Rel.
I too believe in fantasy, maybe a bit too much. I believed it when I was told that there isn't anything that I can't do but sometimes it seems the world sets out to prove me wrong. I'll just push a little harder and thumb the world because of that fantasy that I believe in.....that you can do anything that you set your mind to, you just have to continue to believe in the dream.
I needed this inspiration today. Thanks
Dawn
I'm all for escapism, which includes fantasy. I love your post.
I had a very Dickensian childhood, and if it weren't for fantasy, I don't know how I ever would have made it out.
I agree that everyone indulges in little fantasies, even if they say they don't. They might not call it fantasy, but everyone has dreams.
I liked your selection of pictures. The Tarzan one made me smile and roll my eyes at the same time. I think one of the reasons so many people look down their noses at fantasy and scifi is because of the long-running history of over-the-top schmaltzy oil paintings on book covers.
While I am not into fantasy or sci fi programs or books....I do fantasize. I think we all do. I think its healthy. Im sure everyone has sexual fantasies to. At least people who are sexual do.
If I need to escape I go to Applebees for happy hour! Its a great escape! lol
I love to be hypnotized..it is the most relaxing thing. The first time I did it I was scared....I thought I would fall asleep and go into a trance or something...lol. But I learned to relax and go with it and it was very relaxing.
Great post today Rel!!!!
"don't make much of a differentiation between such terms as fanasy, sci-fi, and "normal" fiction. Each weaves it's own magic in my mind..." I so agree and hopefully conveyed that in my post. Wonderful to read yours.
Fantasy, make believe, imagination - all these are wonderful things and give an escape route when life isn't going too well, even if it's only a temporary one. I think I've probably lived half my life in a make believe world, often in other time periods - that's probably why I enjoy life so much:) Like you I've been all sorts in my time - a resistance fighter, Spitfire pilot!( I was a big fan of the Biggles books, probably not a series you've comne across in the US),a wartime housewife making do and mending, the list is endless. I had a lot of fun and no-one else was any the wiser. Well, actually there isn't any had and was about it - I still live in another more glamorous and exciting world a lot of the time.
I like your take on fantasy - and I agree, all good stories are "fantasy" in some form or another! Each does "weave their own magic" in the mind.
Great post :)
This post is excellent Rel and you're so right, we all need our fantasies and sometimes if we're lucky enough, some come true:-) I don't know how I would have gone through some episodes in my life if it hadn't been for being able to escape into a fantasy world, at least for a little while.
J'espère que votre soirée va bien!! xox
Fantasies, daydreams...they form an integral part of our lives. Where would be be without them? It would certainly be a mundane world! And daydreams/fantasies, imagination whatever, can come true. I know.
As for sexual fantasies, well...yeah, you're right, best not go there, lol!
Have a nice day, Rel
Hugs
Great post. I think fantasy is necessary and healthy as well. I was fascinated by the fact that you practice hypnosis.
I very much enjoyed this post; I think we all have fantasies that we nurture, sometimes to fruition, sometimes not. As a poet, I found my time here well spent...thank you.
Count me in as another one who loves the spice that all of my fantasies and storytelling bring into my life. I don't know what I would do without it.
This was a GREAT post! And I believe that you are already a writer. :)
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, Remiman...I'm glad I'm not the only one who has her fantasies. I, too, as a child grew up acting out every Saturday afternoon matinee movie. Many a time I was Maid Marion to your Robin Hood! Many a time I created a female Robin Hood so I could be the grand saviour of all that was good!
Life would be so dull and boring...and all the horrors of reality would be totally unbearable without my fantasies.
Morning Rel,
Thanks for stopping by. I could use some fantasy right about now myself.
i think it goes without saying that any uncle of mine would be into sci-fi, fantasy... and still have sexual fantasies ;-) (sorry, i couldn't help but pick up on that sentence fragment. you do me proud UR)... i grew up on sci-fi and fantasy and to this day i still love it, and know that it is responsible for my passionate love of words...
and i'd love to hear more about your hypnosis stories!
warm hugs to you
Sx
Rel, you may be getting old-er(don't forget 61 is the new 40, right?!), but your way of thinking is young and fresh, and that's what makes you so interesting and fun.
I used to love fantasy books (read all the Narnia books cover to cover as a kid), but lately I am more interested in books about people. Perhaps I need to delve back into the world of fantasy again...you've made it sound so good!
Great post, Remiman, and thanks for the link! So many wonderful heroes and characters to follow along with in literature! And I too fantasize about living to be a healthy spry one-hundred! I wish that for all of us good folks -- may we hog all the years there are, and let the mean nasty people fade away into shadows.
"Fantasy is a restorer of hope."
So true. Great post, rel. Thanks.
I agree with you to some extent about not differentiating between genres. When I started thinking about fantasy fiction for this post, I thought no I don't read that often, but there are many 'literary novels' with a strong sense of fantasy in them.
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