The Power of Stories

I was recently reminded of the power of stories. Our society is inundated with stories through movies, television, books, school plays, even the mini-stories thrust upon us by commercials. Many times we dismiss these stories as mere entertainment and forget them as quickly as they come. Some stories, however, stay with us long after we first hear them. Sometimes these are the classics, ancient myths & legends, great movies, or the "literary fiction" we are taught in school, read reviews of in magazines, but rarely read ourselves. Other times we are gripped by stories that seem innocuous on the surface, falling under the category of entertainment. Then why do they capture our attention, and often our imagination? It is because stories are explorations of possibility. The ancient myths theorized spiritual and even physical explanations of phenomena that was unexplainable in pre-scientific times. They gave us reasons for the change in seasons, histories of the world before history, and clues about our origins, often in metaphor and allegory. Literary fiction often explores the possibilities of our present. A book may show us possible motivations of a murderer and explanations of his/her intentions and actions; or it may share possible reactions to great or infamous deeds. A great book can let us live another life, in another place, under different circumstances. We can all be the protagonist, the hero or heroine. The only limits in stories are the limits of the imagination. A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, for instance, explores the possibilites of many worlds far more advanced than our own and even imagines some of the many possible permutations of life forms which may inhabit those worlds. The Harry Potter series explores a realm of possibility in which wizards and witches of great power co-exist with muggles (non-magical humans) without our knowledge. These are just two examples of "non-literary" fiction that have captured many imaginations and let our minds explore new horizons. I would say that they are just as important in some ways as Moby Dick or Silas Marner. Those two books delved into the motivations and experiences of humans within the framework of a world we understand. The more fantastical books delve into a world we can only understand through imagination and co-creativity with the author. If some people use the work of Tolkien as a jumping off point in their magical practice, maybe we should not be so quick to judge them. They may have found a place to examine experiences we have never imagined possible. Who would have thought in the 1920's that men would ever set foot on the moon, except for H.G. Wells? And who would have ever thought.....what? Read a story and dream of a new frontier.