I recently had some free time and wanted to write an article similar to my previous work about fantasy. I aimed to explore compelling aspects of fantasy movies and books. Fantasy goes beyond storytelling; it is rich with layers and references to our world.

However, I struggled to find the right ideas to include. Many fantasy stories draw from history and politics, like "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter." As I searched online, I found many reviews and blogs praising the depth of these concepts and analysing their meanings. While these insights are interesting, they often miss the emotional connection, I believe is essential to understand and appreciate these stories truly.

I love history and politics, and would connect them to any topic, but I couldn't find anything that matched my ideas and reflected the ideologies I believe in. But while I searched, I came across a blog entry that was only four pages long.

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To be honest, it wasn't as exciting as the others. This person had undoubtedly the most complicated grasp of language, yet their ideas piqued my interest, and I couldn't help but wonder if I understood them. This person decodes fantasy from their point of view, linking history and politics, as well as modern challenges.

Sure, I discovered the drawbacks and advantages. But the purpose of this is not to criticise this individual; rather, it is to present a completely other point of view that we had no idea existed in fantasy, primarily from the perspective of this person, but I will also share my thoughts.

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1. How Fantasy plots have a historical context

The first thing this individual says in their post is that they and their cousin watched Lord of the Rings, that their father introduced them to Star Wars, and that their extended family is interested in fantasy, which is genetic. They then proceed to decode their social ideas, focusing especially on these two series. Sorry, I'm not a Star Wars fan, so I'll ruin the vibe by referring to The Hunger Games rather than Star Wars. Don't worry, I do love The Lord of the Rings.

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A. Real-world dominance of Western culture over Eastern culture

Example used: People of West VS Sauron, The Lord of the Rings.

Now, I'm not sure how they appear to have regarded the entire conflict between the people of the West and Sauron, but let me translate this in my perception for you. The western people were known as hobbits, elves and Rohans. Sauron ruled over the eastern people. If I decode this correctly, it means that the inhabitants of the West lived in harmony with nature, the forces, and so on.

The people of the East were at odds and never lived in harmony. What's the point? The inhabitants of the West wished to unite the worlds, but Sauron desired power and continued to dominate. The entire series depicts how some people in the West battle and form a movement to overthrow Sauron, destroy the ring, unify the realms, and cross the gap.

The person adds that, in parallel with the real world, we have those issues, which are most likely related to how political movements are caused. Let me now turn to a more historical perspective. Take the Nazis, for example.

The Right Wing, which may nearly be compared to Sauron, sought total power over Europe. They wanted Europe to adopt German Aryan Race ideals and those propagated by them.

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What happened next was that the allied powers, France and Britain, formed alliances and battled Germany to prevent it from taking over Europe, putting an end to radical ideologies. I understand it sounds like a lot, but isn't that what's going on here? Take, for example, the Black Lives Matter movement. I'm not naming a specific country, but many countries were racially segregated, and people sought to bridge the divide and create harmony.

This was a very unique component that I came across when reading this blog, because it was fascinating to see how the fantasy world and reality are so different but have the same problems. Take the Hunger Games, where Katniss embarks on a revolution to abolish the Capitol's oppression. Take note that the Western Allies fought Germany; can you see the link?

B. How Fantasy instilled values and self-empowerment.

This person also demonstrated what fantasy meant to them. And at this time, I could completely relate. They explained how fantasy contributes elements to their own self-development, and how these seemingly simple attributes have a long-term impact on what defines a person's character.

The first quality is stated as ''Valuing Equality''. This is the most fundamental attribute or perspective we want people to possess.

Take the Hunger Games, for example, and consider all sectors. They were divided based on the status of the people. This is a division. In reality, this division is determined by age, race, skin colour, gender, social status, skills, talents, and a variety of other factors.

And Katniss leads a revolt against the Capitol, bringing an end to the Hunger Games. It's a pretty powerful point. The fact that our own perceptions of individuals who are inferior to us, as part of our ego, creates this division, and this is how we divide our society, fracturing and destroying the unity within us.

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These books or films challenge that stereotype. Instilling the concept that we can prevail and succeed in abolishing segregation. This relates to the second value they state, "Deep respect for everyone they interact with". This person, I am sure, has a very deep grasp of unity within a group or civilisation since they break it down into the plot components of the movie or book.

This person also describes how this helped them become "a confident person." They claim to be at ease with their character, regardless of any flaws, faults, or other issues. These films demonstrate how the character's distinctiveness is honoured while making a difference in the world.

That is the most significant issue they have just addressed. The problem with us is that we are insecure and lack self-confidence in expressing who we are. You could be outgoing or very introverted, but who you are is what makes you powerful and unique.

They also discussed how these films inspired ''self-empowerment'' in them. How these characters fought for what they believed to be right, lost, faced challenges, but made it there. The fact is that if you never give up, you will eventually get to your destination, and this was a very good message.

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2. The Cons

As much as this person emphasises the pros of fantasy, they also discuss the cons of fantasy. They make a few points to support their argument.

A. How they beat around the bush

They discuss how these films and narratives officially concluded with the characters resolving the issue. But how did they reform in the aftermath of the entire scenario? Take, for example, how the film The Lord of the Rings ended.

We knew the war was done, but what occurred next? Peace cast a shadow over Middle-earth, but what happened next? They do not confront the issue immediately, but rather gradually reveal one difficulty at a time until they approach the core issue.

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3. The Contradiction

Now, I'm not criticising this person, but let's put things straight. I love this person's points of view and how they developed a narrative. They gave a pretty strong prompt.

However, fantasy films and books are works of fiction created for entertainment purposes. Sure, you're interested in politics and history, and it's fascinating to see how this person draws out the smallest details while still providing us with a wider picture.

I also perceive references to historical context, but as much as we love it, entertainment is meant to be enjoyed, and it has its pros of instilling a positive outlook.

At the end of the blog post, they discuss how they do not correspond with modern issues. I think that the stories should create a strong emotional connection with the spectator. But it should be based on the basis of entertainment.

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Conclusion

I adored this blog post; it was dry at first, to be honest, but the thoughts and concepts were so strong and effective that they couldn't be ignored. As much as I enjoy discussing this, I want to make it clear that when I wrote the contradiction section, it was primarily to convey a message: don't rely too heavily on such concepts and instead enjoy the bits and pieces that fantasy has to offer. This person really understood and provided a point of view that piqued my interest as I read.

I'm very glad I came across this blog and published an article about it. We are so intertwined that we don't even recognise it. Again, the purpose of this post is not to criticise this person, but to present a perspective that truly and sincerely resonates with the entertainment provided.

I am very excited, and it felt more philosophical to me. I know I seem like a weirdo, but there are levels to how a simple story can connect.

People like Shakespeare became idols for their ability to let us resonate with characters emotions, and films and scripts accomplish the same. I have no idea what to close with, but as I said, I sought for a story and found it, I guess I am safe to say this: mission accomplished.

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