People
relate to stories set in fantasy settings because of the characters. This is
because the characters are real people in an unreal setting. In star wars Luke
is a young adult raised in a rural area who knows very little of the world around
him. Han Solo is a suave guy that can talk his way out of anything. This
element is present in other fantasy media as well, such as The Hobbit. Bilbo is
a weak, untrained fighter, but continues to try his best in everything he does
for his friends. Thorin is a strong, capable fighter who would lay his life on
the line for any of his men. The reason fantasy is so popular is because in
these character archetypes we see those around us, friends, family, co-workers,
any who we interact with. These characters remind us of these people in our
everyday life and so we feel their ups and downs. If a character in a piece of
media reminds you of your father every loss seems painful and every victory
another cause for celebration. This not only applies to heroes but also to
villains. Jabba the hutt may remind you of your boss while King Joffery brings
back memories of the spoiled kid you went to school with. This association of
villains in media with the villains we deal with in everyday life makes it so
much sweeter when they experience defeat. This is present in all media not just
movies and television shows. My fiancé constantly says that characters in video
games remind him of me, as well with myself I find reading I see characters
remind me of him. As long as humanity feels anything this sort of attachment to
fictional characters will not stop.
Good post, I agree that often the characters of make believe take on characteristics of people we know. This makes them easy to relate to and the story even more interesting to follow. The perfect example I can think of is, of course, The Wizard of Oz. The whole time while Dorothy is in OZ she doesn't realize that the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion are old friends, but once she returns to Kansas she recognizes them for who they are.
ReplyDeleteI like how you took a different spin on things. I think that being able to relate to the characters really helps the person watching or the gamer that is playing identify with that person and really take on that role. I know that when I am watching certain television series, I really feel like I am a member of the "team" or often feel like I am taking on the role of the person who is in charge. I think that I do that because I often lack some of the characteristics that these characters hold and they are things that I wish I had within me. Identifying with the characters is a huge part of why I think people relate to fantasy so much. Good post!
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