What’s the Use of Stories That Aren’t Even True?
Fictional stories have been part of the human civilization since the beginning of time. Fictional stories play a huge role in many different cultures; it is a practice that goes back the human history. Ever since childhood we have been told stories through story books, picture, books, music, even the bible. Most of the time the characters, in story books, take the form of animals or inanimate objects. These stories are meant to entertain, influence, teach or even scare us. As children, these stories used to fascinate us and adults used it as a way to discourage us from deviant behaviors.
When I was younger one of the folklore that used to be popular in my home country (Ghana) was “Anansesem” it simply means “spider tales”. It was a set of stories or fables about a trickster spider called Kwaku Ananse. Even though he is a spider, he appears like a man. In most of the stories, he tries to trick people for his own gain but his plans always backfires, mainly due to his own conceit, and when they do, he turns back into a spider and scurries up into the corner of a wall in shame. The adults usually told us these ananse stories to discourage us from doing stealing or lying etc. The stories were also a good way for us to socialize. All the kids in the area would come and sit around the adult telling the story; food will be made and passed around. After the stories, we will just be quiet in amazement or in fear, and then we will all run home because we don’t want Kwaku Anase to catch us and try to trick us. (Sometimes I blame this for my fear of spiders)
As we grow older the fictional stories we hear or read become less “storybook like” and more realistic but they basically still do the same thing, except in a more subtle way. We still get to escape from our own lives and get lost in the world the author weaves. Stories connect us together in a way, so everyone who has read or heard the same story feels a sense of togetherness. Even though most of these stories are not real in a literal sense they can still be based or influenced by real life events or experiences. Hence, we can take something out of what we read, watch or hear. I say this because as a writer you hear this phrase “write what you know” most of the time so even when you are planning to write fiction, it is very likely that what you write about will be about something you are familiar with. Maybe one of your characters will have some of the characteristics of someone you know, they might even go through a situation you, or someone you know has gone through.
Stories also open people to things they might have not known otherwise. Like the book Fight Club, I had to read it in one of my classes and I feel like I learnt so much from it. I learned that soap can be made out of human body fat and how to make homemade bombs with basic household products. I also learned that it is wise not to be rude or insult the person serving your food. I might not actually go out and use these newfound knowledge, except the last part, but at least I got something out of it other than entertainment.
I found this question as a strange one because most beings on earth would rather have pleasure than pain or discomfort. That is how human beings are, we seek pleasure, things that will make us happy, and avoid unpleasant things. Therefore, to me the question is almost as if I have been asked, what is the use of anything that is fun or enjoyable. We do it to make life more bearable and to escape some of the unpleasantness in this world and avoid potential insanity.