What the naive, uninstructed, childlike of illusion-ridden viewer accepts as "real" a more knowledgeable and emancipated one sees to be a carefully planned show, and planned within the framework of a literary convention. It follows that the journey toward one's own identity, which literature does so much to help with, has a great deal to do with escaping from the alleged "reality" of what one is reading or looking at, and recognizing the convention behind it. The same process exists in the elementary teaching of literature, or should. The child should not "believe" the story he is told; he should not disbelieve it either, but send out imaginative roots into that mysterious world between the "is and the "is not" which is where is own ultimate freedom lies"(Frye 166).
Literature helps us to experience situations and places that we otherwise could not, or should not, explore. This is very apparent is fairy tales. While reading Little Red Riding Hood, children do not believe there is a talking wolf in their world, but they imagine one is real in Red's world. They can see that by disobeying her mother and talking to strangers she was resigned to a terrible fate (how terrible depends upon which version you read). They can explore these outcomes and then apply the lesson of not speaking with strangers to their own world. People like to test boundaries, literature gives us the freedom of limitless freedom. Would you like to go whaling? Read Moby Dick before setting out. Not enough cash to explore the ocean? That's okay, as we note in Sinbad's tales, it may not be all we hoped for anyway. Going anyway-watch for unexpected dangers and grab something that floats if the boat starts to sink.
The Native Americans, as well as others, used stories to teach children about their environment. Sean Kane relates some of these tales in his book Wisdom of the Mythtellers. One story relates the time that Nanabozo, a trickster figure, ate white berries and ended up climbing a tree to escape the results of his action which was a giant pile of excrement. It is not important for the children to believe or disbelieve, it is important that they are entertained. The experience of hearing an amusing story helps them remember the important information that white berries lead to illness. Rather than lecture, this method of escaping into a story, experiencing the adventure and consequences leads to even small children remembering to avoid white berries. The child can imagine from the story what could happen if he does.
Experiencing a story is an amazingly freeing experience for me personally. In my home, we often make up stories filled with grand characters and frightening monsters or foes. We adventure together leaving behind the internet gossip, boring television, windy weather, and everyday stress. Together we explore and travel. This may be unusual for today's standard family, but perhaps we are throwbacks to the time of the oral tradition. There is something unifying and intimate about telling stories together after a long day. I can escape the pain and confinement of my body and travel in my mind to a place no one can find me. I can control a world when everything else is falling apart. Do I believe in these stories? No, of course not. Is there value in taking a break from the limited existence I often find myself trapped in? Absolutely. This freedom also comes to me from reading a great story. I truly feel bad for those that trap themselves in the "real world". Many say you only get one life, but through literature you can live as many as you please. With the godlike power of escape, you can defy all laws of the universe and journey freely. Good journeys to you.
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