Pondering Fantasy, the Present Human Condition, and the Purpose of Literature

Take one glance at the history of man (it doesn't have to be literary history) and you'll notice something: man loves fantasy.

Yes, that's a rather obvious statement. But have you ever wondered why?

Most people will answer that it is because reality is boring and mundane, and so man turns to fantasy due to its novelty and excitement. Anything can happen in a fantasy. But does that mean that reality is devoid of its excitements and adventures?

Obviously not; otherwise there would be no thrill-seeker.

But in the realm of literature, there is a strong desire to fantasize everything - to include the supernatural, the futuristic, the fantastical. Especially in regard to opposition and antagonists, man is usually pitted against forces greater than himself, which are usually difficult to explain. It is obvious man wants to challenge the unknown, become master of forces previously thought not tamable, to explain away the unexplainable.

The question I've been mulling over is whether in our haste to achieve the aforementioned things via fantasy, man has forgotten the very real opposition of himself. Man will always be his greatest foe. Religiously, it was Adam who caused Adam to fall, and cast all men after into a state of sin. Man has been the source of man's problems since the very beginning of time. So why haven't man sought to explore this some more?

The modern man has come to the notion that he can perfect himself through his own means (technology, medicine, psychology). The desire to be completely independent has also caused a desire to be one's own savior. Man believes that he can save himself, even though he was the cause of his problems to begin with.

So confident is man in his assumption that one day he will achieve the unachievable - his own perfection - that he has turned to other forces to defeat and tame: namely, the fantastic.

Unfortunately, this whole philosophy is false, and will only prevent man from accepting the opportunities for his own salvation. One cannot be saved if one does not want to be.

This is what I think literature of today should try and focus on - at least, it is what I'll focus on with my writing. Literature, since it is a vessel of Truth, should re-inform man that he is wrong in thinking he can conquer the world, and the beyond, and that man is wrong in thinking he can perfect himself. Heck, man can barely tame himself.

Literature can reveal that man is the source of man's problems, the source of his fall. Literature can also reveal that man cannot always fix things on his own, nor can he save himself. Grace and Divine Providence is necessary for these things.

I shall follow along the lines of Flannery O'Connor: "All my stories are about the action of grace on a character who is not very willing to support it."