Fantasy Races and the Art of Breaking People Down

In fantasy writing we see many internal metaphors and comparisons that can range from being obvious to being very convoluted. In truth, fantasy writing is largely about making comparisons; that is, making knowledge gained and lessons learned in the fantasy world to also be applicable in the context of the primary world. One of the most obvious (yet arguably also one of the most fascinating) is the use of different fantasy races and cultures to represent different aspects of humanity here on earth. When done well this is an incredibly effective tool for analyzing virtually any aspect of humanity you can think of. Tolkien used Elves and Men to represent fate and free will respectively while at the same time using hobbits and the Shire to represent the importance of the simple pleasures in life. Similarly, you can break down most any philosophical conflict by creating two races that manifest the particular aspects that each side holds. For example, I could create a race of goblins which represent man’s depravity, or I could create a race of plant-like creatures to represent the importance of understanding the earth and the vegetation. These are fairly obvious examples but it really does not have to be so cut and dry.

The importance of breaking down the human condition within fantasy writing comes primarily, I think, from the simplicity it can provide to an otherwise convoluted issue. To bring this back to Tolkien, the issue of free will versus fate is something that many people think about, Tolkien included, and the solution he provides within his narrative provides a clever and thoughtful response to the issue at hand; namely, they can both be true without sacrificing the importance if either in the grand scheme of things. In today’s world there are a lot of issues that could be addressed like this: women’s rights, the problems of corrupt governments, the importance of and problems with revolutions to name only a few. The important thing is not necessarily what you choose to address but the fact that you are addressing something that is an issue for people in the world today. This is why fantasy writing is really so powerful; it transcends what we experience first-hand in order to help us understand that which we do experience.