Devdhi Kasana: "Dear Chuck Wendig: Hello From the Other Side"

Dear Chuck Wendig: Hello From the Other Side

By

Devdhi Kasana

Speculative fiction often calls on the reader to step into the story and become the protagonist. The lonely or ostracized character finding a place where they belong in an alternate world or dimension has become an archetype of the speculative fiction genre. I personally enjoy this archetype as it is highly relatable (for me, at least) and I love seeing characters exploring their new worlds and observing the most mundane characteristics of the new worlds with extreme fascination and interest. I often find that the portions of books that interest me most are those where I learn something new about the way the new world works, whether it be the structure of political systems, development of plans, or even just following a recipe of a food from the new world. This may be why the sword-forging scene from Brisingr, the third book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, is one of my favorite literary scenes of all time.

The immense detail that Paolini puts into describing the forging of Eragon’s sword has pulled me back to read that scene on its own dozens of times. The satisfaction I get out of that scene stems not only from being able to visualize the creation of the sword, but also from seeing Eragon’s excitement and happiness grow as he gets one step closer to becoming a true Dragon Rider. His journey throughout the series of understanding where he belongs and fulfilling his destiny makes the Inheritance Cycle one of my favorite series to date. Finally belonging somewhere is a theme that I love to find in science fiction/fantasy stories and even in other genres as well. From Hagrid’s iconic line “You’re a wizard, Harry!” (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling) to Tally Youngblood’s difficult decision between Pretty and Ugly (Uglies by Scott Westerfeld), finding where you belong is a powerful muse for authors everywhere.

            However, something that troubles me is the reason why this theme is so popular. The plethora of science fiction/fantasy stories based around this theme is proof that finding where you belong is a universal interest. Readers tend not to look for stories on events and people that are real for fun. The non-fiction genre has its appeal, but for those looking for an escape, fiction is much better at serving their needs. The fact that people look for an escape, and that the escape they find is in stepping into a character’s shoes who finally finds a place to belong tells us something very important about people in general. It tells us that thousands of people feel like they don’t belong, and to put themselves in a story where they find their place in the world or another gives them a satisfaction that real life can’t give them. It’s kind of sad to think about, that people find more belonging and comfort in ink on paper than in real life interactions. On the other hand, it’s comforting to know that there will always be a place for you in books, even if the real world seems to reject you. The fear of isolation pushes people to isolation, as it makes people try to fit into places not meant for them and feel increasingly alone in crowded rooms.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be alone. However, the clear yearning of readers across the world tells us that there are many who wish to find where they belong, and are stuck on the wrong side of the book: looking at the pages instead of acting within them. Jo Walton’s Among Others highlights this phenomenon in its entirety in a compelling story. Mori finds her karass and continually doubts the legitimacy of her place in it, questioning whether magic or the natural course of events made her a place in the world. Mori is all of us isolated readers, unable to comprehend true belonging after being deprived of it for so long. Seeing these stories of belonging in published works is always something that I enjoy, even if it makes me a little sad to think why I enjoy them. I won’t ever really be a part of the Golden Trio or ride dragons or start a rebellion or do anything that exciting. I’ll just tag along for the adventure and live vicariously. I’ll be on the other side of the pages, outside looking in.