A Road Less Travelled

As I look back on 2008 it seems like a year full of self-discovery. Though, as I look back on 2007 I could say the same thing. Rather than fight the trend I decided to go with it partly because I’m a person and figuring out how people work is fascinating and partly because the minute I understand myself a bit I change. Trying to hit a moving target is a fun challenge so why not make 2009 a year of self-discovery, too?

Recently, Seth and I were talking about why I love an author named Charles de Lint. That discussion was fascinating, but it also got me thinking about what kind of story I enjoy and why. There are several movies and books that I devour and rhapsodise about that the people close to me simply don’t get. Why not? What is the connection between movies like Penelope, Hellboy 2, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium and Mirromask and why did I enjoy The Fall so much? Why do I like P. G. Wodehouse so terribly much? And why doesn’t anybody else see what I see in these stories?

I think the connecting theme that runs through the stories that resonate with me is a well-honed sense of whimsy.

Whimsy- n.
: the quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful
: a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art

It’s a playfulness even when dealing with a serious and even painful subject. Not that the subject isn’t treated with all the seriousness and weight that it deserves. Charles de Lint is a great example of this. He puts his characters through all kinds of hell before they even step into the story, but he never loses the awe of something other-worldly walking through downtown. Neil Gaiman is another good example, though frequently his is a dark whimsy. He takes the world, sets it on end and gives it a twist. He doesn’t usually twist so far that the world is bent, but just enough that everything looks different. Simple things and normal occurrences take on new meaning because they don’t fit in their usually spot. Sometimes big things become small and small things become momentous. Sometimes everything stays in their spot, but the characters and the viewers move.

It’s like the difference between a small child watching the snow fall on a quiet night and a small child watching the snow fall on a quiet night when he knows that the snowflakes are actually fairy ships battling for dominance of the clouds. A simple and beautiful things takes on a whole new meaning and suddenly could be vitally important. Or maybe the child doesn’t care who rules on the clouds and just likes seeing the firefights.

I’m glad I figured this out because now I know what sort of thing to look for in a story to get my whimsical fix. And I know why have a hard time sharing what I enjoy so much. Other people have read books I recommended and watched movies I raved about. Sometimes they’ve even enjoyed them. But there are only a couple of people I know who I think could appreciate the same whimsy I like so much. Sometimes it makes me feel a bit lonely. And sometimes I feel silly because I enjoy ‘frivolous’ stories so much. With an in-house brother who lives on crime fiction and non-fiction it’s easy to feel like my whimsical tales aren’t important or weighty enough. But people say it takes all kinds to make the world go up and down so I guess I should focus on keeping the whimsical side of life humming. You’re welcome to join me if you like. There’s plenty of room in my sideways world.