Human beings have always been storytellers. We have used stories to pass on life truths and point out heroic qualities to our children. With the help of Aesop’s animals and the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, parents start teaching important life lessons in the nursery.
When our kids get to be older, they go to the movies for more stories. In record numbers they watch Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. And in school our children study epics like Homer’s Iliad and the adventures of Beowulf.
The characters and settings change with the times, but the truths underscored by classic stories remain timeless. Sacrificial love breaks the power of evil (The Chronicles of Narnia), people count more than money (A Christmas Carol), the struggle of faith is worth the effort (Pilgrim’s Progress), victory goes to the pure, the persistent, the good-hearted (The Lord of the Rings).
From Mother Goose to mythic legends, classic tales usually involve a basic plot: An unlikely or reluctant hero is called from ordinary life to undertake a journey filled with terrible obstacles. Along the way he or she receives a near-fatal wound but perseveres and finally defeats the evil one — saving family, country, world or universe.
Kids find their heroes in stories. Boys become brave men who trounce the forces of darkness, while girls vicariously live through their dolls and find happiness with Prince Charming.
Wholesome fantasy resonates with the reality of a moral universe and a good God. God’s true story of creation, fall and redemption has a happy ending. We have a part to play in it; so do our children.
Parents must give their children role models worth emulating. These heroes don’t have to be perfect — just heading in the right direction. And the stories don’t necessarily have to be sanitized with all references to bad people and evil practices removed. After all, we live in a world full of violence. However, truth and justice should prevail in the end (just like it will in our world).
— Mike Hamel
