Learning from Fiction

I mentioned in a previous post that I've been mixing a lot of fiction into my reading lately, because just focusing on non-fiction was starting to become a bit tiresome.  Strangely, though, I feel just as if I'm getting just as much education, if not more, from reading fiction than reading non-fiction alone.  And no, that's not because I'm taking everything that happens in a fantasy novel as fact!

"Is this a true story, Grandma?"

"Yes, sweetheart. And then George Washington fought a giant dragon while riding a bald eagle..."

Now, plenty of much more competent writers than I have talked about the benefits of reading fiction (one article I might recommend can be found here), so instead I'm going to focus on a couple of examples.

Yes, this is absolutely an excuse to share a couple titles I've liked recently.

So You Want to Be a Wizard

by Diane Duane

So You Want to Be a Wizard follows thirteen-year-old Nita, who hides in her local library while escaping from a group of bullies.  She finds a book (sharing a title with the book she's in), recites the Wizard's Oath contained therein, and awakens the next day to find herself added to the register of local wizards.

Her subsequent adventures have her team up with fellow wizard Kit and a sapient white hole nicknamed Fred (short for Khairelikoblepharehglukumeilichephreidosd'enagouni) and engage on a perilous quest between worlds.  Along the way, she takes a few opportunities to help others she meets, even a few characters who would normally do her harm, as she considers her Oath and some prophetic advice given to her in an earlier chapter.

The Library of Ever

by Zeno Alexander

No, this one isn't on the list just because it's about a library!  I will admit, however, that I checked it out when I was only working here for a couple of months, and I will also admit that it got me extra jazzed about what we do here, at least in the abstract.  Anyway.

The Library of Ever follows the headstrong and precocious young Lenora, who happens upon the titular 'Library of Ever' through a passageway hidden within her own local library.  Here, beings from all over the universe (and likely beyond) browse the collection and ask the librarians their most pressing questions.  Her confidence and wit attract the attention of the Head Librarian, who has her swear the Librarian's Oath and appoints her Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian.

Lenora swiftly ascends the ranks by resourcefully assisting every patron she meets and soon finds herself standing off against a secretive faction that wants to destroy all knowledge, showing her dedication, courage, and a fair amount of creativity at every turn.

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There are some very obvious connections between these books, despite the fact that Library of Ever was published in 2020 and So You Want to Be a Wizard was published way back in 1983 (though it only really shows its age when describing certain features of the New York skyline).  Both have strong female protagonists; though Nita has to grow into her confidence, while Lenora starts off with a fearless, can-do attitude.  Both start in an ordinary local library, which is an obvious sign that libraries are the perfect launching point to any adventure!

However, the most striking similarity, at least for this blog post, is the oaths that both girls swear - the Wizard's Oath for Nita, and the Librarian's Oath for Lenora.

Now, I'm not saying that young people should be compelled to swear binding oaths.  But I found it very inspiring that both girls took on a set of values and, blending them with the advice of the people around them, strove to base their decisions, big and small, against them.

I think that everyone, be they an adult or a child, struggles a lot with staying consistent with the moral and ethical values that they hold most dear.  I even think a lot of us haven't taken the time to really sit down and figure out what those are.

The Wizard's Oath and the Librarian's Oath are examples of short, powerful statements of what's most important to our characters within the scope of their respective missions.  They give the girls something to reflect on when they're conflicted about how to proceed, and it's impressive that even when their temptation is to run away or ignore a difficult situation, they instead do the hard thing and do what best lines up with the promises they have made.

Yes, these books are children's fantasy stories, but identifying and following your values is a really, really important lesson for anyone of any age.  And I know it's one I'm still learning.