The relief fictional characters brought us during the COVID pandemic.
Yeah we are all aware of what a burden and threat the pandemic was and is still becoming to many countries — the ones who revelled in the great outside were forced to stay in and avoid contagion, then there were the stay at home bodies who had to carry on as they always had. But It was still hard. I myself is a proud stay at home introvert, but something about the option of going out being taken away from me hit me hard.
But, hey, we were all bamboozled by the ‘demic aight- and my only saviour was my never-ending TBR and the countless movies and Tv shows I had to binge (*blatantly ignores the heap of assignments*).
The pandemic made us all feel like we had no purpose in this world- I am certain almost every one of us had felt that at least once. Locked away from the world, we were forced to find purpose in ourselves, seek a bit of that humanity we had forgotten overtime without zero physical interactions.
The books stacked in shelves eyed us.
If Netflix were a person it would have had multiple restraining orders for been a real cat caller.
what I’m trying to say is…FICTIONAL CHARACTERS. These beautiful, intriguing, funny, amazing, scary, loving, adorable, messy beings woven out of words in between pages, and flickering on screens- these guys saved our sanity. They did mine. Stuck inbetween the walls of my home without any physical connection to the outside world (yeah those once a week grocery sessions and classes- I missed them okay) I felt empty. a little. So, I turned to my fictional worlds- as I always do when I feel so empty, but now I had to do it every day (not complaining ). And it was amazing. I travelled from the Shadowhunter world with the most amazing gang of teen warriors to the ahem very intriguing faerie world of Prythian within a span of a month.
It wasn’t just being in many fictional worlds, it’s that I always found that I could discover myself through other characters, its that sense of belonging and familiarity we find among fictional characters that makes us want to stick around them.
So……
Why does losing ourselves in fictional characters feel so relieving ?
1. First off it makes us believe that we can actually pick that sword and fight off fire breathing dragons ⚔🐲🔥
2. It helps us forget our mortal human problems even for a little while.
3. It makes us happy .
4. It makes us want to take a chance on the daring unseen.
5. It makes us…believe of a greater perhaps.
6. It gives us hope.
7. It makes us feel like we can take on the world.
Now I know some of these points makes you want to roll your eyes, but next time you watch Frodo Baggins trudge from Bag end to the hellish mountains of Mordor or scream over THAT final battle of Endgame and tell yourself you’ve not felt at least one of those points above — I’d think you’re lying.
Fictional characters have this magic in em to bring out the fire and tears in us- they make us want to be better, makes us think we can be a little closer to the gods, but most of all they never make us feel alone. Think of them as the Immortal Harbingers of Hope (IHOH). And I’ve got proof from a couple of my friends who have felt hope and strength through these IHOH.
Cordelia Carstairs — The Last Hours series by Cassandra Clare
“Hmm because I’ve been in her position with the unrequited love thing and I sort of handled it the way she did — pushing aside my feelings just to be a good friend, but then having it kill you on the inside too. But she stayed strong on the inside through it all and I really admired for that.” — AB
Manon Blackbeak — Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Mass
“It would be Manon Blackbeak from the Throne of Glass series because she just has this powerful presence like she could take on 30 men and win and she knows it. No one dares to take on the freedom she so loves. Also, she rides a Wyvern and if that isn’t an incentive to be her I don’t know what is 😂 ” — NB
Thor — Avengers
“Thor — because after Endgame he didn’t have any attachments. Free spirit. Just floating around wherever the Milano took him.” — Rzzy
Poppy Balfour — From Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout
“I’d just love to use a dagger AND a bow AND know how to be good at both. To know how to fight! Also, she’s so strong, brave, stubborn, rebellious and caring-like I can relate to her.” — S
Madara Uchiha — Naruto
“I kinda can relate to him in a way (minus all the genocidal crimes he committed and basically world domination) and it turned out he was being manipulated by a darker entity anyways. But basically, the same feeling you get when you watch The Joker- like how you can empathise with his behaviour cos it’s just the circumstances that made the Joker who he is.” — PE
There.
Fictional characters DO make us feel heard, like we belong, and they give us hope to keep our eyes open for a better tomorrow.
And while the pandemic is still frolicking around I just want you to remember that it’s never a crime to lose yourself in fictional worlds every now and then, because stories and fairy tales always have a way of reaching to the humane bits of us, and if you ever feel like you’re too old to lose yourself in fictional worlds remember that…
“Someday you will be old enough to read fairy tales again.”
-C.S Lewis-
Have a great day ahead pixies !
Stay safe
Wear a mask
and always always live to tell the tale ✨
Jade M.💖
