On the Practicality

of Imagination

Im writing this essay on the practicalities of artistic imagination, specifically as it relates to

the act of writing fiction, using the novels
Dusk and Dogs at the Perimeter as the base

materials for my discussion. I aim to discuss the uses of these fictional worlds, as they relate

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to reality: examining how they are both rounded in reality, in the same way one would

discuss empirical facts as being grounded in the external world in the disciplines of science

and epistemology and how they are lifted from reality in what I will call the hot air balloon of

the authors imagination.

The act of doing this will help us to carve out a more accurate picture of said fictional worlds

in detailing for us, both the areas of connectedness with the real world and the degrees of

separation between them. I aim to discuss in what ways this connection is or can be

affectively positive or affectively negative for our experiences, both as individuals and as a

society.

Dusk: On Polishing Stones

In Dusk, F. Sionil Jose tells his story primarily through the experiences of the character of

Istak. Though he details the objects of the external world, the majority of the important

storytelling takes place within Istaks heart and mind. This creates the effect that one

experiences the world of Istaks thoughts as the primary ground of the story. Being that this

is the case, Istak provides a unique opportunity for a discussion on how the fictional

development of characters can be beneficial for us as human beings.

oneself and this reveals for the reader the very personal way, the author has written his own

heart into the character. One valuable effect this may have is that in his writing of Istaks

personality and heart, Jose is able to see more specifically some of the qualities of beauty

within his own personality and heart. Istak is very pure hearted and in seeing the creation of

this character come to life, Jose can begin to understand this quality within himself, since he

has given this quality its very own embodiment.

In this action we see one of the incredible practical effects of using ones imagination in

writing fictional characters: we are able to identify and carve out personal qualities within

these characters which we might desire to have in real life and in watching these characters

come to life, we begin to have more solid understandings of these characteristics within

ourselves, leading to a strengthened love, resolve and understanding of how to go about

living in this world, with the qualities weve written into another.

Imagine these qualities as being like a diamond or a gemstone, once youve carved it out,

polished it and can set it up separately from yourself, you are able to see it more clearly and

more objectively from yourself.

The same can be said for someones negative qualities I am sure, however human beings

are less prone to reflect on these qualities, as the act of doing so is painful. Normally, one

has to go through some kind of painful experience, before one will willingly look back and

question ones own motives. It seems God is carving and polishing us through our lives

experiences, and we reflect this action to some degree in our carving out and polishing of a

fictional characters qualities.

In the novel Dogs at the Perimeter author Madeleine Thien writes from the perspective of a

multitude of characters, each processing (to one degree or another) the effects and

aftermath of the traumatic events experienced under the Khmer Rouge. For this reason,

Dogs at the Perimeter is a good example of a work processing traumatic experiences.

Madeleine Thien also does a good job within this book of painting a portrait of how the brain

sorts out the plethora of continual incoming experience that it is demanded to contain, and

even, attempt to comprehend.

The very act of writing this novel is a great reflection of this necessary act, which survivors of

traumatic experiences must undergo, of processing through all that has happened to them:

what is good, and what is evil, what is most real and what is less important to be focused on.

When the brain goes through life-threatening situations, it is forced into survival mode, giving

rise to this struggle to figure out how to balance the good experiences with the evil and also,

how to learn how to walk forward in this life. Truly painful experiences can cause an extreme

difficulty within people to trust moving forward and so it is incredibly important for us to parse

apart what prevalence we should allow these traumatic experiences to have in our lives.

This novel accurately shows that one invaluable use of the imagination and of writing fiction

is the processing and comprehending of the most tragic and difficult experiences of human

life. Some experiences are too painful to be comprehended without writing them out and the

act of writing fiction can provide a space where deep suffering can be laid and laid to rest.
In this we find a great paradox, for it is both these kind of horrible experiences, which are so

deeply grounded in reality and yet they are the experiences, which require most of all to be

lifted into the world of fiction.

On Filling the World with Dreams and Magic

In writing fictional worlds we are availed of the opportunity to draw upon our deepest dreams

and most wonderful wishes. As one can imagine, when God created the universe, he

poured into it, his own beauty, love, wisdom, majesty and creative diversity. In the same way

when we are creating a fictional world, if we are writing from a deep place within our hearts,

we are likely to pour into them reflections of our own deepest dreams and desires.

Sometimes these dreams and desires can come out simply in the way one chooses the

colors for a scene. They come out in the magic of the authors descriptions, such as when

Madeleine Thien chooses to close a scene at a Montreal caf in an evening atmosphere of

coppery twilight or when she frequently paints the sky purple or orange.

In imagining the atmosphere of a scene an author is forced to drawn upon their own desires

of how they would like the scene to look and in this we can get a peek into their desires. In

this case its a desire for beauty. In Madeleines choice of potent and mysterious colors for

her skies, she drapes what are otherwise realistic scenes in a dreamy quality.

This act of drawing wondrous imagery into our stories or filling the world with magic draws

out an essential aspect of the image of God within us; the image of a heart-felt creator. As J.

R. R. Tolkien believed, all human creation is just re-envisioning of the original creation.
In these actions, fiction can be a useful ground for writing our greatest desires into a kind of

reality. Whether it be through picturesque imagery or through noble or wise or resolute

displays of character or even through fantastical elements. Worlds that are more appealing

to the human heart, inevitably appear within fiction, because they are worlds created from

the human heart and in this sense, they are worlds that are closer to the dreams of

humanity.

Conclusion: Lifting the Ground

In conclusion, there are many benefits to the writing of fiction. We can both fill our dreams

with reality and add to our reality, dreams. We can embellish, carve out and polish human

characteristics and qualities and we can pass on our sufferings from this world into another.

It gives us the ability to lift ourselves from this world and, in the hot air balloons of our

imagination, float over the horizons of fear and doubt and regularity, into a dream-filled life.