The Power of Imagination

The human, and likely non-human, brain is able to form images of things that are not real but are what we often call “made-up.” These images may be vivid, single, lasting, big or small. These made up images transcend us into alternate universes and it is our imagination that holds these stories within it. The imagination is much more complex than one might assume, and Tolkien largely relates the human imagination to the creation and operation of fantasy. Through their imagination, the reader is able to transport themselves into a different time and place that is somewhat like what is already known to them, in some ways it resembles reality. Imagination is powerful. Imagination is able to transcend time and space. Imagination is an art form. Imagination is much more complex than just a passing train of thought, but it has the ability to change lives and mindsets. Imagination is important when it comes to fantasies because people often think of fantasies as a passage out of the “Primary World” or as an escape, although the thought of it being an “escape” from reality is not universally accepted like we have addressed many times in class. Why might this be? Because the body is stuck in reality while only the mind is able to transcend into the imagination. The mind and body, as separate as they may seem, are bound together. What happens in the mind often affects the actions of the body, and because the body is stuck in reality, what happens in the imagination, therefore, affects the whole person. The imagination is so important because it allows for the transportation of mind and the changing of the body.