The Use of Magic in Stories

[Turtle]

Hello,

I just wanted to know some of your opinions on the use of magic in telling stories?

[Mr. Otis]

Mixed. Tolkien and Lewis used it, but I don't believe I would. They used magic as an allegory for the supernatural battle between good and evil, but I don't think I write fantasy as well as they did. I tend to portray the battle in more direct terms.

If I used magic as a plot element, I'd be inclined to make it clear that the practitioner was tapping into demonic forces.

[justonevoice]

I would only use magic in a story if the person performing the magic were shown to be in the wrong. Many stories I've seen in resent years glorifies the occult. Children are very suseptable to this type of hype. Who wouldn't want to be the guy with the power, until you find out what that power costs. As christians we are responsible to share the truth of the word in evrything we write.



Shirley

[wgjones3]

The difference between magic and miracle is merely the context.

One is real, the other is not.

Take from that what you will. :cool:

[AngelAzariah]

Turtle,
___Why not just do an X-Man thing, they have a power- and leave it as simple as that. Magic in one context is the taking of power into your own hands for your own use (it also means to do something that others dont comprihend). Anyways, then a mrical is something that God willed to happen. That is the way I look at it. Saved_by_grace has good points as well about children. We should protect them and guid them down the right path- not confuse them with 'It's ok, it's just make belive for a story'. Ok, before I get to serius- I will exit stage Open Forum...

[FireFeet]

Including magic in your writing is walking a very fine line, imo.

All I know is...I don't want to stand before the throne of God and be held accountable for leading someone into witchcraft!

And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft. (Deut. 18:10)

[Turtle]

Hello,


Thank you for the imput. As far as magic goes I've already used it in one of my ficitional tales. I took the position that the magic was a gift given by the Creator to be used to bless. However, the plot reveals that the characters (only two) who have this gift end up abusing it for their own personal means. I even state in the beginning that all gifts should be used to bless others, not to corrupt or abuse them. I try to bring this point on early so the reader is not thrown into a loop. Also the magic is not the main theme in the story, its not even a sub-theme; its just something that is apart of this fictional world. I'm not worried about leading anyone into the occult because those who have read it understand the story doesn't focus on that.

But I can understand why many of us as writers avoid the area of magic with the influence of the Harry Potter series. Yet even in Lewis and Tolkiens stories you somehow knew that there was always a greater power than the wizards and witches who cast spells. They applied Chirstian allegory with magic as apart of the fictional worlds, and if you reasearch it; many of Tolkien's and Lewis ficiton lead many to return back to church.

Yet that doesn't mean that stories without magic cannot do the same. I believe God gives certian ideas to some people. The Holy Spirit has helped me to use the gift of magic correctly: attributing this amazing power from an amazing Creator that could only give it. And that's what I've done and will continue to do with this controversal subject for Chrisitan writers.

[Dr. Daniel]

I have to agree with what's being said here for the most part. I'm currently working on a story which features loads of magic, but it's not something a Christian author can throw around lightly. I think it's correct to show witchcraft as coming from an evil source as opposed to the miracles of Almighty God. But I don't think we should be afraid to go there. After walking into Barnes and Noble last week and seeing the complete and full aisle of works dedicated to teen-age witchcraft, I think it's time we went after them. Want fantasy? No, don't go over there...this way, kiddies...

Dr. Daniel

[Mr. Otis]

I worked on a novel for National Novel Writing Month 2002 (an event I highly recommend for blowing out the pipes and generating some serious word count) in which the dragons flew and the sorcerers threw fire and ice because of an innate ability to manipulate electromagnetic energy. Since they didn't know what it was, though, it wasn't until they were visited by the survivor of a crashed space ship that the reader is allowed to understand that there was no magic involved, just science (fiction).

Ultimately, the story ended up being about the dissatisfaction of the protagonist--one of the "wizards"--with his life, and his realization that the young, idealistic priest was the most content man he knew, and at the same time the most willing to lay down his life for his friends.