Why Read?

Back in 2012, there was an NPR "All Things Considered" interview with Joe Queenan that I vividly remember. He's an author who purportedly reads 125 books a year, even managing to squeeze in 250 one time before "running out of steam." When asked why he reads so much, he responded as follows: "People who read an enormous number of books are basically dissatisfied with the way things are going on this planet. And I think, in a way, people read for the same reason that kids play video games ... they like that world better. It works better, it's more exciting, and it usually has a more satisfactory ending."

I don't read anything close to 125 books in a year. Counting assignments for English class, I'd be lucky to finish forty. During the school year, I just don't have the time to read anything substantial. I try to make up for these dearths by taking in as much as possible during breaks, but I always wish I could consume more. Despite that, I think that I understand Mr. Queenan. The world is a morally ambiguous and terrifying place. Between climate change, pandemic, nuclear war, and a million other cultural and political threats, it can be difficult to remain optimistic about our future. Books provide a sort of escape for their readers; an opportunity to immerse oneself in another world where the problems of everyday life aren't so overwhelming. Even the most horrifying of novels is easier to contemplate than the quagmire of connections that constitute our modern society. For example, I read David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas over winter break. It [SPOILER] rapidly transitions from pleasant historical fiction to gruesome dystopia to the collapse of civilization and implied extinction of the human race [END SPOILER]. Even so, it manages to end on an optimistic note that gives a purer hope to the reader than any of the real-life heroes constantly being ripped apart by trolls on the Internet can.

This purity is why I like the arc of the hero's journey so much. There's something beautiful in the idealism of an ordinary person going off on wild adventures, overpowering evil, and returning home with the power to solve their own problems. These days, it seems that a lot of people criticize the classic hero for being too one-dimensional or unrealistic. Most of the time I read, I want something unrealistic. I experience real life every day, and books provide an chance for me to get away from that.

In addition, heroes don't have to be cynical or amoral in order to be complex. Take Les Misérables, for example (I refer here to the musical, not the Hugo novel. The book treats some of the characters rather differently, but I haven't read it so I'm not able to speak intelligently on the matter.). Almost every single character can be regarded as a hero, and while only one of them is morally complex, each one has a unique outlook on life. Jean Valjean, the main character, is a reformed conflict who was originally imprisoned for stealing bread to feed his starving family. He spends his entire life running from the law only because he needs to do good in the world. Enjolras is an idealistic student who becomes a revolutionary leader and is tragically killed at the climax of the show. Eponine is the victim of unrequited love, but stays loyal to her beloved until she is killed trying to help him. They never show any immorality whatsoever, but are incredibly interesting and complex in their interactions with each other, giving the show depth without comprimising its archetypically heroic nature.

Some people feel that heroes are a cliché, or that the heroic narrative has been done too many times before to remain engaging to modern audiences. To them, I say that literature is not about the what, it's about the how and the why. In the words of Mr. Queenan, "As long as there are beautiful books waiting for us out there, there is still a chance that we can turn the ship around and find a safe harbor. There is still hope, in the words of Faulkner, that we shall not only survive; we shall prevail. There is still hope that we shall all live happily ever after."

And the hero's journey gives me that hope.