When asked why women read romance, many readers will express their need to escape reality for a little while. Others will point out they enjoy the "happily ever after" or the positive reinforcement that life can be good.
But there is a part of romance that is particularly relevant to what is going on in our country today, be it financially or politically. What does a Medieval Scottish Historical romance have to do with the stock market? What could a Paranormal romance featuring a vampire with wings possibly have to do with the goings on within the beltway?
Perhaps they are not directly related, but the characters have a lot to teach us humans about perseverance, nobility, and success. Romances give readers role models in the aspect of their characters which face insurmountable odds and win. They provide examples of characters finding solutions and depending on themselves and those around them to triumph. Quite frankly, the characters, be they a cowboy from 1855 to a witch from 2022, all have human characteristics, values, and thought processes.
These characters have to be humanesque because they are written by amazing authors who draw from their own experiences and imagination. These great writers throw their characters into impossible situations and then make them find a way out. I think there is more to be learned from romances besides great historical facts and emotionally charged writing. We can learn how to persevere.
William Arthur Ward said, "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it." He may not have had in mind imagining one's self as a fallen Arch Angel, but if a person can imagine changing a life style to better cope with today's stresses, I see no reason why he or she cannot achieve it, at least if the will to change is as strong as our hero's and heroine's wills to love each other forever.
I can think of worse role models, can't you?
Alexis
Great post, Alexis. I like how your mind connects things so logically. It must be that nurturing island living!
ReplyDeleteYup. Blame it on the island ;-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Alexis! It is true that we can acheive anything we put our minds to, whether it's becoming better human beings or balancing the budget.
ReplyDeleteMarie
I, too, read to escape and reassure myself that there's always hope for a HEA.
ReplyDeleteI like your theory, Alexis!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll admit that part of why I love romances is we can be in on the secret feelings and things not always talked about aloud of the characters finding and experiencing each other. Kinda like reading someone's mind, so we know what they think about everything happening around them!
Is that like eavesdropping?:)
Donna, I firmly believe in Happily Ever Afters and will block my ears if someone tries to tell me otherwise :-)
ReplyDeleteDawn, I know what you mean. It's especially fun when you know the thoughts of one character and they are so different from what the other thinks that character is thinking. I love that :-)