Fantasy novels have emerged as increasingly more transparent filter which we view societal troubles of today taking into consideration the difficulties of modern-day life. Authors use fantastic worlds creatives massag to address themes like inequality, identity, and oppression. Whether you’re looking at the economic disparity and fight against corruption that fuels a revolutionary movement in something like China Miéville’s Iron Council, or just how Black lives might matter in your setting some centuries before anyone thought up “civil rights,” those details run deeper than the architecture of Telperion and Laurelin. Similarly, N.K. Jjsonmin in Broken Earth trilogy has shown systemic oppression and environmental degradation that parallels with race and class issues.
In addition, fantasy provides a site for investigating gender norms and sexual identities. In The Traitor Baru Cormorant, as case in point, the book navigates a depiction of the world wrapped up in colonialism and eugenics, subverting standard norms. The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett uses humor and a satirical voice to argue against religious dogma and social injustice while presenting acute observations about human beings within its fantastic narratives.
What I find particularly potent with this form of storytelling, is its seamless ability to merge the fantastical elements and current reality together that can help readers face uncomfortable truths within their own societies. In the fantasy novel, social issues can be examined under a veiled metaphor, causing the reader to consider his own world as well as escaping into another. The combination of the two adds depth and seriousness to reading this, and contributes in showing that fantasy is not just for fun but also can be used as a pointed tool. Narratives increasingly tend to serve audiences who wish to escape from the world, as well as those who can confront them both by appearing and being recited.
