peripathetic

LOTR: The battle at Helm's Deep was real. *sigh*
At least that's what some people here in the UK actually believe. The actual story is that in a survey of over 2,000 adults, many could not tell historical fact from fiction.

Some people believe that: Hitler didn't exist; War of the Worlds was a historical event; Helm's Deep and the Battle of Endor took place in real life; The Battle of Hastings wasn't real; Robin Hood was; Conan the Barbarian was.

People remember Helm's Deep (even though it wasn't real, folks) because it was a big battle. They accept it as fact because it was a big battle. They might even accept it as fact because it was on in cinemas all over the world. And aside from the extreeemely dubious nature of that kind of assumption, that is really worrying. Why?

Black Hawk Down: brilliant film, really took place. Pearl Harbor: Brilliant film, really took place... hmm, ish. At least, it took place in a very different context than the film showed. Enigma: (arguably) good film, really took place. Erm - no it *didn't*. Not like in the film, anyway. Saving Private Ryan: great film, really took place? Hmm. Not *really*, no. Soldiers' bodies are forgotten in the rain. But let's continue: Schindler's List: people believe Hitler didn't exist. That's all too unbelievable. *rolls eyes* The Green Mile: that happened... didn't it? Bridget Jones: that happened. Yeah, of course it did. It's real life after all.

No wonder more and more Americans and Brits are popping pills, going to shrinks and feeling a creeping sense of doom. They expect real life to mirror fiction. They expect to get the happy ending. And they're right to want that. But do we get Hollywood happy endings in real life?

Fiction and reality are being blurred. That worries me greatly. Stories aren't real. Storytellers don't *really* want people to think they're real, either. The *difference* between story and real is where a story's magic lies. Think about it: Helm's Deep gets to be about as exciting as paint drying if you think it actually happened, and real-world battles are thrown into greater relief if you enjoyed Helm's Deep and know that it didn't.