Fantastique Quote by Peter Straub
““Human beings across every culture I know about require such stories, stories with cool winds and wood smoke. They speak to something deep within us, the capacity to conceptualize, objectify and find patterns, thereby to create the flow of events and perceptions that find perfect expression in fiction. We are built this way, we create stories by reflex, unstoppably. But this elegant system really works best when the elements of the emerging story, whether is is being written or being read, are taken as literal fact. Almost always, to respond to the particulars of the fantastic as if they were metaphorical or allegorical is to drain them of vitality.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Art of Horror Writing, 2015
Stories satisfy a deep human need to patternize experience, and they thrive when taken as literal truth rather than mere metaphor.
In simple terms: Stories fulfill a need for pattern and meaning; literal truth gives them power.
Key Takeaway
Embrace stories as lived reality to keep them vivid.
Themes
storytelling
human nature
fiction
meaning
pattern
Mood
reflective
inspired
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- reading groups
- creative brainstorming
- teaching literature
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
psychology
narrative theory
cognitive resonance
Questions to Reflect On
- How does treating a story as literal change your engagement?
- What benefits arise from viewing fiction as a lived experience?
A Different Perspective
If taken metaphorically, stories may lose emotional impact and motivational.
