All humans feel a thrill at the thought of the unknown. We stare up at the stars and wonder what’s out there. We jump in fright if something scares us. Our hearts beat wildly, not just out of fear, but out of a burning desire to know what frightened us. We’re thrilled by what we don’t know because it gives us a reason to discover – a reason to turn the page and engage with the worlds in our imagination. In those quiet moments when we escape with a mystery laid out on the page, we are transported into a world where our wits are matched by our desire to know. Let’s face it, mulling over the mystery of a story we haven’t figured out and can’t wait to get back to beats worrying about what to make for dinner.
Odysseus, hero of Homer’s The Odyssey, was presented with staying home to witness the birth of his son or the opportunity to become make history by conquering Troy. We agonize along with the tortured conflict in his soul and stand with him on the shore of his kingdom as he stares out across the sea to a land that might bear witness to his death. Adventure and power entice him, and us, as we explore with him that tantalizing draw of the unknown.
In The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, Bilbo Baggins faced a once in a lifetime opportunity to stay in the comfort and security of his own hobbit hole, or jump head first into an unknown world filled with danger and adventure. Despite his fear of the unknown, the burning need in him to ‘know’ leads him out into the big bad world and we join him through the twists and turns of his journey as his life unfolds in ways he could never have anticipated. We’re will him every step of the way, holding our breaths in anticipation of what waits around the next corner.
Stephenie Meyer, the author of Twilight, pushed Bella into a world of danger as Edward’s secret continued to elude her. We, as readers could see that she was heading into disaster, and we may shake our head at her choices, but the suspense keeps us turning the page. We followed her journey not because she was a prime example of what to do (because let’s face it, Bella is an example of what NOT to do), but because we are caught in the mystery that keeps us turning the page and wanting more.
Mysteries reach out to us, beckoning with an outstretched hand – perhaps to the burning need we have to reach just beyond our own horizons. The written word extends our imagination into other worlds and allow us to walk in mystery. We love mysteries because we want to become a part of that unseen story, to understand and solve it.
The post Why We Love Mystery appeared first on Jane Morrissey.