Reality vs. Imagination?

There is a musical written, as it would appear, for kids, yet I find that it holds the answer to one of the questions that has burned me the most over the length of this course. I find the importance of what is real over what is imagined should be given the utmost attention. However, in this “children’s” musical, Seussical the Musical the opening song is titled “Oh the things you can thing” and from there the musical becomes a celebration of imaginings becoming reality. Jojo (the main character) imagines the entire story including pulling the narrator “out of a hat.” His imaginings, his “thinks”, bring reality of imagination. It would seem then that Dr. Sexson’s story of his experienced-based friends is right and that by reading literature we can still experience life. Yet, many of his “thinks” only manifest themselves because of the real experiences he has. To me this suggests that though the musical allows it’s audience to experience a lot of things ultimately the real experienced are at the base of everything. I think this means that for some the experiences that they get through literature and most important because they get to experience more things. For other thought their role to have real experiences and “think” other experiences to share. Both roles are important in the cycle of literature. One is the day and the other is the night. Both real experiences and literary experiences are necessary for the furthering of literature and the reverence with which it is treated. I will say however that for those outside the bubble that is called the English Department very few will ever have a meaningful experience out of literature.