Lucy A. McLaren

Phenomenology: The Individual Perspective

I want to start this post by introducing (or perhaps reintroducing) you to the concept of phenomenology. Aside from being a word I have to say phonetically every time I type it, phenomenology is the philosophical “study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view” (Stanford Encyclopaedia, 2003). From a mental health perspective, phenomenology was embraced by Carl Rogers (the founding father of Person-Centred Therapy and a personal hero of mine) as a means to acknowledge the individuality with which we all see the world. Basically, we are each an authority only on our own experiences—no one else’s.

I love this concept. As an author, it’s why I like to include multiple perspectives within my stories—to give readers the different insights into the world that each character provides. After all, it is undeniable that we all have our own unique perspectives on life, and our own internal struggles through which to navigate. Often caused by traumatic or adverse experiences, many of us battle against feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, depression, impostor syndrome, hopelessness, and any number of other mental health issues. No matter how similar we may feel our experiences are to another person’s, no matter if we share similar diagnoses or thoughts or feelings, we cannot ever fully put ourselves in their shoes. As Carl Rogers (1961: 23) said, “Experience is… the highest authority”; on a completely personal level, it is what dictates how we live our lives, what colours our thoughts, feelings, and actions every day. 

Yet we humans are inherently social beings. To state that we can never truly understand one another may feel isolating, an impassable boundary preventing us from really seeing those around us. It may seem like a lonely concept. I would argue, however, that the idea of phenomenology makes it even more important that we strive to understand others—and, in doing so, seek to better understand ourselves. As psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk (2014:79) noted, “Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives”. 

So, in what ways can we forge such connections with others? For me, storytelling that explores issues we are experiencing within our own lives and world is one such method. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment that “the most important tool we as humans have to tackle reality is… the allegorical story” (Webb, 2007). 

Mental Health in the Fantasy Genre

The popularity and cultural impact of the fantasy genre cannot be refuted. It has created the means of connection for millions of people across the world, with online forums discussing theories and favourite characters, fans creating artwork, their own works of fiction and costumes to be proudly displayed at conventions. Through the medium of fantasy, readers may take a “hypothetical situation” and create connections with “their own social reality” (Flanagan, 2014), thereby enriching their lives.

I’ve recently found myself considering the representation of mental health within fantasy novels. As a passionate reader and writer of the genre, I’ve found myself more and more drawn to stories that put us in the viewpoint of realistic, flawed humans who go through mental struggles and journeys as much as they do physical. An example which springs immediately to mind is Robin Hobb’s Captain Kennit (Liveship Traders trilogy), a man (and not a very nice one, to be frank) who has an incredibly troubled past and whose actions and thoughts are direct results of this. A famous example is Frodo in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, who is believed to have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder following his ordeal in transporting the ring to Mordor; as Milos (1998) noted, his “post-Quest life followed a typical course for the aftermath of trauma.”  

As an author, I have sought to explore such issues within my own series, The Commune’s Curse. The four viewpoint characters, Evelyn, Raif, Hector and Commander Sulemon, have all been through difficult experiences and deal with those in varying ways. It was important for me, as an author and counsellor, to depict the mental health issues within my characters in a realistic way, whilst also considering the phenomenology of each individual. 

As someone who has suffered from depression and anxiety myself, I know that I have found comfort from my favourite fantasy stories through connecting with fictional characters who have experienced similar thoughts and feelings to me, no matter that they occupy worlds sometimes far removed from our own. As Jones (2020) outlined, we do not need to see a “mirror image of reality” in fantasy books in order to be provided with “compelling stories about serious social and political issues”. Given recent events, I believe that we need to hold an awareness of mental health issues on both a personal and societal level within these stories, now more than ever. 

In coping with feelings of trauma, van der Kolk (2014: 17) outlined that the utilisation of the imagination is key, noting that without it “there is no hope, no chance to envision a better future…” What better way to engage the imagination than through reading? At a time when many have felt the impact of trauma, have felt out of control and overwhelmed, perhaps one answer lies in seeing characters we cherish working through their own feelings of anxiety, depression, or trauma (or any other mental health issue that may be explored). Dill-Shackleford et al (2016: 636-639) explored “how meaningful fictional narratives fulfil important psychosocial, cognitive, and even existential needs” and can allow us to explore and process “our social thoughts and emotions”. For younger people especially, such meaningful narratives around mental health could provide the opportunity to address these issues head-on (Montgomery, 2019). Additionally, reading fictional stories has been found to increase empathy in readers where they are “emotionally transported” into a story (Bal & Veltkamp, 2013). 

For me, this means I must continue to strive for an emotional connection with readers (and I will continue to search for this in books I read, as well) by exploring meaningful, realistic narratives around mental health that are pertinent to real life. I will continue to seek comfort in my favourite stories, and to seek to connect with those who also understand the importance of these topics. I feel very strongly that this is one way for us to begin healing. As Coccia (2012) noted, in fantasy we can be provided with “a sense of certainty for an uncertain future”. And I think that’s just what we need right now.   

References

Bal, P. M. & Veltkamp, M. (2013) How Does Fiction Reading Influence Empathy? An Experimental Investigation on the Role of Emotional Transportation, PLOS ONE 8(1): e55341.

Coccia, A. (2012) Why fantasy matters. [ONLINE] Available at: https://ndsmcobserver.com/2012/04/why-fantasy-matters/

Dill-Shackleford, K. E., Hopper-Losenicky, K. & Vinney, C. (2016) Connecting the dots between fantasy and reality: The social psychology of our engagement with fictional narrative and its functional value, Social and Personality Psychology Compass, May 2016.

Flanagan, V. (2014) Children’s fantasy literature: why escaping reality is good for kids. [ONLINE] Available at: https://theconversation.com/childrens-fantasy-literature-why-escaping-reality-is-good-for-kids-22307

Jones, E. (2020) Sci-Fi and Fantasy Build Mental Resiliency in Young Readers. [ONLINE] Available at: https://daily.jstor.org/science-fiction-builds-mental-resiliency-young-readers/ 

Milos, K. (1998) “Too Deeply Hurt: Understanding Frodo’s Decision to Depart”. Mallorn: The Journal of the Tolkien Society, no. 36, Nov. 1998, pp. 17-23.

Montgomery, H. (2019) Can reading really improve your mental health? [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20190527-can-fiction-really-improve-your-mental-health

Rogers, C. R. (1961). On becoming a person. Houghton Mifflin.

Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy (2003) Phenomenology. [ONLINE] Available at: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/

van der Kolk, B. (2014) The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma, Penguin Random House. 

Webb, B. (2007) The real purpose of fantasy. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2007/apr/23/bridgingthegapswhyweneed