Imaginary Friend Fiction: Smack Dab in the Imagination by Dia Calhoun
When I was little, I had an imaginary friend who wasn't allowed to play with me.
I've had more gasps of astonishment, laughter, disbelief over that line than almost any other. Try it at a cocktail party sometime. I've had so much reaction from the line that I used it as a story prompt at school visits.
I made that line up. It isn't true. I didn't have an imaginary friend who wasn't allowed to play with me. But what interests me is people's reactions to the line/setup. An imaginary friend is supposed to be . . . a friend. Why else make one up? And who in this imaginary world is not letting her play with me. And why not? Story naturally flows. Possibilities open.
The line/setup is so interesting because it seems to contradict conventional ideas about the purpose of imagination as what . . . consolation? Pablum? Doesn't the person doing the imagining have control over what she is imagining?
This is fun. This is imagination.
I've had more gasps of astonishment, laughter, disbelief over that line than almost any other. Try it at a cocktail party sometime. I've had so much reaction from the line that I used it as a story prompt at school visits.
I made that line up. It isn't true. I didn't have an imaginary friend who wasn't allowed to play with me. But what interests me is people's reactions to the line/setup. An imaginary friend is supposed to be . . . a friend. Why else make one up? And who in this imaginary world is not letting her play with me. And why not? Story naturally flows. Possibilities open.
The line/setup is so interesting because it seems to contradict conventional ideas about the purpose of imagination as what . . . consolation? Pablum? Doesn't the person doing the imagining have control over what she is imagining?
This is fun. This is imagination.
Dia, This is a great jump start for imagination and would really get kids thinking about the who, what, where of such a set up. Thanks for sharing.
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