The Neverending Story, a Piece of Philosophy
The idea of emptiness and the concept of “the nothing”. The journey of the warrior, the swamp of sadness and the wisdom of an old turtle. The luck of a dragon, the power to believe and the sphinxes of the Southern Oracle. The theory of reflexes, the concept of projection and the courage to confront your true self. The bravery to leave behind fears, the power of dreams and the importance, in such superficial times, of imagination.
I recently watched The Neverending Story and discovered that, although it may seem like a fantasy tale, it’s actually a story about philosophy. Now I understand why I loved that film that was shot in 1984, what a great way to share knowledge.
The whole story is detonated by the threat of “the nothing”, the absence, the emptiness, which is destroying the land of “Fantasia”. As in Greek, Jewish, Hindu and many other philosophies, the concept of being or not being and the consequences of denying yourself is present. Ideas by Hegel, Kant, Heidegger and Sartre’s existentialism are present in different ways but with the same message: “the nothing” is the opposite of the self, the true self.
As Sartre put it: “Human is the only being in nature who is not only as he wants to be, but also as he conceives himself after existing”.
Also, the concept of fear is present in this epic narrative. When Atreyu, one of the main characters, arrives at the first door of the Southern Oracle, he is confronted with 2 sphinxes that knock down anyone who begins to doubt. But Atreyu, in an act of bravery, manages to cross the door alive. The power to believe in you is a message that is present in a lot of cultures of the world and is narrated in different ways: the courage to choose love over fear; the courage to believe, the courage to live.
After that, Atreyu arrives at the Door of the Mirror and faces one of the greatest challenges of the human being: the confrontation with the true self. There, where “kind people discover that they are cruel and the brave become cowards. Confronted with your true self, most of the people run away screaming”. This message is part of Jaques Lacan’s thinking and work on the self.
Even Lacan spoke of the “mirror stage,” in which we recognize ourselves in the mirror for the first time. In this stage we face a certain drama where the imaginary confronts the real and the ego begins to form. Also, the mirror symbolizes the concept of projection in psychology and the theories of reflections. Because we are all conscious and unconscious mirrors and reflections of all. You project what you really are, what you are not and what you want to be. Our reality is a projection from within.
Throughout the story, Atreyu is rescued at various times by a lucky white dragon: the beloved Fálkor. Thus, Fálkor and luck accompany Atreyu as a true friend; present in the most difficult moments, supporting you and encouraging you to believe again. This “lucky charm” is present in several millenary civilizations, especially the Celtic and the Chinese, and is part of how unexpected and surprising the road can be.
Another moment in the story with a high degree of philosophy is Atreyu’s encounter with Gmork, a mercenary wolf of “the nothing”. There, they talk about the power of dreams in human life and how “Fantasia” has no borders. But when humans stop believing, desiring and dreaming, an existential absence grows and threatens our true self. As the dialogue of the story says: “if people stop believing, their existence loses meaning and they are easy to control. And whoever has control, has the power”.
The Neverending Story represents something important in my life. Ever since I saw the film as a child, me and my two brothers loved it. Fálkor was the name we gave to our first dog, one that became legendary. Today, many years later, I see it again and I am surprised to find all the messages that has this fantastic story that, by the way, was written in Germany, the land where I live now.
In the end, the great message of the story is the importance of being who you want to be and do what you like best, facing fears and finding your true self. A message that was written in 1979 and that today is more alive than ever. That’s why I say that Die unendliche Geschichte, or The Neverending Story, seems to be a fairy tale but it could be a great piece of philosophy.
I finish this text with a phrase from the author of the book, Michael Ende, which is worth to remember:
“When we set a goal, the best way to achieve it is always to take the opposite path. To find reality, you have to do the same: turn your back on it and go through the fantastic. However, there is always a risk when you make such a journey; between reality and fantasy there is a subtle balance that should not be disturbed. Because apart from the real, the fantastic also loses content.”
References:
Film and book of The Neverending Story, by Michael Ende.
