Whimsy

is often disregarded

Oh, whimsy, the unloved stepchild of the literary world, happens to be one of the modes/genres/aesthetics I love. I’ll throw up a few whimsical characters you’re all sure to recognize from children’s literature: Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Luna Lovegood, The Cat in the Hat, Alice or Wonderland depending on whose side you’re on—and a few from the adult world: Yossarian from Catch-22, Amelie (the movie), Don Quixote, Kramer from Seinfeld, Phoebe from Friends.

There’s something nonsensical about all these characters, just like the people in our lives that also make no sense. I hope you can think of at least three or four in your orbit that make you tilt your head like a curious dog and laugh.

Whimsy is often seen as frivolous, silly, cute, zany, off-brand, goofy, manic, bonkers. Sadly, it just so happens that these same words are used to disregard art or people who live on the fringes of convention, efficiency, and productivity. I’ve been told a time or two to take things more seriously.

I come from at least two generations of people who take their whimsy seriously. I’m not always great at it, but I’m trying. I’ve had good teachers.

(Nono, Uncle)

(Brother, Father)

If you’re ever bored or feeling low, this is the crew who will build an igloo, connect homemade surround sound speakers to some lasers in the living room, or make a riotous game out of two pennies and some cardboard. And no conversation, ever, will be devoid of puns or digressions of wild free-association. Here’s one circa 1979.

Gramme: Nina, go in the kitchen and ask Nono for the scissors in the drawer.

Nina: OK. (runs to kitchen on little feet)

Nina: Hi Nono. (sucks finger)

Nono: Hi Nono. (he repeats the greeting with pleasure) Hi Nina. NonoNinaNonoNinaNonoNinaNoNiNoNaNoNi…

Nina: (interrupting) Um, Nono, may I have the scissors for Gramme?

Nono: (hands scissors to Nina) NinaNina, NonoNono running with these, capisce?!

Nina: YesYes, Nono (smiling)

Whimsy is a political stance. Though many would disagree. But in the face of war, hate crimes, changes in the climate, addiction, poverty, depression, suicide, rape, murder (this list can really go on and on), there are a million of real reasons why the world can’t help but be a dark place. Whimsy doesn’t deny the chaos or darkeness of life, it simply focuses the lens on the light side. There’s real beauty in this world, too; the smell of a loved one, fresh baked bread, the ocean. The feel of the warm sun on your back in the winter. A delicious meal. A phone call from an excited friend. So intentionally focussing on the lightness, the silly, the mundane, the absurd is a deeply political action that goes against the often overwhelming tide of darkness. Whimsy is the true revolution. Whimsy is resistance.

Last week I picked up Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and read it in two days. I had to. It gave me a little slap every time I tried to put it down or bit at my fingers when I closed the cover.

The story, told backwards and forwards, meets at the end where time always finds us. There’s an interrupting narrator, too, who reminds me of Grandpa (Peter Falk) from The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure written by William Goldman, who has no biological relation to Erin Morgenstern. I could not believe it. It’s not even a pen-name from what I can gather—but ahh, I digress. Anyway, I loved the book and it’s a great modern example of literary whimsy.

Imagine a world where taking whimsy seriously is the norm. This would mean prioritizing joy, creativity, and playfulness in our daily lives, in our interactions with others, and even in our work. It's about creating spaces where the imagination is nurtured, and where the unconventional is not just accepted but celebrated. Where weird really is wonderful and nobody minds a messy house. Imagine what this shift in focus could do for mental health, for connection. Imagine.

Here’s a fun whimsical writing prompt:

In a quaint village where the wind speaks and the trees listen, there's a yearly event that the inhabitants look forward to with great anticipation: The Festival of Whispers. During this festival, the wind carries secrets, wishes, and tales from across the world, whispering them to the villagers through the leaves of the ancient Listening Tree at the heart of the village. This year, however, the wind brings a whisper of an ancient secret so profound that it could change the lives of the villagers forever. You, a young villager with an insatiable curiosity for stories, set out on a quest to uncover the truth behind the whisper. Along the way, you encounter whimsical creatures, enchanted objects, and puzzles that speak in riddles. What is the ancient secret, and how will its revelation transform your village and its traditions?

My gods, this could be a good book.

Have fun and let me know if you travel down a whimsical path. I’ll join you.

-n