Drama

The difficulties and the intricacies of relationships of life provide the material for dramatic productions of all kinds, and we're all introduced to drama at a very young age. Comedy makes us laugh, but the drama of the stories of our childhood make us better, stronger, and better able to handle life as it really is rather than the way we wish it was.

When your mom or dad first read you the story of a lost puppy or fairy tales like "The Three Little Pigs," you were experiencing drama. We suffered WITH the little lost puppy and felt his fear. When he was found, we experienced his relief at danger being overcome and the joy of reunion. That's drama. When we heard the story of the three little pigs, we were introduced to the different ways in which people approach a problem, and we empathized with each little pig's take on the problem (the wolf).

Drama taught us what all of the wise counsel of the adults in our world would never have gotten across to us; fear, relief, the power of love, making good decisions, etc.

Some stage plays, movies, and television programs make use of drama as a mode of entertainment. We're presented with characters with whom we can empathize. We are also presented with characters that we like, some that we love, and others that we really love to hate. It's the combination of light and shadow, good and evil, that makes a drama believable.

It's often been debated whether art imitates life or life imitates art. I'd venture to say that some of both are true. Good drama is spellbinding. Good drama keeps you guessing. If you can guess the outcome, then the play, movie, or television program failed.