This sounds like it could become an interesting discussion. I hope more people weigh in.
.
( 1.) I can’t cover every possible reason to include messages or morals, but the first thing that comes to mind is self-expression. All of us have a need to express ourselves. Thoughts, feelings, beliefs, etc, come out in our work, sometimes without our intention. (1a) In some cases, it is most definitely on purpose. Authors have used allegory and metaphor to make people think about things in a different way. Works like “Animal Farm” and “The Crucible” were poignant commentaries on political and social goings-on of the time.
.
(2.) I don’t want the morals to be too blatant. Stories for young children need to be clear, but when we mature, that same level of clarity would make it feel like the author is talking down to us.
.
(3.) I wish I could remember the name of the story. It read like an anthropologist’s report on a foreign culture. It described rituals and customs. It sounded strange and fascinating, until you realized that the italicized words were familiar things spelled backward. The story was about our modern life, the way an outside observer might describe it if they had no previous exposure. In this story, the meaning is hidden, but only until you “get it.” It’s memorable, just for that epiphany when you realize what you’re really reading about.
.
(4-5) I think not every story has a message or a moral, and that’s fine. I don’t mind a story that’s just for entertainment. I wonder, though, if it’s possible to write a story and exclude all messages from it.
A little more on 4a: Messages can be powerful. They can highlight problems and help bring about change. But, negative or misguided messages can be harmful.
.
(6.) It’s possible. Like other media, the viewers/readers can see things that other people miss. People can infer things that the author didn’t mean, or didn’t intentionally include.
.
I hope you’ll share some of your thoughts on this thread. 