1.) Why do you think authors include hidden messages (like morals of the story) in their story?
A lot of authors want to demonstrate a concept or belief in their story. It could also make for an interesting story. Demonstrating the concept through a story can be much more effective. It’s also a safer way to present an unpopular opinion. It can also be for the authors themselves. The morals put in represent the author’s beliefs which they want to share with everyone. Depending on what moral you are adding, the story can also be much more interesting. To be honest, for me stories without morals aren’t good stories. It’s the stories with deep morals that shake you up that are amazing. As an aspiring writer on this platform, my end goal is to have my readers make a difficult choice where right and wrong are really gray. I want the events of the story to shake up the readers to make that final choice difficult.
1a.) Do you think they include it on purpose?
Yes and no. Some morals are included purposely by the other because they want to demonstrate a concept, however morals can also be added unintentionally. How the story is read, is subjective to each person’s perspective, so what morals are seen differs by reader.
2.) Do you yourself like stories with clear morals?
I like morals in a story. I love them. I mentioned that in the first question. Clear morals? i’m not so sure what you mean by that. Do you mean that the moral is blatantly said and given? Cause in that case no. I believe that the story should tell the moral(s). By that I mean, the story should represent the moral.
3.) Give an example of a story you read in which there was a hidden meaning.
I didn’t read it, I watched it. But, I think it equally fulfills the purpose of the question. Technically, a manga was made after the anime series so it’s readable.
The anime Jigoku Shoujo. (Jigoku = Hell, Shoujo= girl) It’s such a good anime if you want to talk about morals and the “gray” rather than “black and white”! The story is about a website that can be accessed at midnight called “Jigoku Tsuushin” in which you can enter the name of the person you want to send to hell. You get a straw doll with a red string tied to it from Jigoku Shoujo. She explains, “If you curse a person, two holes are dug.” Meaning, if they untie the string to send the person to hell, they too will also go to hell when they die. Although it is wrong to send people to hell, the people who pull the strings all are deeply troubled and having a difficult time living because of that person. Whether or not this system is okay also comes up. It is there where a person can be conflicted on whether or not it was okay to pull that red string.
4.) Does every story have a moral/ hidden meaning/ hidden message?
Whether or not if it’s on purpose or if it’s noticeable, I think there are morals in each story.
4a.) is this necessarily a good thing? Can it be a bad thing?
I think it’s a very good thing. But, it can also be a bad thing. What morals are, are subjective to people. Different authors view the world differently. Authors that may have “dangerous” ideas or morals will represent them in their story and that can change various people’s perspectives.
5.) Can a story be ‘just a story’?
A story is just a story. A story is based off of real life and morals, which in turn affects us. I think every event in our life, every story, influences us. So, if by “just a story,” you mean don’t effect us, then no.
6.) Can a reader find a moral, totally different from the authors?
I believe I accidentally answered this in a prior question. Yes! Sometimes authors add morals without knowing, and those morals can be identified by different people. We all view things differently as well, so what the author didn’t see- a reader may have saw.