Fictionalising the Unimaginable
The human imagination has a remarkable capacity to envision worlds beyond our own, bending the rules of nature, reality, and logic. From distant galaxies to alternate dimensions, science fiction and fantasy genres have long been playgrounds for exploring the unimaginable. But what happens when the boundaries of imagination are pushed even further—when writers seek to fictionalise not just the unknown, but the unfathomable? This is the challenge of “fictionalising the unimaginable”—the act of crafting narratives that confront ideas, experiences, and phenomena that defy our conventional understanding of the world.
In this blog, we will dive into the process of fictionalising the unimaginable, exploring how writers have tackled this feat, the philosophical implications of doing so, and why the unimaginable is often the most profound subject of all.
What Is the Unimaginable?
At the heart of this discussion is the concept of the “unimaginable.” By definition, something unimaginable is beyond the reach of our cognitive or sensory faculties. It is that which cannot be conceived, understood, or comprehended within the confines of our known world. The unimaginable can manifest in various forms:
– Conceptual: Ideas that challenge the boundaries of human thought, such as the nature of infinite space or the concept of eternal time.
– Physical: Events or entities that defy the laws of nature, like creatures of unfathomable size or energy.
– Emotional/Psychological: Human experiences that seem too vast or intense to fully grasp, such as absolute despair, extreme joy, or transcendental enlightenment.
– Cosmic: The vast unknowns of the universe, such as the true nature of black holes, the possibility of alien life, or the mysteries of dark matter.
By its very nature, the unimaginable is often something that cannot be directly experienced. But through fiction, writers have the ability to bring these abstract, overwhelming concepts to life in ways that allow readers to engage with them, ponder their implications, and, in some cases, feel as if they’ve touched the edges of these mysteries.
The Power of Fiction: Making the Unimaginable Tangible
Fiction allows us to “fictionalise” the unimaginable—by taking concepts that stretch the boundaries of our understanding and rendering them in ways that engage our senses, emotions, and intellect. When faced with the challenge of writing about the unimaginable, authors often use various narrative tools to create a sense of tangibility for what otherwise seems intangible:
Imagery and Metaphor
One of the most powerful ways to render the unimaginable in fiction is through vivid imagery and metaphor. By comparing the unknown to something more familiar, writers can invite readers to see the unimaginable through a more accessible lens.
For instance, in H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror stories, he often uses metaphors to evoke a sense of existential dread—describing ancient, god-like beings whose very presence warps the laws of reality. Though these beings themselves may be unimaginable, their effects on the human psyche are something that readers can begin to grasp. In The Call of Cthulhu, Lovecraft describes the titular monster as “a gigantic, grotesque, and archaic horror,” a being so alien that even the mind recoils from the very thought of it.
In science fiction, metaphor is used to describe alien technologies or unknown worlds. Arthur C. Clarke, in his Rama series, describes an enormous cylindrical alien spaceship that is impossible to fully comprehend. The metaphor of the “city-sized spaceship” gives the reader a way to imagine the scale, but the true nature of the ship remains unfathomable.
Language and Structure
Another way to fictionalise the unimaginable is through the manipulation of language and narrative structure. Writers may alter the way they tell the story to better capture the complexity or alien nature of the subject at hand.
One famous example is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. The novel’s format is unconventional, with text spiralling around the page, footnotes interrupting the narrative, and sections that mirror the disorienting and labyrinthine nature of the story’s central mystery. The book follows the discovery of a house with impossible, ever-changing dimensions—a physical manifestation of the unimaginable. The fragmented structure of the novel mirrors the character’s attempts to make sense of the illogical and the impossible.
Similarly, writers often stretch the rules of time and space, challenging readers’ perceptions of narrative itself. The nonlinear storytelling in works like Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut or Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell confronts readers with the overwhelming complexity of time and existence, inviting them to experience the unfathomable nature of fate and history.
Symbolism and Abstraction
In some cases, writers prefer to approach the unimaginable not through direct description, but through symbolism or abstraction. This allows them to communicate emotions or ideas that are too vast or too abstract to be encapsulated by literal language. For example, in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the protagonist Gregor Samsa transforms into a giant insect—a situation that feels both surreal and incomprehensible. The physical transformation, however, serves as a symbolic representation of isolation and alienation, both of which are complex, nearly unimaginable experiences of human existence.
The use of abstract symbolism to fictionalize the unimaginable is also common in works of speculative fiction that grapple with large, metaphysical questions. In The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, the planet Urras represents capitalist excess, while the planet Anarres symbolises anarchism. The differences between the two planets are presented not just through dialogue and plot but through the very architecture, culture, and even the very fabric of each society. The contrasts between these two worlds help explore the unimaginable extremes of human social and economic potential.
Writers Who Confront the Unimaginable
Some writers have built entire careers around fictionalising the unimaginable, pushing the limits of what we can comprehend and explore through storytelling.
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges is a master of blending the imaginable with the unfathomable. In his short stories, Borges often plays with abstract concepts like infinity, alternate realities, and the boundaries between fiction and reality. In The Library of Babel, Borges imagines an infinite library containing all possible books, a mind-bending concept that challenges our understanding of knowledge and information. The vastness of the library becomes a metaphor for the overwhelming potential and chaos of the universe.
In The Aleph, Borges describes a point in space that contains all points in the universe, where one can see everything that exists, has existed, or ever will exist—a concept that transcends human comprehension. Borges explores the limits of human perception and our inability to truly grasp the vastness of time and space, making the unimaginable tangible through philosophical inquiry.
Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick is another author who consistently fictionalized the unimaginable, particularly in terms of reality and identity. In novels like Ubik and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Dick delves into questions of what it means to be human, how reality can be altered or manipulated, and how subjective experiences shape our perception of the world. His works often blur the line between what is real and what is imagined, creating a universe where nothing can be fully trusted.
In The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Dick introduces an unimaginable drug that allows users to alter their perceptions of reality, essentially creating new worlds within their minds. The book tackles the intersection of the human mind, consciousness, and external reality—an area of deep philosophical concern that remains largely beyond our grasp.
Octavia Butler
Octavia Butler’s work often centres on themes of power, identity, and the human condition, while also exploring speculative elements that push the limits of human imagination. In Parable of the Sower, Butler presents a dystopian future ravaged by climate change and societal collapse, where a young woman named Lauren Olamina creates a new religious philosophy. The unimaginable in Butler’s work often stems from her portrayal of humanity in crisis and the creation of new systems of belief, which challenge readers to think about the future of society, ethics, and survival.
Her Patternist series also delves into the supernatural and psychic abilities, exploring the boundaries of human potential and power. Butler’s ability to fictionalise extreme social and psychological states—often underpinned by the realities of race, class, and gender—helps readers grasp the unimaginable complexities of power dynamics and human resilience.
Why Fictionalising the Unimaginable Matters
The act of fictionalising the unimaginable is not just an artistic endeavour; it also serves a profound philosophical and existential purpose. By engaging with the unimaginable, writers invite us to confront the limitations of human knowledge and perception. They offer us a way to grapple with uncertainty, loss, and the vast unknowns of the universe.
Fictionalising the unimaginable also allows us to explore different facets of the human condition. It asks us to consider the possibilities of existence beyond our current understanding. In many ways, it encourages us to dream bigger, think deeper, and imagine worlds that challenge our preconceived notions.
Ultimately, by fictionalising the unimaginable, writers give us a safe space to engage with the unknown. They help us confront fears, ask difficult questions, and embrace the awe and wonder that come with the mysteries of the universe. And, perhaps most importantly, they help us acknowledge that, even when faced with the unimaginable, the act of imagining itself is a powerful and transformative experience.
Fictionalising the unimaginable is an art that requires a delicate balance between abstraction, metaphor, and structure. It is a way of taking what seems unknowable, unthinkable, or unfathomable, and giving it form in a way that allows us to engage with it. Writers who tackle this challenge—from Borges to Butler—offer readers more than just fantastical tales; they offer us the opportunity to explore the limits of human experience, knowledge, and imagination.
In a world where the boundaries of reality and the unknown are constantly shifting, fictionalising the unimaginable remains a powerful tool for both writers and readers alike. It allows us to question what is possible, what is real, and what lies beyond the horizon of our understanding. And in the end, it reminds us that the greatest mysteries are not necessarily those that we cannot imagine—but those that, once imagined, reveal the infinite possibilities of human thought and creativity.
