# Why do we like sad songs? Lynda Barry ponders why monster stories exist. "The happy ending is hardly important, though we may be glad it's there. The real joy is knowing that if you felt the trouble in the story, your kingdom isn't dead."[^1] The broken [[Illusion in literature|Illusion]] brings relief. Perhaps we need monsters when we are kids.[^2] I want to reread that gothic balderdash article. [In Defense of Whimsy, Nonsense, and Barbaric Balderdash in Children’s Books ‹ Literary Hub](https://lithub.com/in-defense-of-whimsy-nonsense-and-barbaric-balderdash-in-childrens-books/) [^1]: [[What It Is]] pg. 54 [^2]: [[What It Is]] pg. 66