Many people have seen the film produced by Bernd Eichinger and Dieter Geissler. Although it is a good film that will (with some speed bumps, enormous ones) leave you with happy thoughts, it leaves out just that what makes the story great: the lesson the main character (and the reader) learns. Hear me out.
Spoiler alert!
Let's start with a small reminder of the plot.
At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to our main character named Bastian Balthazar Bux. He looks like a normal boy, yet at school he is teased by bullies constantly.
On his way to school he avoids being chased by said bullies by hiding himself in an old bookstore, where he meets the owner Carl Conrad Coreander.
At first Carl wants Bastian to leave, thinking he doesn't appreciate books. Only after Bastian tells him how much he likes reading is he allowed to stay. The man asks him why he is running away from the bullies, and offers Bastian the advice of punching them against their nose. Benno declines, he shruggs.
Then he notices the book the man is reading and asks about it. Carl says that the books Bastian reads are 'safe' and that this book is something different. At the same time he discourages Bastian from reading it.
Then the Phone rings and the old man enters another room to answer it.
Of course, Bastian decides that his best course of action in the moment is to steal the book.
Bastian is ashamed of his crime and thinks he can never go back to his father, society and the book store owner. He hides in the school attic where he might as well start reading the book, his only companion.
And from here the film and the book go their separate ways, although many elements are the same. The story of Fantasia, Atreyu, the Nothing, Gmork (you know, the wolf that gave you nightmares) is more or less the same. It's about what happens after these events.
Most of us will remember that Bastian got the ability to make wishes, and the more wishes he made, the more beautiful Fanastia would become.
I too got sleepless nights from this as a child
The thing I want to talk about is what happens in the book as soon as Bastian gets to start making wishes. In contrary to the film he is a short, fat boy who is bullied constantly, and even the teachers don't want to protect him because either they don't think it's worth the effort or they just don't want to get involved with him.
Of course, give power to someone who has never wielded power in his entire life may yield some bad decisions.
At first he starts recreating the world of Fantasia- and himself. He creates a giant tropical forest. When that adventure is done, he turns it into a vast desert. So said, so done.
Of course, then he longs for the adventure of the hero fighting epic creatures, and so on.
This culminates in him crowning himself emperor of Fantasia, with all creatures pledging fealty.
All creatures? No. His friend Atreyu and the dragon Falkor have assembled a resistance and the two armies clash. This is the lowest point our protagonist drops to.
Another bunch of events occur, Bastian and Atreyu meet again and one of the most meaningful messages of the book is conveyed: the importance of selflessness. Instead of being selfless, Bastian only acted out of his own desires even when helping others.
I am making a point in creating this blunt article. I don't want to teach you the importance of selflessness and imagination since that would require a better medium consisting of paper and about 400 pages. Luckily, a book exists of this specific format and I highly recommend reading it.
If you're interested in this sort of content, be sure to let me know! I might make Why You Should into a small series.