I have clai­med that Escape is one of the main func­tions of fairy-sto­ries, and sin­ce I do not dis­ap­pro­ve of them, it is plain that I do not accept the tone of scorn or pity with which »Escape« is now so often used. Why should a man be scor­ned if, fin­ding hims­elf in pri­son, he tri­es to get out and go home? Or if he can­not do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jai­lers and prison-walls?
(J. R. R. Tol­ki­en – On Fairy-Stories)