Constructed Reality

The children of Bridge to Terabithia live in a world of their own creation. They observe a strict set of rules and rituals entirely separate from those imposed by adult authority. It is understood, for example, that girls do not play with boys, older kids sit at the back of the bus, and kids do not tattle on their parents. To violate these unspoken rules is to risk scorn from one's peers. This sort of constructed reality is organic, a product of societal forces. Its expectations are based on collective assumptions which may not be apparent to an outsider. This is why Leslie proves so awkward at Lark Creek Elementary.

Terabithia, the kingdom imagined to life by Leslie and Jesse, represents a more deliberate creation. Its rules and rituals, rather than being defined unconsciously by society, are instead the product of imagination. Terabithia is for the few...