ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Incest in literature

Oh, hi! So, sometimes in stories that people write, there are characters who are related to each other, like brothers and sisters or parents and children, who have romantic or sexual feelings for each other. This is called "incest." It's kind of like when someone who likes chocolate also likes ice cream, but instead of liking two different foods, they like someone in their family in a way that they're not supposed to.

Now, it's important to know that in real life, incest is not okay. It can be dangerous and harmful to everyone involved. But in literature, sometimes authors use incest as a way to tell a story, explore characters' emotions and relationships, or make a point about society or history.

For example, in some ancient myths and stories, there are gods or goddesses who have relationships with their siblings. This might seem strange to us today, but it was a common belief in those cultures that the gods and goddesses had special powers and were allowed to do things that normal people couldn't. So in those stories, incest was a way to show how powerful and mystical the characters were.

In other stories, incest might be used to show how messed up a family or society is. Maybe there's a father who's abusing his daughter, or siblings who are competing for power and control. These stories can be difficult to read, but they can also help us understand how real people might behave in similar situations, and how we can try to prevent or address those problems in real life.

Overall, while incest is not okay in real life, it can sometimes appear in literature as a way to tell stories, explore emotions and relationships, or make a point about society. But it's always important to remember that these stories are fictional, and we need to make sure that real people are safe and protected from harm.
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