Escapism: Suppression vs Expansion

Norman Plant utilizes Self-Expansion in his work by leveraging the conventions of Christian Science Fiction and Afrofuturism to provide readers with new perspectives, spiritual resilience, and a framework for reclaiming agency. Rather than offering a means to "numb pain" or "avoid reality" (Self-Suppression), his narrative serves as a "philosophical laboratory" designed to sharpen the reader’s understanding of real-world moral and social issues. Ultimately, Plant’s work aims to act as an "open heaven," where the reader’s "vicarious journey" through high-stakes cosmic battles equips them to return to reality with a re-energized faith and a clearer moral purpose