I think it depends on the type of work in question, and what the ultimate goal is. Myself, I despise obvious preaching - but my priority in a story is, well, story. I tend to find characters-as-mouthpieces or plot politics to be inauthentic, and when I read a story, I want to read about real people dealing with a situation that also feels "real" (no matter how magical or illogical). I'm not sure I agree with the notion that it's impossible to separate politics from a good story. At very least, the politics can be subtle enough where symbols are only there if one squints.
That being said, I think good literature will almost always deal with themes. Women overcoming social obstacles, the sacredness of nature, the brutality of war, enduring love or friendship, and so on. Is this preaching? I don't quite see it as the same thing. Themes seems like a vague concept of a presumably common value, or at least a value that most people could probably relate to. It's when these themes become detailed and really shadow real world events or complex philosophies that I think it becomes inauthentic. But on the flip side, without any themes at all, the story feels shallow and pointless.
I guess I can't personally say what the line is. Of course, I'm more likely to be forgiving of political/social/religious agenda in writing if it's something I agree with myself. But I think of all the stories I've read where maybe, I even enjoyed the story at first and didn't make any connections to real world ideas, and upon learning the author's intended symbolism I was really disillusioned with the work - like in The Sword of Truth or Orson Scott Card's sci-fi books. And even sometimes when I agree, for example, Marion Zimmer Bradley's work often felt just too... feminist, and I'm a feminist.
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That being said, I think good literature will almost always deal with themes. Women overcoming social obstacles, the sacredness of nature, the brutality of war, enduring love or friendship, and so on. Is this preaching? I don't quite see it as the same thing. Themes seems like a vague concept of a presumably common value, or at least a value that most people could probably relate to. It's when these themes become detailed and really shadow real world events or complex philosophies that I think it becomes inauthentic. But on the flip side, without any themes at all, the story feels shallow and pointless.
I guess I can't personally say what the line is. Of course, I'm more likely to be forgiving of political/social/religious agenda in writing if it's something I agree with myself. But I think of all the stories I've read where maybe, I even enjoyed the story at first and didn't make any connections to real world ideas, and upon learning the author's intended symbolism I was really disillusioned with the work - like in The Sword of Truth or Orson Scott Card's sci-fi books. And even sometimes when I agree, for example, Marion Zimmer Bradley's work often felt just too... feminist, and I'm a feminist.