Stories with elements that violate the natural physical laws of our known world Traditional fantasy Oral tradition myths legends folk stories tall tales etc Modern fantasy Written Stories where we know the author literary fairy tales fantasy novels fantasy picture books etc ID: 190931
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Slide1
Fantasy
Stories with elements that violate
the natural, physical laws
of our known world.
Traditional fantasy
Oral tradition (myths, legends, folk stories, tall tales, etc.)
Modern fantasy
Written. Stories where we know the author (literary fairy tales, fantasy novels, fantasy picture books, etc.)Slide2
The rules
Fantastic elements cannot be employed casually
Authors not only create a new set of physical laws but they must then conform unerringly to them.
Once committed to his imaginary kingdom, the writer is not a monarch but a subject. Characters must appear plausible in their own setting, and the writer must go along with the inner logic. Happenings should have logical implications. Details should be tested for consistency. Shall animals speak? If so, do all animals speak? If not, then which, and how? Is it essential to the story, or lamely cute? Are there enchantments? How powerful? If an enchanter can perform such-and-such, can he not also do so-and-so? (Lloyd Alexander) Slide3
Not just make believe
Critics hold this genre to the same basic critical standards as they do other genres. For instance, modern fantasy must have
strong, believable characters
and should
examine issues of the human condition
, the
universal truths
found in all well-written books. Slide4
Fantasy isn’t nonsense
Nonsense
Unconventional
Fantasy
It contradicts rules of logic. It doesn’t make logical sense.
It can make fun of conventional behavior.
It can help readers understand the difference between what is sensible and not sensible in the real world.
It is unusual. Not normal. This may be odd or strange, but it may still be reasonable.
When literature breaks conventions, it helps us to rethink what we thought was normal.
Not possible in the world as we know it. But it follows rules within the limits of the fantasy world the author has created.
Fantasies provide metaphors through which we can examine aspects of life from a different perspective.Slide5
Some categories
Talking Animals
: The fact that animals can talk is the main difference from reality.
Toys and objects
that come alive
Tiny humans
: people are small. Things happen in miniature.
Imaginary worlds
: Sometimes people cross between worlds and sometimes the whole story is in an imaginary world.
Magical powers
: People (or one person) can do magic
Supernatural tales
: sometimes spooky
Time-warp fantasies
: Time travel or somehow crossing time
High fantasy
: Clear battle between good and evilSlide6
Six Fantasy Motifs
Even though all modern fantasy stories contain some sort of magical element, some stories have a higher fantasy quotient than others. If a story contains all six, it is either a classic fairy tale or an example of modern high fantasy. However, if a story contains only the motif of magic, a necessary ingredient, it is still classified as fantasy literature.
Magic
Other worlds
Good verses evil
Heroism
Special characters
Fantastic objectsSlide7
1. Magic.
Magic is fantasy literature's most basic element. In fact, each of the other five motifs is tinged by magic to some degree. Magic is often a part of the setting, explaining otherwise inexplicable events. In Charlotte’s Web, magic is the only one of the six motifs to appear in the book (the ability of the animals to think and speak like humans).
2. Other worlds (secondary worlds).
In much of fantasy, a special geography or universe is established, a place wherein magic may freely operate. Sometimes, the whole story is in the secondary world, and sometimes characters move in and out of it.
3. Good versus evil.
The ancient, archetypal theme of good versus evil is the basis for much fantasy. Fantasies can show how good and evil works out in individuals. It’s usually easy to tell who is good and who is bad. Slide8
4. Heroism.
T
he hero's quest
is an age-old pattern that is the backbone of many of today's fantasy stories. This "hero's round" is a circular journey, ending where it began. It’s most common structure contains six elements.
5. Special character types.
These often come from our legendary/folk literature past: fairies, pixies, giants, wicked witches, ogres, vampires, wizards, dwarves, elves, and so on. Or new characters, like playing card people and grinning cats.
6. Fantastic objects.
Characters often employ magical props in accomplishing their heroic or evil deeds: magic cloaks, swords, staffs, cauldrons, mirrors, etc. Slide9
Hero Quest Pattern
Joseph Campbell,
Hero with a Thousand
Faces
(The
Monomyth
)
Special birth (Danger, orphan, royalty, thought dead)
leaves home and lives with others
A traumatic event leads to adventure. A herald calls hero
to adventure
Cross from security into danger
.
Faces many trials. Proves self again and again. Faces self.
The
hero has a unique weapon. It only works for him
helped by supernatural
forces. Protective figure. Mentor. Death & resurrection. The Journey into hell, Unhealable Wound, scar, Atones for sins of the fatherHero matures becoming a “whole person.”Return home, but both home may be changedSlide10Slide11
The Value of Fantasy
No genre better
fosters creativity
than fantasy. Allows for the imagination to create and extend metaphors in a safe (fantasy) place.
Children who have rich fantasy lives are less likely to be violent than children with low fantasy lives (
Biblow
1973). Children with rich fantasy lives responded to violent films with much less aggressiveness than children with low fantasy lives. More likely to be verbally, than physically aggressive. More structured and creative responses.
All the advances in science would not be possible without the
capacity to imagine
.
Fantasy leads to the
ability to imagine possibilities and to organize and structure reality
. Slide12
Fantasy as Metaphor
Some people dismiss all fantasy as meaningless. It is simply too fanciful for those who want reading for young people to be grounded firmly in reality. Yet these adults miss the point that
good fantasy actually tells the truth about life
. It clarifies the human condition and captures the essence of our deepest emotions, dreams, hopes, and fears. If fantasy does not do these things, it fails.
Fantasy casts light on the realities of life much as a metaphor illustrates truth in general communication.
In its broad definition, metaphor is figurative language and strengthens writing in at least three ways: Slide13
Fantasy as Metaphor cont.
Metaphor speeds understanding.
Metaphor creates interest.
Metaphor adds emotional appeal.
Yet metaphor is more than the sum of these parts. It simply involves the reader more with the story or message, allowing for quicker learning, more precise understanding, and longer retention because of the image.
Fantasy, which is a large, worked-out metaphor, illuminates the truths about life in the same way
.
Children can read directly about friendship, sacrifice, selfishness, the fear of death, and death itself, but the insight is somehow more meaningful when shown metaphorically through the lives of Wilbur the pig, Templeton the rat, and Charlotte the spider in Charlotte’s Web.Slide14
Condescension and Didacticism
And the case of
Rainbow FishSlide15
Two important terms
Condescend
= to look down on
(n: condescension
)
Didactic
= oriented toward
teaching
(n: didacticism)Slide16
Condescension
Adult authors often condescend to child readers
(they look down on their readers)
Implies that
the writer/narrator knows better than the reader.
The story implies that that to read correctly, readers will accept all words unquestioningly from the writer/narrator.
Treats readers as inferior.
The voice of the narrator may sound like a teacher, or parent talking to someone much younger who has trouble understanding.Slide17
Didacticism
What is children’s literature
for?
To
delight?
To be
enjoyed?
OR
To
instruct?
To
teach?
To help people
learn?
Being didactic
When the main point is to teach a lesson rather than to tell a story.
Writers focus on making their views work out more than making the story consistent and developed. Slide18
Rainbow Fish
Think about the narrative tone.
Is it didactic?
Is it condescending?
What do you think came first in the author’s mind?
Tell a good and interesting
story.
Tell
a story to teach a lesson.Slide19Slide20Slide21
What do you think?
What is the story about?
Is the tone condescending?
Is the purpose of the story to teach a lesson? (Is it didactic?)
What else is the story about?Slide22
Implied message(s)
What do you think about the little fish that asked for a scale? Is that appropriate?
Should that little fish have told everyone what Rainbow Fish refused his request?
What did Rainbow Fish have to do to make friends?
How did giving away the scales affect Rainbow Fish’s identity?
What does this story imply about individual differences?