Wizards, Witches & Writing: Reading & Writing the British Fantasy

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Wizards, Witches & Writing: Reading & Writing the British Fantasy Creative Writing / Literature Wizards, Witches & Writing: Reading & Writing the British Fantasy Faculty: P. Andrew Miller Associate Professor Department of English Stephen Leigh Lecturer Course: Credit Hours: 3 Course Levels Offered: Upper Division (300-400 level) or Graduate (500+) Can this course be taken to fulfill major and minor requirements? YES Can this course be taken to fulfill general elective credit? NO Local Course Designator at Northern Kentucky University: ENG 358, ENG 366 Prerequisites: For upper-division credit, student must have completed the minimum composition requirements at his/her home institution Description: Stalk the jub-jub bird and bandersnatch. Step through the magic wardrobe into Narnia. Catch the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾ or take the tube to Neil Gaiman's London Below. In this course, we will be examining works of British fantasy literature, such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; Jabberwocky; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, as well as other fantasy texts. We will look at the culture, history and literary tradition that inspired them. Students will have the option of taking the course for literature or writing credit. Content: This course could be either a creative writing or literature course. We will be looking at fantastic narrative literature in the British literary and historical tradition. Fantasy holds a different place in British culture than American. * Read We plan on using such classics as Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" and C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (to use the British title) and Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men. * Students will be asked to make connections between the cultural content of the course conveyed through field trips to the literature they are reading. * Students will write either a paper will be on the topic of relating the works to the culture or write a fantasy narrative based on one of the places we visited and incorporating themes from the class. It may also be possible, with department and CCSA approval, to offer the course at the graduate level Assessment Methods: Quizzes on reading: 10% (short quizzes over books to be done in London) Short essay: 10% We will read Neverwhere on returning and students will be asked to answer questions in a short essay format Paper 1: 30% Students will keep a journal about the palces they visit and what they learned from that visit. After they return, they will turn those impressions into a 7-10 page typed essay about their excursions and how they contributed to the understanding of British culture and British Fantasy Paper 2: 40% Literature class 10-12 page paper talking about the relevance of fantasy in British culture Creative Writing: 10-12 page fantasy short story using London or one of the places we visited as a setting and incorporating themes from the class. Class participation: 10% 1906 College Heights Blvd – Tate Page Hall Room 104 – Bowling Green, KY 42101 – 270‐745‐4512 – [email protected] .
Recommended publications
  • Fantasy & Science Fiction
    Alphabetical list of Authors Clonmel Library Douglas Adams Kazuo Ishiguro Clonmel Library Issac Asimov PD James Ray Bradbury Robert Jordan Terry Brooks Kate Jacoby RecommendedRecommended Trudi Canavan Ursala K. Le Guin Arthur C Clarke George Orwell Susanna Clarke Anne McCaffery ReadingReading Philip K. Dick George RR Martin David Eddings Mervyn Peake Raymond E. Feist Terry Pratchett American Gods Philip Pullman Neil Gaiman Brandon Sanderson David Gemmell JRR Tolkein Terry Goodkind Jules Verne Robert A. HeinLein Kurt Vonnegut FantasyFantasy && Frank Herbert T.H. White Robin Hobb Aldous Huxley Clonmel Library ScienceScience FictionFiction Opening Hours & Contact Details Monday: 9.30 am – 5.30 pm Tuesday: 9.30 am – 5.30 pm Wednesday: 9.30 am – 8.00 pm Thursday: 9.30 am – 5.30 pm Friday: 9.30 am – 1pm & 2pm - 5pm Saturday: 10.00 am – 1pm & 2pm-5pm Phone: (052) 6124545 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.tipperarylibraries.ie/clonmel 11 Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea AnAn IntroductionIntroduction Jules Verne First published 1869 toto FantasyFantasy French naturalist Dr. Aronnax embarks on an expedition to hunt down a sea monster, only to discover instead the && ScienceScience FictionFiction Nautilus, a remarkable submarine built by the enigmatic Captain Nemo. Together Nemo and Aronnax explore the antasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms underwater marvels, undergo a transcendent experience as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Fantasy is amongst the ruins of Atlantis, and plant a
    [Show full text]
  • Hugo Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
    10/10/2017 Hugo Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia Hugo Award Hugo Award, any of several annual awards presented by the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS). The awards are granted for notable achievement in science �ction or science fantasy. Established in 1953, the Hugo Awards were named in honour of Hugo Gernsback, founder of Amazing Stories, the �rst magazine exclusively for science �ction. Hugo Award. This particular award was given at MidAmeriCon II, in Kansas City, Missouri, on August … Michi Trota Pin, in the form of the rocket on the Hugo Award, that is given to the finalists. Michi Trota Hugo Awards https://www.britannica.com/print/article/1055018 1/10 10/10/2017 Hugo Award -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia year category* title author 1946 novel The Mule Isaac Asimov (awarded in 1996) novella "Animal Farm" George Orwell novelette "First Contact" Murray Leinster short story "Uncommon Sense" Hal Clement 1951 novel Farmer in the Sky Robert A. Heinlein (awarded in 2001) novella "The Man Who Sold the Moon" Robert A. Heinlein novelette "The Little Black Bag" C.M. Kornbluth short story "To Serve Man" Damon Knight 1953 novel The Demolished Man Alfred Bester 1954 novel Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury (awarded in 2004) novella "A Case of Conscience" James Blish novelette "Earthman, Come Home" James Blish short story "The Nine Billion Names of God" Arthur C. Clarke 1955 novel They’d Rather Be Right Mark Clifton and Frank Riley novelette "The Darfsteller" Walter M. Miller, Jr. short story "Allamagoosa" Eric Frank Russell 1956 novel Double Star Robert A. Heinlein novelette "Exploration Team" Murray Leinster short story "The Star" Arthur C.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hugo Awards for Best Novel Jon D
    The Hugo Awards for Best Novel Jon D. Swartz Game Design 2013 Officers George Phillies PRESIDENT David Speakman Kaymar Award Ruth Davidson DIRECTORATE Denny Davis Sarah E Harder Ruth Davidson N3F Bookworms Holly Wilson Heath Row Jon D. Swartz N’APA George Phillies Jean Lamb TREASURER William Center HISTORIAN Jon D Swartz SECRETARY Ruth Davidson (acting) Neffy Awards David Speakman ACTIVITY BUREAUS Artists Bureau Round Robins Sarah Harder Patricia King Birthday Cards Short Story Contest R-Laurraine Tutihasi Jefferson Swycaffer Con Coordinator Welcommittee Heath Row Heath Row David Speakman Initial distribution free to members of BayCon 31 and the National Fantasy Fan Federation. Text © 2012 by Jon D. Swartz; cover art © 2012 by Sarah Lynn Griffith; publication designed and edited by David Speakman. A somewhat different version of this appeared in the fanzine, Ultraverse, also by Jon D. Swartz. This non-commercial Fandbook is published through volunteer effort of the National Fantasy Fan Federation’s Editoral Cabal’s Special Publication committee. The National Fantasy Fan Federation First Edition: July 2013 Page 2 Fandbook No. 6: The Hugo Awards for Best Novel by Jon D. Swartz The Hugo Awards originally were called the Science Fiction Achievement Awards and first were given out at Philcon II, the World Science Fiction Con- vention of 1953, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The second oldest--and most prestigious--awards in the field, they quickly were nicknamed the Hugos (officially since 1958), in honor of Hugo Gernsback (1884 -1967), founder of Amazing Stories, the first professional magazine devoted entirely to science fiction. No awards were given in 1954 at the World Science Fiction Con in San Francisco, but they were restored in 1955 at the Clevention (in Cleveland) and included six categories: novel, novelette, short story, magazine, artist, and fan magazine.
    [Show full text]
  • Ya Nook Books
    YA NOOK BOOKS A The 5th Wave (Fifth Wave Series #1) by Rick Yancey All American Boys by Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer B Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan Bluestar’s Prophecy by Erin Hunter The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Borden Murders by Sarah Miller Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson The Burning Maze (The Trials of Apollo Series #3) by Rick Riordan C Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins Chains (Seeds of America Trilogy Series #1) by Laurie Halse Anderson Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, Brendan Shusterman The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau Countdown by Deborah Wiles D The Crossover by Kwame Alexander The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo Series #2) by Rick Riordan Divergent by Veronica Roth A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron E Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle, Endangered by Eilot Schrefer Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein Everland (Everland Series #1) by Wendy Spinale Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly YA NOOK BOOKS F Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J. K. Rowling The Fault in Our Stars by John Green From Percy Jackson: Camp Half-Blood Confidential: Your Real Guide by Rick
    [Show full text]
  • February 2021
    F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 V o l u m e 1 2 I s s u e 2 BETWEEN THE PAGES Huntsville Public Library Monthly Newsletter Learn a New Language with the Pronunciator App! BY JOSH SABO, IT SERVICES COORDINATOR According to Business Insider, 80% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions by the second week in February. If you are one of the lucky few who make it further, congratulations! However, if you are like most of us who have already lost the battle of self-improvement, do not fret! Learning a new language is an excellent way to fulfill your resolution. The Huntsville Public Library offers free access to a language learning tool called Pronunciator! The app offers courses for over 163 different languages and users can personalize it to fit their needs. There are several different daily lessons, a main course, and learning guides. It's very user-friendly and can be accessed at the library or from home on any device with an internet connection. Here's how: 1) Go to www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com and scroll down to near the bottom of the homepage. Click the Pronunciator link below the Pronunciator icon. 2) Next, you can either register for an account to track your progress or simply click ‘instant access’ to use Pronunciator without saving or tracking your progress. 3) If you want to register an account, enter a valid email address to use as your username. 1219 13th Street Then choose a password. Huntsville, TX 77340 @huntsvillelib (936) 291-5472 4) Now you can access Pronunciator! Monday-Friday Huntsville_Public_Library 10 a.m.
    [Show full text]
  • The Clash of Culture in Neil Gaiman's American Gods
    LEXICON Volume 5, Number 2, October 2018, 139-151 The Clash of Culture in Neil Gaiman's American Gods Naya Fauzia Dzikrina*, Ahmad Munjid Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia *Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT This research aims to examine the portrayal of cultural clash in Neil Gaiman’s novel, American Gods. More specifically, this research aims to identify what cultures are clashing and why they clash, and also to understand how the situation of cultural clash affects the lives and attitudes of the characters. This research also explores how the novel relates to cases of cultural clash happening in the current American society. This research is conducted using the framework of several sociological theories to understand the different forms of effects of cultural clash. The main issue presented in the novel is the conflict between the old gods, who represent society’s traditional beliefs, and the new gods, who represent the shift of culture in modern America. This conflict symbolizes how the two ideals, tradition and modernity, are competing in the American society today. The challenges the old gods face can also be seen as a portrayal of the immigrant experience, where they experience effects of cultural clash also commonly experienced by immigrants: cultural displacement, identity crisis, and conflict. The main finding of this research is that a person or group who experiences cultural clash will face a struggle where they must compromise or negotiate their cultural identity in order to be part of their current community. This is done as a way to survive and thrive in their environment. Keywords: conflict, cultural clash, displacement, identity, modernity, tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • Liminality in Neil Gaiman's and J. K. Rowling's Fiction. Orphan Heroes and Their Rites of Passage
    Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích Pedagogická fakulta Katedra anglistiky Diplomová práce Liminality in Neil Gaiman's and J. K. Rowling's Fiction. Orphan Heroes and Their Rites of Passage Liminalita v díle Neila Gaimana a J. K. Rowlingové. Osiřelí hrdinové a jejich přechodové rituály Vypracovala: Lucie Masláková Vedoucí práce: PhDr. Alice Sukdolová, Ph.D. České Budějovice 2020 Prohlaš uji, ž e svoji diplomovou práci jsem vypracovala samostatně pouze s použ itím pramenů a literatury uvedených v seznamu citované literatury. Prohlaš uji, ž e v souladu s § 47b zákona č . 111/1998 Sb. v platném zně ni ́ souhlasím se zveř ejně ním své diplomové, a to v nezkrácené podobě - v úpravě vzniklé vypuš tě ním vyznač ených č ásti ́ archivovaných pedagogickou fakultou elektronickou cestou ve veř ejně př istupń é č ásti databáze STAG provozované Jihoč eskou univerzitou v Č eských Budě jovicich́ na jejich́ internetových stránkách, a to se zachováním mého autorského práva k odevzdanému textu této kvalifikač ni ́ práce. Souhlasiḿ dále s tim,́ aby toutéž elektronickou cestou byly v souladu s uvedeným ustanovením zákona č . 111/1998 Sb. zveř ejně ny posudky š kolitele a oponentů práce i záznam o prů bě hu a výsledku obhajoby kvalifikač ni ́ práce. Rovně ž souhlasím sporovnániḿ textu mé kvalifikač ni ́ práce s databázi ́ kvalifikač nich́ praci ́ Theses.cz provozovanou Národniḿ registrem vysokoš kolských kvalifikač nich́ praci ́ a systémem na odhalováni ́ plagiátů . V Č eských Budě jovicich́ dne Podpis: .................................................. Acknowledgement I would like to thank PhDr. Alice Sukdolová, Ph.D. for her valuable advice, comments and support.
    [Show full text]
  • American Gods by Neil Gaiman Image
    American Gods by Neil Gaiman Image: the cover of American Gods Released from prison, Shadow finds his world turned upside down. His wife has been killed; a mysterious stranger offers him a job. But Mr. Wednesday, who knows more about Shadow than is possible, warns that a storm is coming – a battle for the very soul of America . and they are in its direct path. American Gods is a kaleidoscopic journey into myth and across an American landscape at once eerily familiar and utterly alien. Visit Neil Gaiman’s site: http://neilgaiman.com/ Read Chapter 1: http://neilgaiman.com/works/Books/American+Gods/in/181/ Reviews: Library Journal: In his latest novel, Gaiman (Neverwhere ) explores the vast and bloody landscape of myths and legends where the gods of yore and the neoteric gods of now conflict in modern-day America. The antihero, a man of unusually acute intellect through whose eyes we witness the behind-the-scenes dynamics of human religion and faith, is a convict called Shadow. He is flung into the midst of a supernatural fray of gods such as Odin, Anansi, Loki One-Eye, Thor, and a multitude of other ancient divinities as they struggle for survival in an America beset by trends, fads, and constant upheaval—an environment not good for gods. They are joined in this struggle by such contemporary deities as the geek-boy god Internet and the goddess Media. There's a nice plot twist in the end, and the fascinating subject matter and impressive mythic scope are handled creatively and expertly. Gaiman is an exemplary short story writer, but his ventures into novels are also compellingly imaginative.
    [Show full text]
  • Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Group List 2010 to 2020.Xlsx
    Science Fiction & Fantasy Book List 2010-2020 Date discussed Title Author Pub Date Genre Tuesday, August 17, 2010 Eyes of the Overworld Jack Vance 1966 Fantasy Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Boneshaker Cherie Priest 2009 Science Fiction/Steampunk Tuesday, October 19, 2010 Hood (King Raven #1) Steve Lawhead 2006 Fantasy/Historical Fiction Tuesday, November 16, 2010 Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #1) Dan Simmons 1989 Science Fiction Tuesday, December 21, 2010 Swords and Deviltry (Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser #1) Fritz Leiber 1970 Fantasy/Sword and Sorcery Tuesday, January 18, 2011 Brave New World Aldous Huxley 1931 Science Fiction/Dystopia Tuesday, February 15, 2011 A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) George R.R. Martin 1996 Fantasy Tuesday, March 15, 2011 Hull Zero Three Greg Bear 2010 Science Fiction Tuesday, April 19, 2011 The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1) Scott Lynch 2006 Fantasy Tuesday, May 17, 2011 Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro 2005 Science Fiction/Dystopia Tuesday, June 21, 2011 The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle #1) Patrick Rothfuss 2007 Fantasy Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Old Man's War (Old Man's War, #1) John Scalzi 2005 Science Fiction NO MEETING Tuesday, August 16, 2011 Wednesday, September 07, 2011 Something Wicked This Way Comes (Green Town #2) Ray Bradbury 1962 Fantasy Wednesday, October 05, 2011 Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs #1) Richard Morgan 2002 Science Fiction Wednesday, November 02, 2011 Prospero's Children Jan Siegel 1999 Fantasy Wednesday, December 07, 2011 Replay Ken Grimwood 1986 Science Fiction/Time Travel Wednesday, January 04, 2012 Raising Stony Mayhall Daryl Gregory 2011 Fantasy/Horror/Zombies Wednesday, February 01, 2012 The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress Heinlein, Robert 1966 Science Fiction Wednesday, March 07, 2012 Talion: Revenant Michael A.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sandman: Endless Nights
    THE SANDMAN: ENDLESS NIGHTS Presentation by Jason Moore Heather Morgan Orion Petitclerc http://files.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/249655_S/TV‐Series‐Planned‐For‐The‐Sandman‐Can‐It‐Work.jpg KEYWORDS •Graphic Novel •Endless •Perception/Variation •Sigil •Subculture •Artistic Style GRAPHIC NOVELS 101: A NEW LITERARY ARTFORM! •Graphic Novel –A medium in which text is both accompanied and complimented by art, oftentimes to a degree in which neither elements can stand alone and tell a story. (Exception: “‘Nuff Said” comics) The “Graphic Novel” Controversy: •According to Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta), graphic novel is merely “a marketing term…[that] just came to mean ‘expensive comic book’”. http://images.wikia.com/marveldatabase/images/9/91/Amazing_Spider‐Man_Vol_2_39.jpg THE GRAPHIC NOVEL FORMAT American Comic Book Format: •Dimensions: 6 5/8” x 10 ¼“ (17 x 26 cm) •Scaled up or down for graphic novels or trade collections. •Length: 32 pages, 21‐24 pages of story and art plus 8 pages of advertisements •Read from left‐to‐right, top‐to‐bottom (unless otherwise dictated by the artistic Types of Publications: arrangement on the pages). •The Standard comic book •Published as an Ongoing Series (Amazing Spider‐Man, Batman, etc.), Annual, One‐Shot, or Limited Series. •Graphic Novels •Trade Paperbacks (TPB’s), Anthologies, and Omnibuses ENDLESS NIGHTS FORMAT •American Graphic Novel •Largely traditional paneled pages and directional flow http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4f/Endless_Nights_cover.jpg/250px-Endless_Nights_cover.jpg NOTE! Endless Nights was only published as a Graphic Novel, whereas the original Sandman series was published as a standard monthly Comic Book later collected in TPB’s.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Hugo Report #2 the Nominations Tally
    Worldcon 75: 2017 Hugo report #2 The nominations tally A number of new rules regarding the nominations phase of the Hugo Awards came into effect for the first time in 2017. Specifically: ● From now on, there will normally be six rather than five finalists in each category. WSFS members still nominate only five candidates, but the top six qualify for the final ballot (unless unwilling or ineligible). ○ A tie for the last place or places is theoretically possible, which would mean more than six candidates in that category, but this did not happen in 2017. ● There is no threshold other than being in the top six. ○ In previous years, finalists had to get at least 5% of the total nomination vote in their category, though the top three would always get on the ballot. ○ All finalists in 2017 got more than 5% of the vote. ● No work shall appear as a finalist in two different categories. ○ This was theoretically possible under the previous rules, though it had never happened, and no ruling on this point was needed in 2017 either. ● No author, or group of authors, or dramatic presentation series, can have more than two finalists in any one category. ○ In 2017 this new rule was applied to Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, where three episodes of Game of Thrones got enough votes to qualify for the final ballot. The show’s makers declined nomination for one of the episodes and the other two therefore appeared on the ballot. ● A new counting system tallies nomination votes so as to reduce the impact of bloc voting.
    [Show full text]
  • Folklore and Mythology in Neil Gaiman's American Gods
    FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY IN NEIL GAIMAN'S AMERICAN GODS by SEAN EDWARD DIXON A THESIS Presented to the Folklore Program and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts June 2017 THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Student: Sean Edward Dixon Title: Folklore and Mythology in Neil Gaiman's American Gods This thesis has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in the Folklore Program by: Daniel Wojcik Chairperson John Baumann Member and Scott L. Pratt Dean of the Graduate School Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. Degree awarded June 2017 ii © 2017 Sean Edward Dixon iii THESIS ABSTRACT Sean Edward Dixon Master of Arts Folklore Program June 2017 Title: Folklore and Mythology in Neil Gaiman's American Gods This thesis provides a critical analysis of the use of folklore and mythology that exists in Neil Gaiman's award-winning novel, American Gods. I focus on the ways in which American Gods is situated within an intertextual corpus of mythological and mythopoeic writing. In particular, this study analyses Gaiman’s writing by drawing upon Mircea Eliade’s ideas about mythology and Northrop Frye’s archetypal criticism to discuss the emergence of secular myth through fantasy fiction. iv CURRICULUM VITAE NAME OF AUTHOR: Sean Edward Dixon GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University of Oregon, Eugene American University, Washington DC DEGREES AWARDED: Master of Arts,
    [Show full text]