Legitimization of Fantasy Using Cultural Issues by Michael Mcdaniel
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Fantasy and Imagination: Discovering the Threshold of Meaning David Michael Westlake
The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library 5-2005 Fantasy and Imagination: Discovering the Threshold of Meaning David Michael Westlake Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd Part of the Modern Literature Commons Recommended Citation Westlake, David Michael, "Fantasy and Imagination: Discovering the Threshold of Meaning" (2005). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 477. http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/477 This Open-Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. FANTASY AND IMAGINATION: DISCOVERING THE THRESHOLD OF MEANING BY David Michael Westlake B.A. University of Maine, 1997 A MASTER PROJECT Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (in Liberal Studies) The Graduate School The University of Maine May, 2005 Advisory Committee: Kristina Passman, Associate Professor of Classical Language and Literature, Advisor Jay Bregrnan, Professor of History Nancy Ogle, Professor of Music FANTASY AND IMAGINATION: DISCOVERING THE THRESHOLD OF MEANING By David Michael Westlake Thesis Advisor: Dr. Kristina Passman An Abstract of the Master Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (in Liberal Studies) May, 2005 This thesis addresses the ultimate question of western humanity; how does one find meaning in the present era? It offers the reader one powerful way for this to happen, and that is through the stories found in the pages of Fantasy literature. It begins with Frederick Nietzsche's declaration that, "God is dead." This describes the situation of men and women in his time and today. -
The World of Fantasy Literature Has Little to Do with the Exotic Worlds It Describes
The world of fantasy literature has little to do with the exotic worlds it describes. It is generally tied to often well-earned connotations of cheap writing, childish escapism, overused tropes copied and pasted straight out of The Lord of the Rings, and a strong commercial vitality. Perhaps it is the comforting predictability that draws me in—but the same could be said of the delight that I feel when some clever author has taken the old and worn hero-cycle and turned it inside out. Maybe I just like dragons and swords. It could be that the neatly packaged, solvable problems within a work of fantasy literature, problems that are nothing like the ones I have to deal with, such as marauding demons or kidnappings by evil witches, are more attractive than my own more confusing ones. Somehow they remain inspiring and terrifying despite that. Since I was a child, fantasy has always been able to captivate me. I never spared much time for the bland narratives of a boy and his dog or the badly thought-out antics of neighborhood friends. I preferred the more dangerous realms of Redwall, populated by talking animals, or Artemis Fowl, a fairy-abducting, preteen, criminal mastermind. In fact, reading was so strongly ingrained in me that teachers, parents and friends had to, and on occasion still need to, ask me to put down my book. I really like reading, and at some point that love spilled over and I started to like writing, too. Telling a story does not have to be deep or meaningful in its lessons. -
Fantasy in Literature. INSTITUTION National Education Association, Washington, D.C
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 144 097 CS 203 625 AUTHOR Aquino, John TITLE Fantasy in Literature. INSTITUTION National Education Association, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 77 NOTE 54p. AVAILABLE FROM NEA Order Dept., The Academic Building, Saw Mill Road, West Haven, Ccnnecticut 06516 ($3.50 paper) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.83 Plus Postage. HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Bibliographies; Elementary Secondary Education; English Instruction; *Fantasy; Language Development; Literary Analysis; *Literature; *Literature Appreciation; Mythology; Reading Materials; Tales; *Teaching Methods; *Thought Processes ABSTRACT This report discusses the opposition to fantasy, as well as the support for it, both as an activity of the mind and as literature, and concludes that fantasy literature is useful in promoting language development and literature appreciation. The report then discusses characteristics of fantasy literature, lists works suitable for class use, and offers suggestions for teaching fantasy literature at various grade levels. Suggestions are provided for guiding classes in studying myths, specific fairy tales, and works by Levis Carroll, J.R.R. Tolkien, James Stephens, and C.S. Lewis. The report includes a bibliography of additional resource materials that deal with fantasy and fantasy literature. (GW) Fantasy in Literature by John Aquino nea National Education Association Washington D.C. Copyright c 1977 National Education Association of the United States Stock No 1817.6-00 (paper) 1818-4-00 (cloth ) Note The opinions expressed in this publication should not he con- strued as representing the polies or position of the National Education Association Materials published as part of the; Developments in Classroom Instruction series are intended to he discussion documents for teachers who are concerned with specialized interests of the profession Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Aquino, John Fantasy in literature (Developments in classroom instruction Bibliography: p 1. -
AN ABSTRACT of the THESIS of Miranda Renfro for the Master Of
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Miranda Renfro for the Master of Arts in English presented on 4 November 2014 Title: DYNAMIC DRAGONS: AN EXPLORATION OF ROLE REVERSAL IN THE YOUNG ADULT ADVENTURE CYCLE Abstract approved: ________________________________________________________ Dragons have long been a staple character in literary traditions all around the globe. From ancient Babylonian myth to modern young adult (YA) fiction, the dragon is well-represented within literature as a powerful and mysterious entity. Western culture, in particular, deems the dragon an evil enemy that must be overcome by a hero, while in Eastern cultures the dragon represents a much more natural and benevolent creature that generously bestows wisdom and wealth on worthy subjects. In recent years the stark character contrasts between the dragons of East and West have merged within the realm of Western YA literature to create a new kind of hero, one that still follows the path described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces but challenges traditional perceptions of good and evil, especially where humanity is concerned. Young readers looking for answers to questions about their own identities within YA novels now have the opportunity to explore identity and human nature through the very eyes of the creature they were once taught to fear. Utilizing as a framework Campbell’s adventure cycle and goals found in modern YA literature, this thesis examines two YA novels that cast a dragon as the hero – Cornelia Funke’s Dragon Rider and Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina -
The Witch Woman: a Recurring Motif in Recent Fantasy Writing for Young Readers
Volume 20 Number 1 Article 6 Winter 1-15-1994 The Witch Woman: A Recurring Motif in Recent Fantasy Writing for Young Readers John Warren Stewig Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore Part of the Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons Recommended Citation Stewig, John Warren (1994) "The Witch Woman: A Recurring Motif in Recent Fantasy Writing for Young Readers," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 20 : No. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol20/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Mythopoeic Society at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature by an authorized editor of SWOSU Digital Commons. An ADA compliant document is available upon request. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To join the Mythopoeic Society go to: http://www.mythsoc.org/join.htm Mythcon 51: A VIRTUAL “HALFLING” MYTHCON July 31 - August 1, 2021 (Saturday and Sunday) http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-51.htm Mythcon 52: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien Albuquerque, New Mexico; July 29 - August 1, 2022 http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-52.htm Abstract Thematic analysis of the figure of the witch woman (incorporating both good and evil versions) in recent examples of epic fantasy for children and young adults. Additional Keywords Children’s literature; Fantasy literature; Henry, Maeve. -
Toward a Theory of the Dark Fantastic: the Role of Racial Difference in Young Adult Speculative Fiction and Media
Journal of Language and Literacy Education Vol. 14 Issue 1—Spring 2018 Toward a Theory of the Dark Fantastic: The Role of Racial Difference in Young Adult Speculative Fiction and Media Ebony Elizabeth Thomas Abstract: Humans read and listen to stories not only to be informed but also as a way to enter worlds that are not like our own. Stories provide mirrors, windows, and doors into other existences, both real and imagined. A sense of the infinite possibilities inherent in fairy tales, fantasy, science fiction, comics, and graphic novels draws children, teens, and adults from all backgrounds to speculative fiction – also known as the fantastic. However, when people of color seek passageways into &the fantastic, we often discover that the doors are barred. Even the very act of dreaming of worlds-that-never-were can be challenging when the known world does not provide many liberatory spaces. The dark fantastic cycle posits that the presence of Black characters in mainstream speculative fiction creates a dilemma. The way that this dilemma is most often resolved is by enacting violence against the character, who then haunts the narrative. This is what readers of the fantastic expect, for it mirrors the spectacle of symbolic violence against the Dark Other in our own world. Moving through spectacle, hesitation, violence, and haunting, the dark fantastic cycle is only interrupted through emancipation – transforming objectified Dark Others into agentive Dark Ones. Yet the success of new narratives fromBlack Panther in the Marvel Cinematic universe, the recent Hugo Awards won by N.K. Jemisin and Nnedi Okorafor, and the blossoming of Afrofuturistic and Black fantastic tales prove that all people need new mythologies – new “stories about stories.” In addition to amplifying diverse fantasy, liberating the rest of the fantastic from its fear and loathing of darkness and Dark Others is essential. -
Fantasy Literature: Definition”
Written version of the lecture Malin Alkestrand: “Fantasy literature: Definition” What is fantasy literature? This is a question that has been debated and answered in numerous studies on fantasy literature, but a quick overview of the studies shows that there is not one simple answer to this question. Different scholars mention different criteria for the genre, and they include different literary works in their descriptions of the genre. However, there are a few basic aspects that they all define as central for fantasy literature. In the following, I will discuss a few different definitions of fantasy literature that clarify the most central characteristics of the genre. To begin with, I want to point out that there is a difference between fantastic literature and fantasy literature. Fantastic literature includes all kinds of literature that do not rely on a mimetic description of a world that is similar to reality, such as fantasy literature, science fiction, and horror (Irwin 1976:55). Fantasy literature, on the other hand, is one of the genres included within the wider concept of fantastic literature, but it displays genre characteristics which makes it very different from science fiction, for example. Whereas science fiction literature describes a possible future with advanced technology that does not yet exist, but could potentially exist in 10, 100 or 1000 years, fantasy literature portrays worlds where the supernatural exists (see James & Mendlesohn 2012:3). Magic, magical creatures, spells, and dragons introduce a world that does not follow the natural laws that govern our own reality. According to William Robert Irwin (1976:155) fantasy literature can be understood as the result of presenting the supernatural as real and always present. -
Fantasy Reference Sources Bibliographies
Fantasy Reference Sources Bibliographies Anthologies Cawthorn, James and Michael Moorcock. Fantasy: The 100 Best Books. New York: Dann, Jack, ed. NebulaAwards Showcase 2005. Carroll & Graf Publishers, 1991. ISBN: New York: Roc Trade, 2005. ISBN: 0881847089. 0451460154. This bibliography provides a list of fantasy literature The Nebula Awards are presented by the Science from classic authors such as Oscar Wilde and Robert Fiction and Fantasy Writers ofAmerica, which is an Louis Stevenson, to more familiar fantasy writers, organization specializing in these genres of literature. including Tolkien, LeGuin, and Dunsany. This book The Nebula Awards Showcase is a collection of also contains historical and subgenre information, and works authored by Nebula winners and represents is indexed for ease of use. the best fantasy and science fiction material of the year. It covers varying styles of literature from authors Lynn, Ruth Nadelman. Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults: an annotated such as Neil Gaiman and James Van Pelt. bibliography 4th ed. New Providence: R.R. Bowker, 1995. ISBN: 0835234568. Datlow, Ellen, Kelly Link and Gavin Grant, eds. The first section of this reference work contains an Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 17h ed. New extensive bibliography, which provides a list of more York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2004. ISBN: than 4,800 books, each being recommended in at 0312329288. least two professional journals. The list is divided This book provides a compilation ofthe top fantasy into various subgenres and the symbols used are easy and horror short stories and poetries. It contains over to spot. The second part of the book is a research 40 entries ranging from fairy tales to gothic honor. -
Mythmoot VI: Dragons!
Mythmoot VI: Dragons! Abstracts for Sunday, June 30, 2019 Academic Presentations (9:00 – 10:30 am) Main Room The Quest for the Kosher Dragon: Looking for the Jewish in Tolkien – Arthur Harrow As a Jewish reader of fantasy literature, it can sometimes be a little frustrating when allegory and religious references pop up and they are either from Christian literature or are Christian interpretations of Jewish literature. Knowing that Tolkien was a trained scholar who was not only Catholic but would have been aware of Jewish scholarly work, I set myself the quest of finding a religious reference or allegory that not only spoke to me as a Jew but also is consistent with Tolkien’s background and education. I wanted to find something in the works of Tolkien that as a Jewish reader I can identify with. And I wanted to find this entirely within the text of the published works (The SIlmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of The Rings) without having to try to divine authorial intent. In the course of this search, I have looked at possible Jewish references that would be horrifyingly offensive; possible Jewish references that are positive but are definitely from the non-Jewish perspective, and finally something that is both positive, Jewish, and most importantly consistent with the Jewish point of view. And it was unexpected, counterintuitive, and very gratifying. One might even say eucatastrophic. Please join me on this epic journey. Dr. Harrow is a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas; he practices Internal Medicine in Baltimore, where he is on faculty at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. -
Why Fantasy Matters Too Much
CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture ISSN 1481-4374 Purdue University Press ©Purdue University Volume 10 (2008) Issue 4 Article 3 Why Fantasy Matters Too Much Jack Zipes University of Minnesota Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb Part of the Comparative Literature Commons, and the Critical and Cultural Studies Commons Dedicated to the dissemination of scholarly and professional information, Purdue University Press selects, develops, and distributes quality resources in several key subject areas for which its parent university is famous, including business, technology, health, veterinary medicine, and other selected disciplines in the humanities and sciences. CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, the peer-reviewed, full-text, and open-access learned journal in the humanities and social sciences, publishes new scholarship following tenets of the discipline of comparative literature and the field of cultural studies designated as "comparative cultural studies." Publications in the journal are indexed in the Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature (Chadwyck-Healey), the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (Thomson Reuters ISI), the Humanities Index (Wilson), Humanities International Complete (EBSCO), the International Bibliography of the Modern Language Association of America, and Scopus (Elsevier). The journal is affiliated with the Purdue University Press monograph series of Books in Comparative Cultural Studies. Contact: <[email protected]> Recommended Citation Zipes, Jack. "Why Fantasy Matters Too Much." CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 10.4 (2008): <https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.1392> This text has been double-blind peer reviewed by 2+1 experts in the field. The above text, published by Purdue University Press ©Purdue University, has been downloaded 8297 times as of 11/ 07/19. -
Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett
Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett Ebook Men at Arms currently available for review only, if you need complete ebook Men at Arms please fill out registration form to access in our databases Download here >> Mass Market Paperback:::: 400 pages+++Publisher:::: HarperTorch; Reprint edition (May 27, 2003)+++Language:::: English+++ISBN-10:::: 0061092193+++ISBN-13:::: 978-0061092190+++Product Dimensions::::4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches++++++ ISBN10 0061092193 ISBN13 978-0061092 Download here >> Description: A Young Dwarfs DreamCorporal Carrot has been promoted! Hes now in charge of the new recruits guarding Ankh-Morpork, Discworlds greatest city, from Barbarian Tribes, Miscellaneous Marauders, unlicensed Thieves, and such. Its a big job, particularly for an adopted dwarf.But an even bigger job awaits. An ancient document has just revealed that Ankh-Morpork, ruled for decades by Disorganized crime, has a secret sovereign! And his name is Carrott...And so begins the most awesome epic encounter of all time, or at least all afternoon, in which the fate of a city —indeed of the universe itself!—depends on a young mans courage, an ancient swords magic, and a three-legged poodles bladder. I just finished re-reading this novel, which remains high in my esteem. My review will contain some spoilers, so avoid it if you dont like those. Its main theme is the final success of integrating city minorities, starting with a dwarf, a troll and a woman, into the all-human-male Watch. Dwarfs and trolls are ancient enemies from the mountains, now moving in droves into Discworlds biggest city, Ankh-Morpork. -
Thesis Final
ter Haar / 6315569 Distorted Mirrors & Fantastical Reflections Encounters with the Other in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Meike ter Haar 6315569 Thesis Master Literature Today Utrecht University Supervisor: Codruta Pohrib Second Reader: Dr. Birgit Kaiser Wordcount: 16.402 (excluding footnotes and bibliography) 16 Aug. 2019 !1 ter Haar / 6315569 Abstract Throughout our lives, we encounter people that are different or other, and people have demonised and distrusted those others. The fear of the other is mirrored in the stories we tell. Fantasy worlds allow the author to create a world separated from the real one, where we can meet new conceptions of the other. This thesis examines which others we encounter within the Watch sequence, part of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, answering the research question: What Others do we encounter in the Discworld series, and how does Terry Pratchett use humour and fantasy to interrogate our conceptions of the Other. The theoretical part will first discuss who the other is, and how she has been theorised, then define Fantasy as a genre, and explore why it is suitable for examining social questions. The theoretical part ends with an exploration of humour, including the types of humour used within the Discworld series. This thesis then analyses three different types of others that are encountered on the Discworld: the Racial Other, the Nonhuman Other, and the Dehumanised Other. An analysis of these Others shows that The Watch sequence offers a funny, heartfelt plea to accept those who might be different, marginalised, or actively maligned. !2 ter Haar / 6315569 Table of Contents Introduction 4 Humouring the Fantastical Other 7 An Encounter with the Other 7 Escaping into Fantasy 11 All Joking Aside 16 The Racial Other 20 The Non-Human Other 30 Dwarfs and Trolls 32 The Undead 37 The Dehumanised Other 44 Golems 45 Goblins 49 Conclusion 54 Bibliography 56 !3 ter Haar / 6315569 Introduction “No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them.