The Fantasy Genre
- Events occur outside the ordinary laws that operate within the universe.
- Magic is central to the fantasy genre.
- Fantasy stories often involve journeys and quests.
- There are 3 different ways that fantasy writers set up their worlds.
- Some novels begin and end in a fantasy world (for example The Hobbit or A Wizard of Earthsea).
- Others start in the real world and move into a fantasy world (for example Alice in Wonderland orPeter Pan).
- A third type of fantasy is set in the real world but elements of magic intrude upon it (for exampleMary Poppins or David Almond’s Skellig).
- Protagonists usually cross some kind of opening or “portal” between the two worlds
- Examples of portals:
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: a wardrobe
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: a painting
- Harry Potter books: platform 9 and ¾
- Coraline: a door in a flat
- Peter Pan: magical flight
- The Golden Compass: windows cut between worlds
- Inkheart: a gifted storyteller reads aloud
- The major advantage of fantasy is that it can open up possibilities; it is not confined to the boundaries of the real world.
- Writers are able to convey complex ideas on a symbolic level that would be difficult to convey otherwise.
- Fantasy works can provide a fresh perspective on the real world.
- Fantasy stories can suggest universal truths through the use of magic and the supernatural.