Modern Fantasy By Jessica Jaramillo Rachel Jones Nicole Lusk

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Defining Modern Fantasy Unexplainable beyond known. “willing suspense of disbelief” Extends reality through a wide imaginative vision. Never could be. Misunderstood as an escape to a simpler world. Engaging, rich plots, fantastic elements, and rich characters. Strength and depth of emotion surpass real life experiences. Two types: Low Fantasy and High Fantasy Low: - primary world “here and now” –magic – impossible elements High: - secondary world – impossible in 1 st – consistent with laws of 2 nd world 3 plots: - created world – travel between – primary marked by boundaries

The Evolution of Modern Fantasy Genre began in the 19 th century. Known as literary fairy tales and stylized by oral tradition Generic settings, distant times, magical, one dimensional, happy times. Unlike oral tradition, literary fairy tales had known authors. 1 st publication in the U.S. – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum in Newberry Medal to Robert Lawson for Rabbit Hill. Fantasies from the beginning Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll 1865 At the Back of the North Wind - George MacDonald 1871 The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling 1894 Peter and Wendy “Peter Pan” – J.M. Barrie 1904 (1911) The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Beatrix Potter 1902 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame 1908 Winnie-the-Pooh – A.A. Milne 1926 The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien 1937 The Chronicles of Narnia – C. S. Lewis Current Fantasies Mid 20 th Century popularity Picture books by: Kevin Henkes, Rosemary Wells, Susan Meddaugh, and Lisa Campbell Ernst 21 st century Extraordinary popularity Goosebumps series – R. L. Stine 1990’s Harry Potter series – J. K. Rowling

Categories of Modern Fantasy

1.Personified Animals Characters are animals that talk and behave like humans

2. Personified Toys Characters include toys that talk and behave like humans

3. Outlandish Characters and Situations Stories that are realistic but contain “characters that behave in outrageous highly exaggerated ways that are utterly impossible”

4. Magical Powers Stories in which character, world, and/or items possess magical powers.

5. Embellished Fairy Tales Fairy tales that have been embellished to include more character development, description of setting, and fuller story. Often attempts answers questions that were provoked from the original/traditional fairytale and shows different perspectives.

6. Extraordinary Worlds Character from the normal world enters a extraordinary world by some means.

7. Supernatural Elements Contain supernatural elements— often scary stories.

8. Time Slips Characters travel through time.

9. High Fantasy Categories: myth fantasy, gothic fantasy, epic/heroic fantasy, and sword and sorcery fantasy Setting is a secondary world “Noble characters, archetypes, and elevated style” – Tynn, Zahrski, and Boyer (1979)

Elements of story are transformed into something magical or impossible in the natural world. Setting takes place in a secondary world or both normal and secondary world Character mirrors the disbelief of the reader Plot is made believable through description of logic or laws of the secondary world, details are consistent Theme must be one that matters in the our real world How FANTASY Works…

Criteria for Evaluating Modern Fantasy Is the story well written according to literary standards? Is the theme compelling to readers in a “real world” as well as in the fantasy world? Are the elements that make the story a fantasy convincing, consistent, and well-developed? Does the story allow readers to suspend disbelief? Does the author maintain a sense of logic and order within the created world?

Major Writers of Fantasy and Their Works Lloyd Alexander Seeds of his stories were planted by the extensive reading he did as a child. Nominee for the Hans Christian Anderson award in The Chronicles of Prydain The Book of Three The Black Cauldron (Newbery Honor Book) The Castle of Llyr The High King (Newbery Medal) Susan Cooper Moved to the USA were she was homesick and lonely therefore she turned to writing fantasy as a home. The Dark is Rising (Newbery Honor Book) Over Sea, Under Stone Greenwitch The Grey King (Newbery Medal) Silver on the Tree King of Shadows

Major Writers of Fantasy and Their Works Bruce Coville Earnest reader who read fantasy stories. Realized he like writing when a teacher gave him time to write a long story. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher My Teacher is an Alien Roald Dahl His childhood influenced his writings. Writes truly detestable characters. Popular among children and adults. The Witches George’s Marvelous Medicine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Major Writers of Fantasy and Their Works Cornelia Funke Regarded as one of the most prominent and widely read authors in Germany where she is author of over forty books. Degree in Education Theory. The Thief Lord Inkheart Inkspell Inkdeath Dragon Rider Brain Jacques Wrote his first book to entertain students at a school for the blind. Redwall Mossflower Mattimeo Mariel of Redwall Salamandastron Martin the Warrior The Bellmaker Outcast of Redwall The Long Patrol

Major Writers of Fantasy and Their Works Diana Wynne Jones While studying in Oxford she attended lectures given by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The Magicians of Caprona The Lives of Christopher Chant Howl’s Moving Castle Year of the Griffin Dark Lord of Derkholm Power of Three A Charmed Life Philip Pullman Loved comics especially Superman and Batman. Taught Middle School students. Lives in Oxford. The Golden Compass The Subtle Knife The Amber Spyglass

Major Writers of Fantasy and Their Works J. K. Rowling Starting writing her famous book in Portugal and finished it in England. While living in England she was living on welfare. The books have been translated into sixty-two languages. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Jane Yolen Former president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. She has won numerous awards. The Devil’s Arithmetic Commander Toad and the Voyage Home The Sword and the Rightful King Other Notable Writers of Modern Fantasy Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris van Allsburg, Laurence Yep, Virginia Hamilton, Lois Duncan, Ursula Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, Tom McGowen, Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce, Meredith Ann Pierce, and Scott Westerfield.

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