Week 3-4

Fantasy is a complex and extremely vast ‘genre’ to try to define, more something to be explored and pondered per say, then clearly defined.

Fantasy is the ‘overt violation of what is generally accepted as possibility’. Fantasy at it’s best provides an escapism from the world in which you physically exist in, and should question your current ideas on what is ‘morally’ ‘physically’ ‘philosophically’ and even ‘spiritually’ correct. It is the formation, and the existence of an entirely new world.  Examples of these are everywhere Harry Potter for example, and the use of ‘magic’ and ‘wizardry’ the ability for humans to possess unique powers that allow them to exist within another world, to come and go between the two as they please, and to control there surroundings. The existence of ‘mermaids’ of ‘elves’ and ‘dragons’ are validated and are considered entirely normal and acceptable whereas in our realities no such things existed. Fantasy provides a sense of escapism for the reader because it is so overtly opposite from our reality’s providing a world of advanced opportunity, where imagination is stimulated. ‘The consistent treatment of impossible as if it was possible” is what attracts readers to fantasy; it questions us morally and intellectually.

‘It can clarify philosophical and moral conflicts, embodying them in story lines that may not be directly applicable to our own complex and muddle lives’.Attebery explores and attempts to explain the influence that Marchen story telling has on fantasy, the ability to create another world that is parallel to the one in which we exist to present stories that attract the reader on both a moral ground and imaginative ground. The stories satisfy all senses and one of the common grounds in which Marchen storytelling, fairy telling, and folklore all have in common is that they are all set in an indefinite time and place. They all have a moral subtext that normally portrays triumph over difficulty.

Fantasy is the sense of wonder it generates suspense. It creates characters that we can relate too, the main characters are usually un-remarkable physically but have strong morals and characteristics that the common every-day person can relate too. For example; Physically Harry Potter, and Frodo are neither physically appealing. Harry Potter wears glasses, and has a scar on his forehead and Frodo is a dwarf. Yet we never fully question the morality of each character, or the fact that ‘their heart is always n the right place’. It is also appealing to us that these ‘common’ characters always have the ‘consistent treatment of impossible as if it was possible’

The creation of another world, and although fantasy does not take place initially in the real world, or take place in the world in which we exist it should represent aspects of our world, or confront us with a truth that we deal with in reality otherwise we would not find it appealing. I would like to discuss further fantasy and escapism and the connection that fantasy and folktale have with escapism and reality.
I believe that fantasy is very much escapism, it allows us to exit reality and to enter a parallel universe. We can read of impossible feats that we could never physically ever see or perform and yet we can stimulate our imagination and our mind with being able to read and create our own worlds within a book. As mentioned in the course book fantasy cannot help but have meaning, and that is what fantasy and folklore/fairytales or share and have in common, the fact that underneath the myth and the fantastical worlds that are created there is always a sense of morality. A lesson is always learnt; a happy ending is always looming in the horizon. The fantasy genre is consistently confronting with themes such as suffering, life after death, immortality, destiny and the future. I believe that fantasy also has some of the most important aspects of reality woven within each story. Some of the most important human values are always present within some of the greatest Fantasy stories. For example Harry Potter, the three most important or main characters within the story, Harry, Ron and Hermione each represented an important trait that eventually contributed to the death of Voldemort and subsequently the happy ending. Harry represented Bravery and strength, he also was overwhelming Independent and quick thinking. Hermione was insanely smart and wise, both in an intellectual sense and in a spiritual sense, she had dignity and was able to stand strong in a world that didn’t necessarily accept the fact that she was “Half-Blood” and Ron, whom I would say was the most interesting to evaluate, is all in all the most loyal, his loyalty to his friends is unwavering, coming from a large family, and understanding values that exist within a family dynamic he was able to create that environment for his two ‘outcast’ per say friends.