Chapter 6: Fantastic Literature Fantasy & Science Fiction

Defining Fantastic Literature

- Fantastic Literature includes folklore, fantasy, and science fiction
- Seeks to explain and explore the mysteries of the world, the universe,
and the behavior of we humans who inhabit it
- Allows authors to explore ideas that would be difficult to confront
through realistic fiction
- Writers of fantastic literature often grapple with issues and ideas so
serious that they would be difficult to explore in realistic fiction for
children
o The consequences of war, cruelty, enslavement, and greed
History of Fantastic Literature
- Children in the mid-nineteenth century had little time to be children so
literature provided a fantasy escape from harsh reality
- Alices Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking
Glass (1871) by Charles Dodgson are the first significant words of
fantasy for children
- Flourished in the twentieth century
o Peter pan (1904), the Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), the Wizard of
Oz (1900), The Chronicles of Narnia (1950)
Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings
- Science fiction was introduced by Hugo Gernsback in the late 1920s
o escapist literature
o Rocket Ship Galileo (1947)
o Today, there is still a debate whether fantasy and science fiction
are one genre
Quality in Fantastic Literature
- Setting
o Becomes believable when an author provides which details that
enable a reader to envision them
o In fantastic literature, effective setting are detailed and
believable with the context of the story
- Plot
o The story events are imaginative, yet logically consistent within
the story world
- Characters
o Have multidimensional personalities who behave consistently,
respond to events in a believable fashion, and grow and change
across the course of the story
- Style
o How a writer chooses to tell a story
Structure, syntax, word choice
 Rich images and vivid figurative language
- Theme
o The themes are meaningful, causing readers to think about life
The monumental struggle between good and evil, what is
means to be human, and the consequences of pride
Fantasy
- Explores the struggles between good and evil
- Depicts a quest for personal identity
- Animal characters
- Magic and magic realism
- Discusses complex issues
Quests & Fantasy Worlds
- Many fantasy stories are quest tales set in a well-developed fantasy
world, where a protagonist leaves home to accomplish a goal, find
him/herself and returns a wiser, better person.
Magic & Magic Realism
- Travel through time & space
- Fantastical & magical beings
- Enchanted objects
Literary Love
- Masterful retellings that are faithful to original folktales, but are cast in
a new light by inventive authors
Animal Fantasy
- Attributes human thought, feeling, and language to animals
Science Fiction
- Geared more towards an adolescent audience
- Offers deep questioning, but relates to future realities based on
scientific possibilities. Struggles for identity, independence, or even
sense of purpose
Fantastic Literature in the Classroom
- First literature children grow to love
- Encourage students to explore fantastic literature
- Make them wonder
- Discuss sensitive topics
- Helps ESL and new students
- Expand their imagination