literature assignments

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE II

MODULE TWO: LECTURE TWO

FANTASY AS HOPE

Often fantasy literature is, in fact about hope. One of the functions of fantasy literature is to imagine a

better world than the one we live in now. Once upon a time, a great deal of the world had religion to fill

this need, but in many cases, religion has become alien to the secular and skeptical western societies of

the 20th and 21st centuries. Many people consider themselves too “enlightened” to believe in God – yet

they want to believe in Magic. This is because human beings have a psychological need for hope and to a

certain extent, for the supernatural. Fantasy literature is more prevalent in times of extreme and

prolonged social upheaval, because during these times human beings are particularly dissatisfied with the

world. Thus, archetypes such as the hero, the quest, and the transformation continue to beckon and fill

our imagination. People need something to believe in – if only temporarily, while the novel or the movie

comes to an end – hence the great allure of fantasy for both children and adults.

A Few Common Narrative Themes:

• Good vs Evil

• Quest for power or knowledge

• The Individual vs Society

• Betrayal

• An Epic Journey

Fantasy stories may speak to the actual human condition, but they do so with fantastical elements such

as magic, prophecies of a chosen one or impending doom, ancient mythologies from around the globe, or

contact with new worlds, races or creatures.

Fantasy Literature Characters

We can see a whole cast of mythical, religious or magical creatures represented in fantasy tales. Many of

these are the stuff of our dreams and/or our nightmares. The psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, would have said

that all these are creatures of the “collective unconscious,” that we have inherited these figments of the

imagination because we are human beings. In a sense, we didn’t even have to create them – they were

there from the beginning of human consciousness.

Catharsis

Catharsis is a Greek word for “cleaning.” It is also an idea originally expounded by the philosopher –

Aristotle. It refers to the purification and purgation of emotions through art on the audience. It is seen

as an emotional discharge through which one can achieve a state of moral or spiritual renewal, or through

which once can achieve a state of liberation from anxiety and stress. In therapy catharsis serves to

expunge deep emotions often associated with events in the individual’s past which had originally been

repressed or ignored and had never been adequately addressed or experienced.

Violence & Children’s Literature

Many scholars argue that violence, if used appropriately, has its place in some children’s books, that the

inclusion of violence in quality literature can create positive influences in children’s lives. Violence has

appeared for centuries in didactic stories in which the wicked are punished, often with physical violence,

and the virtuous are rewarded. In fact, according to research when children create stories, themes of

aggression are predominant because aggression is a fundamental part of human nature. Many argue that

in a world filled with violence, this violence needs to be included in children’s literature since children’s

stories should accurately portray the world to some extent. Child psychologists warn that we cannot

protect children from life by imprisoning them in a bubble, where no germs of evil can ever reach them.

In fact, they stress that this type of overprotection is damaging to children. Children need to develop

strength and resilience to deal with a world that can sometimes be cold and cruel, and postponing their

confrontation with “evil” will not serve them well. Fairy tales can serve as very early eye-openers as

children learn, initially in a safe space, that everyone is not good, and that everyone does not have their

best interests at heart. Violence in children’s stories can help children cope with conflicts in their own

lives and they can also serve as catharsis to help children feel more empowered, like they can make real

decisions and take definitive action in their lives – even if they have to take some risks. In the end they

will be stronger for this.