What+is+Modern+Fantasy?

What is modern fantasy?
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Added by Tracy Landry: Modern fantasy is a genre of literary works that is an extension of traditional fairy tales and fantasy. Themes such as “talking animals…magical realms” (Norton 356) are prominent in both traditional and modern fantasy. The reader suspends disbeliefs as he is transported to an alternate reality, situation, or place. The situations may involve the character(s) being transported to an imaginary ‘alternative’ place or it may involve the character(s) experiencing something extraordinary in the ‘real world’ (Norton 352). In come cases, the characters **and** the setting are extraordinary.

//Knights of the Kitchen// Table by Jon Scieszka Illustrated by Lane Smith (Penguin Group: 1991) is in the series //The Time Warp Trio//. The story begins with knight holding three boys at sword point. The story is told from the point of view of one of the characters, which makes for a humorous, lighthearted story about time travel. Fred, Sam, and Joe were enjoying Joes’ birthday party one minute, and in the medieval times the next. The book that Uncle Joe the Magnificent was the last present Joe opened before they came face to face with a knight. The boys need to get back to present time, and hope that King Arthur will help them. Ultimately, the boys outwit knights, giants and dragons to get back to present time. This book has several of the elements of an excellent modern fantasy book, including the fact that the boys solve the problems, not supernatural powers. In addition, he characters are transported to a different time, the story starts and end in the real world, and the characters are ordinary boys.

//Coraline// by Neil Gaiman is the story of a girl who finds an alternate reality behind a door that is blocked by bricks. One day the bricks disappear, she hears someone calling her name, and she identifies herself as Coraline’s ‘other mother’. She finds herself in the kitchen, which looks like the one in her house, with the other mother, and a beautiful lunch. The ‘other mother’ and ‘other father’ are not what they seem, and Coraline must save herself, and the other lost souls that have not escaped from the alternate place. Again, the character is transported to an alternate place, and she is the one who saves herself. She has the help of a talking cat, and the story alternates between the real world and the alternate world.

//Magyk// by Angie Sage, first book in the //Septimus Heap// series transports the reader to magical place where wizardry and magic are commonplace. Stoves have a mind of their own and clothes will become clean and folded on command from a wizard. The story begins with an Ordinary Wizard, walking home from getting herbs for his newborn son, finding a baby girl out in the snow. The ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia, tells Silas Heap to keep the baby safe, and act like she is their own baby. The Heaps are told by the midwife that their own baby, Septimus, has died. Ultimately, we find out that the baby girl is the Queen’s baby, and that Septimus, also known as “Boy 412” of the Young Army is the Heaps son Septimus. They must fight against evil to save themselves and their world. Ghosts, magic, wizardry and the mystical realm make this an engaging modern fantasy book where good triumphs over evil. These books have ordinary people in extraordinary situations and places. In addition, the reader is, unknowingly, suspending disbelief as he/she is taken to another time or place where magic happens and people experience events that are remarkable and uncommon.

Gaiman, Neil. //Coraline//. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print Morgan, Mia. "Fantasy." Salem State College LBS 803. 21 Sept. 2009. Power point. Norton, Barbara E. //Through the Eyes of a Child An Introduction to Children's// //Literature//. 5th ed. Upper Saddle river: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1995. Print. Sage, Angie. //Septimus Heap Book One: Magyk//. New York: Katherine Tegen Books-Harper Collins, 2005. Print. Scieszka, Jon. //The Time Warp Trio: Knights of the Kitchen Table//. New York: Viking Inc., 1991. Print.

Added by Tessa Grassetti: Modern fantasy is rooted in traditional literature, but unlike traditional literature that is known through oral tradition, modern fantasy has an identifiable author. Modern fantasy also includes modern fairy tales like those from Hans Christian Andersen. In general, modern fantasy stories involve magic, the "quest," or "good versus evil." Fantasy creates an alternative universe, which operates on laws different than our own. The events, characters, and setting are generally outside the realm of possibility, but these literary characteristics should be so well developed that the reader is able to suspend disbelief and accept this impossible world as real.

There are various sub-genres of modern fantasy that include animal fantasy, quest fantasy, machine fantasy, toy and doll fantasy, time fantasy, comic fantasy, historical fantasy, and science fiction.

One great example of an animal fantasy is “Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. In an animal fantasy, animals behave as human beings personified, yet retaining many of their animal characteristics. In “Charlotte’s Web,” a little girl named Fern saves Wilbur, the runt of the pig litter. Wilbur and his fellow farm animals have extraordinary talents, and can talk! In particular, Charlotte spins webs with positive words written about Wilbur in an effort to save him from being dinner. Wilbur is “some pig,” and this story is some modern fantasy, which addresses the topics of friendship, adventure, and life and death.

Another great example of a modern fantasy is the “Indian in the Cupboard.” The story begins in an ordinary setting and then transitions to the fantasy world. Omri gets an old medicine cabinet from his older brother for his birthday. However, this turns out to be no ordinary medicine cabinet, turn the key once and the toy comes to life, turn the key twice, and it’s an action figure again. “Many adults consider modern fantasy to be among the most valuable literature selections for children,” and we can see why (Morgan). Modern fantasy allows children to escape to another world, filled with magic, who wouldn’t want a child to use their imagination in this way!

Banks, Lynne Reid. //The Indian in the Cupboard//. New York: Avon Books, Inc., 1980. Print.

Morgan, Mia. “Fantasy.” PowerPoint presentation for LBS 803. Fall 2009.

Ronderman, Margaret, Bill Glaister, and Barbara Huston. "Our Favorite Children's and Young Adult Authors." //Children's and Young Adult Literature//. Sep 2009. University of Lethbridge, Web. 27 Sep 2009. []. White, E.B. //Charlotte's Web//. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1980. Print.