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Fantasy

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Warm-Up Activity One

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What is Genre?
The study of genre is not an exact science. Some texts may belong in more than one genre. For
example: Romeo and Juliet is a drama, a tragedy, and an Elizabethan play. The idea of genre is
open to discussion and there is good reason to discuss genre. Understanding genre will help you
know what to expect from a text based on its genre; it will also help you notice when an author is
playing with your expectations.

Main Genres and Sub-Genres

1. What are the two main genre distinctions?

1. _________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________

2. Are there any other genre distinctions?

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3. What are the four sub-genres of the fiction genre?

1. _________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________________________________________

4. What are the four sub-genres of the non-fiction genre?

1. _________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________________________________________

5. What are the two main sub-genres of the drama genre?

1. _________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________

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Matching Genres
Match each genre and sub-genre up with the correct word.

Word Bank: Mystery, Fiction, Informational, Historical Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Science Fiction,
Fantasy

1. ________________ stories have events that could never happen in real life.
2. ________________ books are made-up and are not based on real events.
3. ________________ stories take place in the future and often include science and technology.
4. ________________ books are based on real events.
5. ________________ books is a story with clues, centered around a puzzling event.
6. ________________ stories are informative stories that describe events from the past.
7. ________________ books are true and factual, and often contain supporting evidence.

Identifying Genre
Read the descriptions of the texts. Look for details that reveal the genre. Write the genre and sub-
genre on the lines and write a sentence explaining your answer.

1. The Hard Way Out by Terry Vaughn

In this novel, Brian is struggling. After losing both of his parents in a tragic car accident, Brian is
living at his Aunt's house and sharing a room with his cousin. Basketball is his only escape. But
after getting benched for low progress report grades, Brian's world shatters. Does he have it in him
to improve his grades? Will Brian come to peace with his emotions? Can anyone help him?

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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2. Newton's Law by Morton Mallon

After a life of studying the nano-transportation sciences, Professor Melton stumbles upon a major
breakthrough. On April 20th, 2042, Melton discovers a way to transport particles at light-speed
across fixed distances. Now he can teleport from one location to another. But Professor Melton
soon discovers that there is no such thing as a free lunch. He learns that the body ages relative to
the distance travelled, not just the time. This means that a teleporting body ages very rapidly. Can
Melton solve this problem before his time is up?

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Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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3. Intermediate Math Problems for Students by M. Colwell

This workbook explains how to perform basic mathematical operations, like double-digit addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division. It also explains fractions and decimals.

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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4. If a Tree Falls adapted by Stan Tanner

This is the very short story of a buck. The buck was admiring his horns in the water's reflection and
feeling bad about his skinny legs. Then a hunter tries to kill him. As the buck tries to escape, his big
horns get stuck in some tree branches, but his skinny legs manage to pull him free. The moral is
that what is truly valuable is often unappreciated.

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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5. The Tinfoil Key by Rob Burnside

When young Ian Bradley accidently switches suitcases with an intergalactic space explorer, he
ends up going on the trip of a lifetime. Now that he's left holding the bag, Ian must deliver it to the

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light scientists on Gamma Outpost 9 in time. Every life form in the galaxy is unknowingly depending
on the success of Ian's efforts.

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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6. Seeing More, Being More by Fletch Carpenter

"Dr." Fletch gives readers a dose of hard medicine. He believes that most people cause their own
problems. Fletch teaches readers to solve problems such as bullying, insecurity, and relationship
troubles. He does this with a three-step strategy: letting go of ego, seeing the "real" reality, and
finding a role. Some readers find Carpenter's ideas to be refreshing. Others find them to be
offensive.

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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7. Bronze Star by Irwin Keene

World War II has been hard for Mama Conner. While her husband and three sons have been away
at war, Mama Conner has had to fend for herself. She keeps the house together, raises money, and
provides for Baby Maple. The mood in town suddenly darkens when her neighbor Betsy loses one
of her loved ones in battle. At Mama Conner's ladies club, several upstanding ladies of the town
are on edge. They heard a garbled news report announcing that a man from their town was lost in
battle. But the man's name went unheard and the women are left to speculate. This novel ends in
a surprising twist.

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________
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8. Rapunzel adapted by Craig Hooper

Once upon a time a young girl named Rapunzel was running an errand for her mother. An evil witch
kidnaps Rapunzel and imprisons her in the tower of a castle. After years in the tower, Rapunzel
grew long, beautiful hair. Having seen nobody but the evil witch her whole life, Rapunzel is very
lonely. One day a prince wanders by and climbs up her hair. The witch doesn't like this and action
ensues. Eventually the prince and Rapunzel live happily every after.

Genre: _________________________________________________________________________________

Subgenre: _____________________________________________________________________________

Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________

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Fantasy & Fantastic Worlds
The word fantasy and its adjective fantastic mean a product of the imagination. Fantasy is a popular
genre with young and old. It captures the imagination, taking the reader to other worlds. Everyday
kids with everyday lives suddenly find their lives are transformed by their contact with magic. Harry
Potter escapes from his horrible life through a railway platform to a school of magic, Lucy escapes
through a wardrobe in the country to the land of the wicked witch, and, during a high fever, Dorothy
escapes from Kansas over the yellow brick road to see the Wizard of Oz.They each have different
experiences but essentially they learn the same lesson. They learn about their strengths and they
learn to grow up.

The Conventions of Fantasy

The pattern usually goes like this:
- There!s a hero
- There!s a villain
- There!s a giver
- There!s a wizard
- There!s a false hero who lies to the real hero
- There!s a quest with hardships to overcome
- There!s a princess who is the reward.

The hero isn!t always carrying a sword and looking for danger. Usually:
- He!s a boy
- He!s not too tough
- He!s running away from something
- He!s forced to go through an adventure he never wanted
- He represents goodness and innocence.

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There are several other key fantastic characters, such as…

The wise man, who can also be a woman. Usually she!s old, usually she has magic powers, usually
she gives a gift to the hero, usually she sees into the future, usually she has knowledge and wisdom.
She can appear scary but whatever the appearance, she is good.

The companion is a good friend who stands by the hero. He or she is often sensible and gives
good advice, he or she follows and supports the hero whatever the occasion, he or she can get into
trouble and be saved by the hero, but most importantly he or she shows the fear that the hero has
to hide.

The monster can be a horrible dragon or just a person who is evil and monstrous. Whatever the
case, the monster has powers and has lots of helpers and spies. Just when the hero feels safe a
trap is laid by the monster. The hero needs all his/her ingenuity to be saved and to conquer the
monster.

The princess always waits for the hero. She is passive where he is active. She waits for him to do
the rescuing. She is usually a higher rank than him and he has to prove his worth to gain her love.

The plot typically follows:

- Orientation
- Complication
- Climax
- Resolution

On the following page is a sample storyline.

Sample Storyline
8. We are introduced to the character in his/her setting, orientation.
9. But there is a problem to be overcome, a complication. The hero and his whole way of life will
be destroyed unless s/he embarks on a mission to save his/her world.
10. S/he is frightened but is encouraged by the wise person who arrives in time to tell her/his fortune
and gives the girl/boy a gift to help her/him and often sends her/him off with a riddle.
11. A companion volunteers to accompany the hero, trusting her/him.
12. On her/his way, the hero will overcome many trials (climax then new complication) until s/he
wins.
13. Eventually the hero is faced with the monster, conquers the monster, climax.
14. S/he returns to a calm life without the presence of evil and often with a new partner/wife,
resolution.

Consider the below character and plan a fantastic story. You must write at least one full sentence
for each key portion of the plot.

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Orientation

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Complication

Climax

Resolution

Fantastic Values and Atitudes

Most fantasies are about growing up but also investigate:
- Good versus evil
- Past versus present
- Old versus young
- Physical strength versus weakness • thoughtfulness versus impetuosity • knowledge versus
ignorance
- Giving versus taking.

Draw three columns. Place these oppositions in a box each and tick which you think fantasies usually
value and which they don!t. Attempt to explain your choices with reference to a fantasy book, film
or story you know.
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 Value Opposing Value Explanation

Fantastic gifts
Another element of fantasy novels is the gift. Gifts are always important in our everyday lives. We
receive them gratefully, realising that the gift is a sign that we are special in some way. Sometimes
a gift like a ring or a watch may be passed down generations of families showing the bond between
family members. These gifts serve to remind us of the giver and create a link between the giver and
the receiver.

In a fantasy, the hero receives a gift or gifts early on and usually has no idea why or how to use this
gift. The reader realises, however, when the hero receives the gift that this will be important. We
also realise that the hero is important because the person giving the gift is usually someone who
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has power in the community. The gift indicates a transfer of power from one person to another. As
the story progresses, the gift also becomes significant because through using the gift the hero
learns something important about her/himself or moves further in the quest.

Fantastic portals
Heroes aren!t always in the land of their adventure at the beginning of their story. Sometimes they
get there through unexpected means. A mirror, a dream, a chook shed, a street, a book or even a
seemingly impenetrable wall will become magic portals (entrance ways) and suddenly open up. The
hero becomes ejected into a world of the imagination.

Read the following extract from The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe to see how the portal is
entered. Then find other passages portals in books and films where a portal is used.

She immediately stepped into the wardrobe and got in among the coats and rubbed her face against
them, leaving the door open, of course, because she knew it was foolish to shut oneself into any
wardrobe. Soon she went further in and found that there was a second row of coats hanging up
behind the first one …

Next moment she found that what was rubbing against her face and hands was no longer soft fur
but something hard and rough and even prickly. "Why it is just like branches of trees,” exclaimed
Lucy. And then she saw that there was a light ahead of her; not a few inches away where the back
of the wardrobe ought to have been, but a long way off. Something cold and soft was falling on her.
A moment later she found that she was standing in the middle of a wood at night-time with snow
under her feet and snowflakes falling through her hair.

Fantastic riddles
The riddle of the sphinx: what walks on all fours in the morning, two legs in the day and three legs
at night?

Even in ancient times riddles had magic powers. A person who could solve a riddle was important.

The answer to this riddle was man: because he crawls as a baby, walks upright as an adult and
uses a walking stick as an old man. To understand this riddle you also need to understand that
morning, midday and night refer to different ages. They are metaphors.

Riddles often depend on metaphorical meaning to be uncovered; they prove the hero!s intelligence.

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Warm-Up Activity Two

“Drive Carefully” — complete the following sentences.

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Close Reading of a Fantasy Text
Connotations
Most words have a dictionary meaning (denotation) and associated meanings or feelings which the
word suggests (connotation). Connotations are different from people to people. For example, for
someone who has lived in a cold climate, snow is familiar and fun, but for someone without the
experience snow is very unknown.

1. What do you think of when you think of winter?

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2. Match the seasons with the appropriate feelings (eg harshness, gloom, sorrow, hope, new life,
death, youth, joy, reawakening etc).

Season Feelings

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

3. What emotions are associated with the winter in the passage below?

Introduction to Rowan of the Bukshah:

The village of Rowan huddled, freezing, in a silent world of white. Deep snow blanketed the valley.

The Mountain brooded against the grey sky like a vast ice sculpture capped with cloud. Never had
there been a winter like this.

Never had the snow fallen so thickly. Never had the cold been so bitter.

And never had it lasted so long.

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_______________________________________________________________________________________

4. What words suggest that this is not usual?

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5. What is the effect of the repetition of the word never?

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6. What object looms above the town suggesting its power?

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7. Another feature of the introduction that you will notice in most good writing is the way the
landscape takes on a personality and reflects the mood of the people.
1. What memory of the past do the Rin people have?

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2. How can they learn about the past? What things do we use to see our past?

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When studying or writing a piece of fiction, you must consider the following features of the text:

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Writing a Fantastic Story
Style and Techniques
Remember that one of the elements of studying a text is to look at the style of writing or techniques
used by the writer. This exercise will help you to understand Emily Rodda!s writing style.

Similes and Metaphors

There are many ways of making your writing more creative. Two ways that add to the effect are
similes and metaphors. Similes and metaphors are used in many other types of writing —
advertising and poetry as well as novels — because they are such creative ways of describing
places, people events and feelings.

A simile is a comparison made from one thing to another using like or as ... as, eg The mountain
brooded against the grey sky like a vast ice sculpture.

This comparison draws our attention to the appearance of the mountain. We can visualise the scene
more effectively because of the simile

A metaphor is a comparison made without using like or as. The thing being described takes on the
properties of the thing it is compared to, eg Deep snow blanketed the valley.

In this metaphor the snow takes on the properties of a blanket which covers everything.
Next to the following write an S (simile) or an M (metaphor):

- Her claw-like hands

- The freezing air rushed in to his lungs like a knife
- The medallion hanging heavy as a great stone
- That was a human voice floating on waves of deathly cold
- The heat caught him like a web of invisible fire
- His heart was like a block of ice
- Every word she spoke fuelled her companions
- His heart thumping like a drum
- White boughs laced over their heads
- Teeth like shards of ice.

Personification
Sometimes, creative writers use personification for an effect. Personification is giving an object or
animal properties that are human, that is, making a thing or an animal into a person (personification),
eg a sulky dawn was breaking.

Sulky is a feeling or personality of humans so to say the dawn is sulky is to use personification
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Look at these examples and try to explain why they are personification. Write the same idea without
it being personification.

e.g. The flame will eat the air means the flame will use up all the air

- The moaning wind had dropped means _________________________________________________

- The mountain's heart means ___________________________________________________________

- The land was awakening means ________________________________________________________

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