Fantasy: Difference between revisions

Low Fantasies are set in the real world with magical components.<ref>"Low Fantasy." <i>Low Fantasy</i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 July 2015. http://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/low-fantasy.html </ref> Low Fantasy can be described as an opposition to High Fantasy with non rational events occurring in a rational setting.  It does not consist of magical creatures or land. Low Fantasy stories mainly focus on the individual’s daily life.Harry Potter is an example of a very popular Low Fantasy novel. The series showcases the adventures of a young wizard. Harry’s quest is to overcome the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort wants to become immortal and conquer the wizard world. His plan is to destroy all of the people in his way. American Gods is another novel that displays Low Fantasy.<ref>"Neil's Work." "Neil's Work  |  Books  |  American Gods." Neil Gaiman  |  Neil's Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 July 2015. http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/American+Gods/in/180/</ref> The point of this story was that gods and mythical creatures existed simply because people believed in them. Immigrants brought spirits and gods with them to the United States.The conflict is the war between the new gods and the old ones.

==='''Dark Fantasies'''===

Sword and sorcery is characterized by heroes engaging in action and violence in fast paced stories. <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_and_sorcery</ref> Tales of sword and sorcery are narrowly focused unlike [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fantasy High Fantasy] stories which focus more on personal stakes and are self-contained.  

Folklore comes from tales passed down by word of mouth. It’s made up of informal expressions passed around long enough to have become recurrent in form and content, but changeable in performance.<ref>Grey, Elspeth. "Folklore: An Appeal to Fantasy Authors to Get It Right." That Character Dies. 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 2 July 2015. <https://thatcharacterdies.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/folklore-an-appeal-to-fantasy-authors-to-get-it-right/>.</ref> This sub-genre consist of myths, legends, fables, and fairy tales. Myth is that which occurs in time-out-of-time. A myth is concerned with why the world is the way it is, and so unfolds in a setting that is distinct from time or place as it is currently recognized.<ref>Grey, 2013</ref> It is stories from every culture, that, for centuries have explained natural phenomena and answered questions people have about the human condition: origin and creation stories, stories about life, death and life after death.<ref>http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-fable-folktale-myth-legend-differences-and-examples.html</ref> Legend occurs in “historical time” although it typically mixes fact with fiction. Usually with legends there is doubt about its credibility. They are unexplained tales warped by the human imagination. A legend can be either about a person or a place. For example, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Atlantis are all types of legends. Fables are described as a didactic lesson given through some sort of animal story.<ref>http://literarydevices.net/fable/</ref> In Western society, the most common fables are by Aesop, consisting of short stories like The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Ant and the Grasshopper. Fairytales are short stories, typically with no author, but it still can be recognized despite many variations of the story. A fairytale is similar to myths, legends and fables. It can be either told orally or in text, the content of the story can come from historical content, and usually have a moral at the end of the story. Fairytales typically feature European folkloric fantasy characters, such as dwarfs, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, mermaids, trolls, or witches, and usually magic or enchantments.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_tale</ref> These type of stories withstand long periods of time because they are an embodiment of a culture, contain fundamental human truths by which people have lived for centuries, or they are simply entertaining.<ref>http://www2.nkfust.edu.tw/~emchen/CLit/Folk_lit.htm</ref>

==='''Magic Realism'''===

Unlike most fantasy pieces, magical realism does not use imaginary or unseen devices such as angels or ghosts to make the story fanatical. Magical realism stresses normal element of the world to make the setting of the story to make the reader feel like they are in a different world. Readers are often can view the reality it two different ways. With magical elements amplifying the state of mind of the reader, time and space are often challenged and the identity is often broken.<ref>"Magical Realism." Magical Realism. Web. 3 July 2015. <http://www3.dbu.edu/mitchell/magical.htm></ref>  

Popular authors of the New Weird include China Mieville, Richard Calder, Jonathan Carroll, James Morrow, John Crowley, and many more.<ref>Davies, Alice."Science Fiction Research Association." New Weird 101. 2010. Web. 2 July 2015. <http://www.sfra.org/sf101newweird>.</ref>

Romance fantasy stories share the same basic story line. The heroine has lost her place in society and must form new relationships, including social, political, and romantic relationships, in order to gain acceptance elsewhere.  The heroine usually possesses magical powers and falls in love with a man who is also capable of performing magic. However, the magic in romance fantasy is much gentler. The heroine and the hero discover together how their powers can be used in order to restore good. Unlike realistic novels, romantic fantasy novels can end unhappily. Although there is little to no violence, non-graphic sex is common.<ref>"Romantic Fantasy." Best Fantasy Books. Web. 26 June 2015. http://bestfantasybooks.com/romantic-fantasy.html</ref>

==Fantasy in Media==