Fantasy according
to The Oxford Dictionary is a genre of imaginative fiction involving magic and
adventure, especially in a setting other than the real world. Many fantasy
stories involve adventure as a key feature. Characters may discover portals to
other worlds or discover hidden magic, wonder and surprise in our own world. Other
story series populate imaginary worlds with mythical beasts, power-seeking
tyrants and more.
Characters
adventure through worlds where the impossible is possible. Exploring the
impossible is another common element in fantasy. Magical wands may weave spells
that defy the laws of physics as we know them. Other times magic is spoken,
chanted, or ripples through land and landscape.
Let’s
explore individual elements of fantasy, with examples from books that suggest
how to use each well:
1. Magic
The
word magic comes from the Greek magikos, from magos. This means one of the
members of the learned and priestly class. This explains how magic, in fantasy,
is often associated with learning, with complex books and rituals.
Magic
has its roots in the idea of arcane knowledge the ordinary person cannot
access. We can also trace the word back to the Old Persion magush, meaning ‘to be able, to have power’. Thus ideas of
‘learning’ and ‘power’ supplement its modern definition as the power of
apparently influencing events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.
Magic
in great books takes many forms. Apprentice wizards duel with wands; a witch
casts a spell over a kingdom, plunging it into eternal winter and destroys a
secondary world by speaking ‘the Deplorable Word’. This shows an important
element of fantasy: Words have power. It ties back to the idea of priestly
learning, of the idea that magic is a wonderful (yet potentially deadly)
knowledge.
2. Adventure
Adventure
in fantasy is common, from bands of travelling, questing heroes to girls who
fall down magical rabbit holes. It often features another meaning of magic: A
quality of being beautiful and delightful in a way that seems remote from daily
life. It takes us to places that seem
remote from daily life, full of new joys and discoveries, or even dangers.
This
element means an unusual and exciting or daring experience, as well as excitement
associated with danger or the taking of risks.
Fantasy
is full of these elements. Characters take new risks, whether it be riding into
battle to confront a mysterious, supernatural foe, or simply trying a magical
delicacy in a fantastical sweet shop.
3. Struggle for mastery
Themes
of struggle and mastery are found in many forms throughout many fantasy stories.
Part of this is due to fantasy’s origins in ideas of arcane, special, yet
volatile and dangerous knowledge. The initiate often must learn to control the
unpredictable surges of wild magic, to trace or utter the right thing to
achieve the desired effect.
This
process of struggle and mastery is often shown in character development.
Sometimes characters use power irresponsibly.
4. Place/ Setting
Because
of its exploration of the other worldly and the supernatural, place is a key
aspect of many fantasy stories. Some places are created through magic.
In
fantasy, we often strongly experience both characters’ effects on their world,
and their worlds effects and influence on them. Also, world-building is an
important process as it makes a fantasy world believable.
Yet
each of these world details is also woven in so that it is relevant to whatever
characters are experiencing at the time.
On
the other hand, Reality consists of
stories that could have actually occurred to people or animals in a believable
setting. These stories resemble real life, and fictional characters within
these stories react similarly to real people. Stories that are classified as reality
have plots that highlight social or personal events or issues that mirror
contemporary life, such as falling in love, marriage, finding a job, divorce,
alcoholism, etc. They depict our world and our society.
Characteristics of Realistic Stories
A
quick way to classify a story as realistic is to identify the following
characteristics within that literary work:
1. Realistic stories tend to
take place in the present or recent past.
2. Characters are involved
in events that could happen.
3. Characters live in places
that could be or are real.
4. The characters seem like
real people with real issues solved in a realistic way (so say goodbye to
stories containing vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, dragons, zombies, etc.).
5. The events portrayed in
realistic fiction raise questions that a reader could face in everyday life.
Sources: Retrieved at https://www.nownovel.com/blog/elements-of-fantasy/
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