Chapter 7: Modern Fantasy By: Karen Beckman, Becky Donjon, Jenny Weber, and Kara Yelliott

Evaluating Modern Fantasy: Suspending Disbelief Plot –The author’s ability to make readers suspend disbelief and accept possibly to that the story could have happened is one of the greatest requirements for modern fantasy.

Characterization –Character from whose point of view a story is told, must be believable for readers to suspend disbelief. –Characters must be internally coherent as well as assessable to the readers. –Make characters believable through language.

Point of View –Authors must decide which point of view best facilitates a believable telling of a story and then sustain that point of view in order to persuade readers to keep suspending disbelief in the fantastic elements of the story. –Three persuasive parts to fantasy: identifiable laws that always work hero/heroine that is often lost things end justly but not always happily

Creating a World: Setting If a story is to be credible, the author must develop the setting so completely that the reader can see, hear, and feel it. –Lots of detail

Universal Themes Memorable modern fantasy develop themes related to universal struggles, values and emotions, constant battle between good and evil, faith and social perseverance, personal and social responsibility, love and friendship. –Kids easily identify with such themes.

Evaluation Criteria While considering the literary elements that fantasy genre requires, consider the questions on page 353 when selecting modern fantasy to share with children.

Bridges Between Traditional and Modern Fantasy Literary Folktales –Some authors of fantasy have deliberately attempted to replicate the “once upon a time” of traditional folktales.

Religious and Ethical Allegory –Religious themes provide strong links between traditional and modern fantasy. Mythical Quests and Conflicts –Quests for lost objects set the stage between traditional myths and legends and modern fantasy.

Categories of Modern Fantasy Articulate animals Toys that come alive Prosperous characters and situations Strange and curious worlds Time warps

Helping Children Recognize, Understand, and Enjoy Elements in Fantasy Encourage the students to identify and discuss what makes each story modern fantasy. (note questions on page 386) Be sure to remind students that they will not find all of these altered elements in every piece of modern fantasy. Recognition of setting would be to have students close their eyes and listen.

Pointing out the author’s use of similes and metaphors helps students understand the story. Allegory, irony, figurative language, and traditional elements cause confusion for many readers. –Picture books can help children understand the more complex elements in modern fantasy.

Interpreting Modern Fantasy Through Art: What better than imagination as a tool for illustration? Well Illustrated Fantasy Selections Provide Children With: –the ability to respond to the illustrations –the ability to compare illustrations of same stories and critically evaluate them. –The ability to receive, process, reflect, and respond to pictures.

A Three Stage Process –Have children describe what is happening in the illustrations and how artists present the story. –Consider how different artists approach the same point in the story. –Let children decide which version they like best and why.

Let Children Extend Their Appreciation of Fantasy Through Art Activities Murals and Frieze: children work together in group to create one large picture. Collages, Montages, and Mosaics: use objects to portray meaning. Shadowboxes: 3-D environment.

Science Fiction Science Fiction is: –about various possibilities –stories about what could happen –about making the impossible, possible

Advantages Using imagination Creativity of characters, plot, and setting Create a world where science interacts with every area of society Can incorporate with other areas of education

Disadvantages Provides fake hopes of something that does not exist can create a phobia about people who are different