Defining Fantasy Lit & Basic Plot Structure

Defining Fantasy Fantasy is a form of speculative fiction which is often said to ‘define the indefinable’. As a genre it has very strong links with, and is informed by, traditional literature forms. Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting.

Essentials of Fantasy Lit Journey (Quest) A human willfulness in the face of the unknown to explore beyond your home or realm Potential for Good & Ill Provide the possibilities of freedom and power, and the human struggle with loss and renewal Magic Some type of power either through spells, magical texts, etc. or a power either benevolent or dangerous

Question for Discussion: Can Ranger’s Apprentice still be considered fantasy when it doesn’t include magic? Why/why not? What else makes it fantasy? Does it have magical aspects? Does it have a Quest? Does it portray potential for Good and Ill?

Basic Plot Structure There are 6 steps in a narrative plot arc or a basic plot structure Exposition Conflict Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution

Ranger’s Apprentice ‘His mother died in childbirth. His father died a hero. Please care for him. His name is Will.’ (p. 10) Use the plot of Ranger’s Apprentice to fill in the basic plot structure outline I have provided to you – make sure you use details from the text to support why these events fit into each category of the plot.

Fantasy Lit & Themes

Theme As we spoke about yesterday, a literary theme is an insight about human life that’s revealed in a literary work. Good literature has multiple themes that can be supported by the text. To come up with a theme statement, think about topics explored in the text and then ask yourself, what is the author trying to tell me about that topic?

Theme A good writer can develop themes in multiple ways: character, setting, symbolism, etc. Themes are a launching point for literary criticism and to help us understand the text better.

Theme Activity In groups of 2 or 3 you will explore some of the essential themes in Ranger’s Apprentice. Choose 3 of the 5 topics from the left column your group wants to work with, then read the key quotes (text evidence) that develop those topics. As a group develop a theme statement (1 sentence) for each of the 3 selected topics. Next, become a literary critic! In a well-written paragraph your group will respond to the questions that challenge your theme statements.

Character and Setting

Characterization The step by step process wherein an author introduces and then describes a character. The character can be described directly by the author and/or indirectly through the actions, thoughts, and speech of the character. Characters are important to literature because they can drive the narrative (as opposed to plot-driven).

Setting The time and geographical location of a narrative Helps to initiate the main backdrop and mood of the story Elements of setting may include: Culture (local color) Historical context Climate

Characters in Ranger’s Apprentice Will, the orphaned hero Halt, the Ranger and Mentor to Will Baron Arald, the Lord of Redmont Fief Horace, former wardmate to Will who goes to Battleschool Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night George, former wardmate to Will, goes to school to become a lawyer Alyss, former wardmate to Will, goes to school to become a diplomat Jenny, former wardmate to Will, goes to school to become a cook

Postcard Assignment Write a postcard from the point of view of a character of you choice to another character of your choice. Your postcard should use details from the text to demonstrate an understanding of the following: The character’s unique point of view, thoughts, attitude and conflict The relationship between the two characters On the other side, creatively represent the character and or/ setting to complete your postcard.

Point of View and Conflict

Point of View How the story is told—more specifically, who tells it. There are two distinctly different types of point of view and each of those two types has two variations.

Point of View In the First Person point of view, the story is told by a character within the story, a character using the first person pronoun, I. If the narrator is the main character, the point of view is first person protagonist. Mark Twain lets Huck Finn narrate his own story in this point of view. If the narrator is a secondary character, the point of view is first person observer. Arthur Conan Doyle lets Sherlock Holmes’ friend Dr. Watson tell the Sherlock Holmes story. Doyle frequently gets credit for telling detective stories this way, but Edgar Allan Poe perfected the technique half a century earlier.

Point of View How the story is told—more specifically, who tells it. There are two distinctly different types of point of view and each of those two types has two variations.

Conflict In the Third Person point of view, the story is not told by a character but by an “invisible author,” using the third person pronoun (he, she, or it) to tell the story. Instead of Huck Finn speaking directly to us, “My name’s Huckleberry Finn” and telling us “I killed a pig and spread the blood around so people would think I’d been killed”, the third person narrator would say: “He killed a pig and spread the blood….. If the third person narrator gives us the thoughts of characters (He wondered where he’d lost his baseball glove), then he is a third person omniscient (all knowing) narrator. If the third person narrator only gives us information which could be recorded by a camera and microphone (no thoughts), then he is a third person dramatic narrator.