ENGB35H3 Lecture Notes - Quentin Matsys, You Are Old, Father William, The Ugly Duchess
Document Summary
Fantasy fiction: as subgenre, depends on impossibility, the willing suspension of disbelief (coleridge) One way to distinguish between good and bad fantasy. If you can t suspend your disbelief, probs not any good: tells us about the real world. Despite or because of its fantastic elements: modern form of romance. 19th c, lewis caroll one of fathers of fantasy fiction: fantasy fiction and children s fiction begin in alice. Both depend on the valorisation of the imagination. Cultural significance cannot be overstated: jean piaget: fantasy key to child development. Completely different from 18th c, lockean perspective which is against fantasy or imagination. It s useless and will be confused with real life. Research suggests until the age of three, children have no difficulties identifying fantasy or real life. Even if they can t actually differentiate, they don t treat things as real. Stepping stone on the road to rational adulthood.
