Year 8: English -What is Fantasy?

What is Fantasy? 

You will need to digitally publish and present a 500 word Fantasy story

Fantasy stories  contain one or more of the following elelments:

• Magic - charms, spells or rituals are used in order to produce a supernatural event. It's something that we humans are unable to perform, so we are intrigued by it.
• Other worlds - characters either travel between this world and the other, or the story is set in an entirely new world
• Universal Themes - e.g. good vs evil or the power of love
• Heroism - how ordinary people respond in difficult circumstances. They themselves often don't know of their powers or abilities until they are called upon to perform heroic feats; or they may be guided by a larger, more powerful force
• Fantastic objects - these help the characters perform their task
• Speaking animals - can either talk to humans, or talk only amongst themselves
• Special character types - fairies, giants, ogres, dragons, witches, zombies, vampires. A good author can shape the character in such a way that the reader has no problem believing it could exist

Click here to find a list of Fantasy books available from our library.

Fantasy Writing Tips

• Creating a Realistic Fantasy World

  To make your fantasy world realistic, you need to set up rules and make sure you characters obey them.

.

The Twelve steps of the Hero's Journey

1. The Ordinary World

   Our reader first meets our potential hero in his natural place in the world up to now. Typically it is a happy and harmonious place like a village or town.

2. Call to Adventure

   This is where everything begins to change. Something beckons our character into action or into adventure. Typically something terrible has happened or will happen if action isn't taken.

3. Refusal of Call/Reluctant Hero

   This isn't a mandatory step but it often happens and for a variety of reasons. Our character may be immature, too young, frightened, insecure, or simply happy with his life exactly the way it is. Why am I the one being summoned here? is a common response. I am no hero, surely there is a real hero out there that can handle this.

4. Meeting Wise Mentor

   After our hero has committed to doing the quest a mentor will appear and offer help. Sound like Gandalf?

5. The First Threshold

   The adventure actually begins. Our potential hero takes the steps and leaves the comfort of his current life and moves out into the adventure.

6. Tests, Allies and Enemies

   These are the challenges and trials that our hero faces along the way. Often time these trials come in threes.

7. Supreme Ordeal

   This is the big test, often time it is the lowest point or darkest time that our hero faces. It is often needed to break through and become the hero or new self.

8. Revisiting the Mentor

   The mentor or wise one returns and new lessons are taught that enable our hero to continue on with the journey.

9. Return with New Knowledge

   Wisdom that has been gained is brought back and used to benefit.

10. Seizing the Sword (or Prize)

    Here the hero confronts and defeats old enemies with the new power and knowledge gained. He is able to overthrow or defeat the opponent.

11. Resurrection

    This can be a real resurrection or a metaphorical one where the hero is reborn into a new and more capable self, now a better and new person able to accomplish more.

12. Return with Elixir

This is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It can be an actual object like an elixir, potion or medicine which typically grants immortality. Or it can mean an achievement of balance between the spiritual and material worlds. The hero feels the freedom to live without the fear of death.

WATCH - The myth of Oisin