Current developments at the intersection of fantasy fiction and British children's literature [Elektronische Ressource] / Anne-Kathrin Höfel

(Anne-Kathrin H\366fel)

Informations

• Publié par: ruprecht-karls-universitat_heidelberg
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 7
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Anne-Kathrin Höfel

Current Developments at the Intersection of Fantasy Fiction and
British Children’s Literature



Inauguraldissertation zur Erlangung des Grades eines Dr. phil.


Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

Abgabe: 22-12-2009
Disputation: 12-10-2010

Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Peter Paul Schnierer
Zweitgutachterin: Prof. Dr. Vera Nünning 2







“Isn’t it odd how much fatter a book gets when you’ve read it several times?” Mo
had said when, on Meggie’s last birthday, they were looking at all her dear old books again.
“As if something was left between the pages every time you read it. Feelings, thoughts,
sounds, smells ... and then, when you look at the book again many years later, you find
yourself there too, a slightly younger self, slightly different, as if the book had preserved you
like a pressed flower ... both strange and familiar.” (Funke, Inkspell, p. 61)


Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Dr. Peter Paul Schnierer. It is due to his
encouragement and continuous support that this study saw its completion. I am very grateful
for his suggestions and interest in the subject. Also, a “thank you” goes to Prof. Dr. Vera
Nünning, my second examiner.

I would like to thank my parents for their invaluable support throughout; words fail to
express my gratitude towards them.

Thanks go to my husband Robin, who, technically and mentally, accompanied me
through all the ups and downs.

Fred Moore gladly made constructive comments and critically proofread selected
chapters of the manuscript. Fred, thank you for your selfless commitment and dedication.
Pauline, thank you for your patience with us.

Finally, thanks go to my beloved friend Monica. You did not live to see the
completion of this study, but your unfailing belief in me and your never-ending,
unquestioning friendship will stay with me forever.

This is for you.


4
Table of Contents
0. Foreword.................................................................................................... 9
1. Introduction: Fantasy for British Children today............................... 13
1.1 Outline and aim of the project...................................................................................... 13
1.2 Procedure...................................................................................................................... 16
1.3 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 16
1.4 Definitions.................................................................................................................... 17
1.4.1 “Children”, “young adults” and “adults”: Phase-out models? ..................................... 17
1.4.1.1 “Children” 17
1.4.1.2 “Young adults”............................................................................................................. 19
1.4.1.3 “Adults”........................................................................................................................ 21
1.4.2 What is “Children’s Literature”?.................................................................................. 22
1.4.3 Fantasy ......................................................................................................................... 28
1.4.4 Varieties of fantasy....................................................................................................... 29
1.4.5 The intersection of contemporary British children’s literature and fantasy:
An outline of the field .................................................................................................. 38
1.5 The corpus .................................................................................................................... 39
2. A historical survey: The development of British
children’s fantasy.................................................................................... 45
3. Research report....................................................................................... 65
3.1 Situation of the contemporary research in British Children’s Literature ..................... 65
3.2 Children’s literature criticism....................................................................................... 67
3.3 Important representatives and their influence .............................................................. 68
4. Traditional elements in children’s fantasy........................................... 79
4.1 Magic............................................................................................................................ 80
4.1.1 Traditional magic ......................................................................................................... 80
5
4.1.2 Modern Magic .............................................................................................................. 82
4.1.3 Fantastic creatures ........................................................................................................ 82
4.1.4 High-tech magic ........................................................................................................... 89
4.2 Evil ............................................................................................................................... 98
4.2.1 Traditional roles of evil ................................................................................................ 99
4.2.2 New roles of evil 104
4.2.3 Evaluation................................................................................................................... 108
4.3 Violence ..................................................................................................................... 110
4.4 Humour....................................................................................................................... 129
4.4.1 Traditional humour..................................................................................................... 131
4.4.2 Modern humour.......................................................................................................... 134
5. Modern structures ................................................................................ 147
5.1 Computergamisation of fantasy novels? .................................................................... 147
5.2 Primary and secondary worlds ................................................................................... 149
5.2.1 Structure and function of primary and secondary worlds .......................................... 152
5.2.2 Parallels and differences between primary and secondary worlds............................. 153
5.2.3 An exemplary comparison of different secondary world models .............................. 155
5.2.4 Alternative worlds ...................................................................................................... 166
5.3 The modern quest ....................................................................................................... 168
5.3.1 Definition of the traditional quest .............................................................................. 169
5.3.2 New elements and aims of the quest .......................................................................... 170
5.4 Child heroes................................................................................................................ 173
5.4.1 The traditional child hero ........................................................................................... 174
5.4.2 Modern child heroes................................................................................................... 176
5.4.3 Their background ....................................................................................................... 177
5.4.4 Absence of authority .................................................................................................. 179
5.4.5 The fellowship............................................................................................................ 181
5.4.6 The hero’s crisis of identity, his transition and initiation........................................... 184
5.4.7 Responsibilities, duties and conflicts ......................................................................... 191
5.4.8 Gender ........................................................................................................................ 197
5.4.9 The contemporary hero: A stocktaking...................................................................... 199
6
6. Formal innovations............................................................................... 203
6.1 Canon ......................................................................................................................... 203
6.1.1 Is there a canon in this genre? - The classics ............................................................. 204
6.1.2 Towards a (new) canon in British children’s fantasy................................................. 206
6.2 Allalderslitteratur ....................................................................................................... 209
6.3 Single versus dual address............