Week 7: The Novel of Spiritual Education

 
I have had a copy of Erin Morgenstern's, The Night Circus, on my shelf for months now. I've been longing to read it, yet never had the time to spare. Finally, I was given that chance to sit and read it, well most of it that is.
   Like most fantasy series I've read, despite the fantasy setting, the characters are typically relatable. Celia's and Marco's challenge along with the high expectations placed on them by their parental figures puts a heavy burden on their shoulders, which many young adults can relate to. No matter how much they wish to escape their destiny, they are still bound to it and try to play around it. The novel differs from other fantasy books because of how the main characters want to shake off a destiny that was built for them. Since I have yet to finish reading, I will find out if they do or do not soon (hopefully).
   Overall, I really enjoy the book thus far. I especially enjoyed reading the different perspectives. I've formed a slight attachment to Widget and Poppet, probably the two most intuitive twins I've encountered in literature. Morgenstern's picturesque style of writing is wonderful, though it does leave me craving for more. I hope to elaborate more in this post once I have finished reading the entire novel.

Week 6: Classic Fantasy

As a lover of the fantasy genre, I have always had a hard time considering myself a true fan of the genre since I never had read any of Tolkien's work. Well, I can finally deem myself worthy of being called a fantasy fan, now that I have read The Hobbit (I have read 1/3rd of The Fellowship of the Ring, if that counts for anything).
   The Hobbit was definitely a pleasure to read, considering Tolkien wrote the story for his children, it's not surprising that the style it is written is is very much as if he was sitting by your bedside reading the story to you. Breaking the fourth wall and teasing the reader of future events in the book that have yet to happen. His description of characters, their voices, and the world they live in serve as a buffet for the imagination. You can hear Gollum's hissing within all his lines and the goblins grotesque descriptions and their aggressive chants created a clear image of what they looked like in my head. Tolkien's world creation is really the highlight of his story, as well as every fantasy story ever written. I do believe a well developed world is the core to creating an escape from reality into fantasy. Whether it be a world we would want to go to (ex. Middle-Earth) or a world we would rather stay clear from (ex. Westeros). Though, considering that these worlds still contain the as many dangers as the real world possesses, along with the struggles and hardships the characters must face, it's hard to consider some of these stories as a way of escaping reality. In the end, it's just a reflection of our own world, plus a dragon or two.
  Tolkien has obviously influenced other fantasy writers, so as a fan of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, it was a nice to see where a lot of his inspiration is drawn from, even if he writes "low fantasy". Even J.K. Rowling follows the tradition of the hero's quest in the Harry Potter series.
 

Week 5: Witches

 
Witches have increasingly become a popular subject in media, especially being portrayed in a positive light. Typically, they focus on women and therefore explore the many archetypes that us ladies are condensed to, whether being femme fatale or the young naive maiden. Though, considering the many archetypes that have evolved over time, they have stemmed from just simply being stereotypes.
   The idea of witches usually creates a matriarchal system within a narrative, which may result in a positive or negative outlook. In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, witches are portrayed in both a positive and negative light, the Wicked Witch of the West is portrayed as vile and cruel whereas Glinda is seen as beautiful and a shrine of goodness. In the classic 1960's television show, Bewitched, Samantha is by far the most likeable character, along with Endora and fellow witches. Though, it could be argued, that Bewitched can be seen as a way of domesticating women, considering Samantha is trying to conform to Darrin's human world, yet she still has her rebellious streaks. It is the 60's though, so it's not surprising. As we approach the modern day, our idea of women with power begins to shift into the positive light. For example, in Kiki's Delivery Service, the women in power are glorified rather than looked down on, they're respected and admired.