I'm so excited to be starting the fantasy portion of our class. These next few weeks will prove to be very intriguing since fantasy is one of my favorite genres. I've been reading fantasy fiction since I was young and I've enjoyed every second of it. In fact, I think most students can say the same. As kids, it's almost mandatory that we watch fantasy films or read fairytales. Take the animated Disney classics for example; what child didn't watch every Disney film that ever hit the screen? After we "grew out" of our animated Disney classics phase (unless you go to art school :) ), we were greeted by "Harry Potter", "Chronicles of Narnia", and "Lord of the Rings".
I think the fantasy genre strikes a special chord with people of all ages and cultures. It allows us to escape from the dreary reality of our world and transports us into a fantasy land where our worries don't exist anymore. I can't tell you the number of times I've picked up a fantasy book or flipped on the television to watch a fantasy film in order to reduce stress. The moment my eyes hit the page, my worries seem to melt away.
I think this is why so many adults shamelessly admit to loving fantasy series geared towards a younger audience. I know that my mother, for example, is a massive "Harry Potter" fan. After I had finished the series, I lent her my books and she loved them. I found myself calling through the house trying to find her, only to stumble upon her totally engrossed in a "Harry Potter" book, not even aware that I needed her for something. As an accountant, even she was shocked at the way the series drew her in; she had previously been reading non-fiction or serious fiction books. Ever since she began the "Harry Potter" series though, it seems that everything she reads has a hint of fantasy at the very least. I never understand why some people give each other a hard time for liking books such as "Harry Potter" or "Lord of the Rings". Who wouldn't want to experience the joys of a made-up place?
I also think it's much easier for readers to connect to fantasy characters than it is for us to connect to characters from more serious pieces of literature. Since the characters are part of a fantasy world, it's much easier for us to believe things about them that we may not believe about normal, every day characters. We are much less critical when it comes to these characters, especially since they tend to face much stranger and more difficult hardships than characters from "normal" fiction.
I can't wait to see what's in store for our class these next few weeks. Fantasy is definitely one of the most emotionally stimulating genres out there.
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