Required readings
·
Essentials of Children’s Literature, Chapter 9, Fantasy and Science Fiction
· One (1) fantasy or science fiction book of your choice, which you can borrow from your local library:
·
·
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
·
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
· one of the fantasy or science fiction books recommended in
Essentials of Children’s Literature Chapter 9
Remember that you can search for books using the
Links to Children’s Books Online
page of the Course Information documents for additional reading ideas.
Assignment 1 – 1 ½ pages – MLA
In
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, Bruno Bettelheim argues that:
The child intuitively comprehends that although these stories are
unreal, they are not
untrue; that while what these stories tell about does not happen in fact, it must happen as inner experience and personal development; that fairy tales depict in imagery and symbolic form the essential steps in growing up and achieving an independent existence (73).
Bettelheim, Bruno.
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. Knopf, 1976.
In two paragraphs:
1. Identify and very briefly describe one book you have chosen to read. What is the main plot and who are the main characters?
2. How does Bettelheim’s insight about fairy tales apply to the works of fantasy and/or science fiction that you have chosen? Make sure to post two well-developed paragraphs.
Assignment 2 – 3 pages – MLA
This essay is based on the fantasy/science fiction book that you chose to read:
·
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
·
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
· one of the fantasy or science fiction books recommended in
Essentials of Children’s Literature Chapter 9
Write 3- pages, double spaced) analyzing your chosen work of fantasy and/or science fiction in terms of how the alternate world that the book suggests reflects or critiques the historic and/or cultural context that produced it. In other words, look at the time the book was written. Are there any parallels in the fantasy book with what may have been occurring politically, historically, socially, or culturally?
For example, if there is famine or a pandemic in the fantasy or science fiction book, was there a pandemic or famine during the author’s time in our world? Or does a recently written fantasy or science fiction book contain real world contemporary symbols, such as cars, smartphones, streaming services, Starbucks and the like? Look at the film
Avatar, for example
. It is fantasy and science fiction, yet its underlying themes reflect colonization of another planet and exploitation of the planet’s resources with blatant disregard for the indigenous people who live there. Similar occurrences take place on our planet now and have done so historically.
Make specific references to your book, considering the following:
· how the text/s reflects social, cultural, and/or historical conditions
· what the author/s intended to critique and how they created that critique (e.g., through characters, symbols, settings, etc.)
Remember:
· Support your ideas with specific references to concepts in your textbook
· Please double-space and use 12 pt. font
· Cite all references using
MLA format
· If applicable, you may also bring in additional resources or appropriately cited images.
· Submit your essay as a Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX) or Rich Text file. (no .pdfs)
