Fantasy literature, often derided as superficial and escapist, is one of the most popular and enduring genres of fiction worldwide. It is also—perhaps surprisingly—thought-provoking, structurally complex, and relevant to contemporary society, as the essays in this volume attest. The scholars, teachers, and authors represented here offer their perspectives on this engaging genre. Within these pages, a reader will find a wealth of ideas to help teachers use these texts in the classroom, challenging students to read fantasy with a critical eye. They employ interdisciplinary, philosophical, and religious lenses, as well as Marxist and feminist critical theory, to help students unlock texts. The books discussed include epic fantasy by such authors as Tolkien and Le Guin, children’s fantasy by Beatrix Potter and Saint-Exupéry, modern fantasy by Rowling and Martin, and even fairy tales and comic books. The contributors offer provocations, questioning the texts and pushing the boundaries of meaning within the fantasy genre. And in doing so, they challenge readers themselves to ponder these tales more deeply. But through each of these chapters runs a profound love of the genre and a respect for those who produce such beautiful and moving stories. Furthermore, as with all the books in this series, this volume is informed by the tenets of critical pedagogy, and is focused on re-envisioning fantasy literature through the lens of social justice and empowerment. Prepare to be challenged and inspired as you read these explorations of a much-loved genre.
Chapter four is unique among the essays included here in that it offers a fantasy literature syllabus resource from which teachers can draw to fit the needs of their course and their students. This chapter is an aid for teachers contemplating designing either a full course on the intersection of critical thinking, fantasy literature, and religious studies or at least material for one or two lessons along these lines in a course in religious studies or English. The chapter surveys eight topics that might be addressed, including (1) defining key terms, (2) colonialism, (3) capitalism, (4) perspectivism and pragmatism, (5) feminism and queer theory, (6) interrogating the self, (7) royal ideology and the monomyth, and (8) critical pedagogy and reflexivity.
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Chapter five examines fairy tales using feminist criticism. Students often expect the women in these narratives to possess few choices, but this reductive mindset leads to students seeing the tales as mindless entertainment or as sinister sources of gender indoctrination. The chapter discusses an educational approach to fairy tales that reveals how notions of heteronormativity in the stories are produced by social codes and reader responses rather than inherent elements in the genre. Students learn to see fairy tales as cultural fantasies that continue to evolve as audience needs change.
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In chapter six, the authors identify a growing trend of female protagonists who show strength and agency in the fantasy genre, particularly strong female protagonists of color. In this chapter, they explain why Fledgling by Octavia Butler (2005) and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1987) would be suitable for critical literacy discussions in high school classrooms. The authors acknowledge the perspectives of feminist poststructuralism, queer theory, and critical pedagogy and also discuss scholarship related to fantasy literature. Additionally, they discuss how television shows, parallel texts, and popular culture references can be used in conjunction with these novels to encourage critical literacy skills. 5
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MARK A. FABRIZI Chapter seven addresses the way Beatrix Potters childrens fantasy literature frequently enforces gender and class expectations and marginalizes various characters. From the standpoint of critical literacy, Potters books are useful texts to study at the collegiate level, particularly because of their popularity and their intended audience. This chapter will approach The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck (1908), The Tale of Samuel Whiskers (1908), The Tale of Ginger and Pickles (1909), and The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse (1910) using Edward H. Behrmans categories of reading multiple texts and reading from a resistant perspective to critically analyze systems of power and the marginalization they produce.
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