Literary Text Types: Fantasy and Sci-Fi

This article is drawn from content originally included in PETAA Book A Literature Companion for Teachers 2nd Edition, written by Lorraine McDonald and published in 2017.

Fantasy

The word 'fantasy' comes from the Middle English (1275-1325) word fantasie meaning 'mental image' and 'imaginative faculty', and from phantasia, which is Greek for 'image'. Fantasy has been regarded as the genre that asserts the power of the human imagination because its writers invent worlds, characters and lifestyles beyond the here and now. Fantasy is enjoying a resurgent interest in contemporary culture, greatly assisted by the Harry Potter novels and films, by fantasy online games such as World of Warcraft and TV series such as Game of Thrones. 

The Middle Ages often provides a context for fantasy, 'everything from Robin Hood to The Hobbit, from picturebooks about witches to the castles, warriors and quests common to video games' (Bradofrd, 2017, p.17). Contemporary fantasy can take place not only in our 'natural' world but also in a 'super'-natural one. Young people need experience with folk and fairy tales to appreciate modern fantasy.

Types of Fantasy

There are three main ways that fantasy writers set up their worlds:

1. The fantasy is set in the real, primary world, but elements of magic intrude upon it, e.g. Mary Poppins (Travers, 1934/2008)

2. The fantasy starts in the real, primary world, then moves into a fantasy world, e.g. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe (Lewis, 1950/2009)

3. The fantasy begins and ends in ots own, secondary, or alternative world, e.g. The Hobbit (Tolkien, 1937/1998) or the Deltora series (Rodda, 2000).

Fantasy explores possibilities of the human imagination outside the boundaries of the 'real' world. It usually advocates the need for perseverance in the face of adversity.

Conventions of Fantasy:

  • characters cross a 'portal' or entry point between the primary and the aternative worlds
  • there is often a journey or a 'quest'
  • there may be underground caves and/or passages
  • time can be altered - called 'time-slip' or 'time-travel' fantasy
  • the past can merge with the present
  • the primary and alternative worlds may be parallel
  • stories often draw on myths and features of medieval traditions
  • settings can be in the future, in a virtual reality or in the paranormal (with ghosts present)
  • codes and chants often hold secrets
  • fictional countries have their own history, geography, maps, myths, legends and prophecies
  • characters can have powers and/or special qualities, such as seeing the future or mindreading
  • magical animals and beasts exist
  • animals are given human qualities, especially of speech - called 'anthropomorphism'
  • characters' names, habitats and clothing are often unusual and different to modern times
  • the narration and characters' speech may be formal at times
  • objects or clothing can have special powers
  • a frequent major theme is that evil exists in the world and needs to be overcome

See A Literature Companion for Teachers 2nd Edition, written by Lorraine McDonald for examples of classroom activities you can use with your students to explore fantasy texts.

Science Fiction

Science fiction (or sci-fi) for young readers follows most of the conventions of fantasy but also has some unique conventions. 

Science fiction explores the possibility of the existence of other universes, galaxies and living forms. It draws attention to new technology that, as history has shown, may be a future invention in the real world. 

Conventions of Sci-fi

  • the story is set in a future time and place
  • technology is important as writers create inventions - which may not always be invented for the greater good of humankind or our planet
  • the setting can be outside the boundaries of the real world
  • sometimes our known world has been destroyed by an environmental or nuclear disaster and characters have to survive in difficult conditions
  • humans (and sometimes inter-galactic creatures) battle to save the universe from evil powers

See A Literature Companion for Teachers 2nd Edition, written by Lorraine McDonald for examples of classroom activities you can use with your students to explore sci-fi texts.