1. Introduction
This paper presents the fields of Children’s and Young Adult Literature , Fantasy Literature and both fields in context. It will firstly discuss different approaches to these fields and specify them with a description of their historical developments – especially in Great Britain, the US and Germany. The focus will lie on a specific literary piece of work – the “Harry Potter” series, containing 7 volumes, written by Joanne K. Rowling, and firstly published originally in England in 1997. This series shall be applied to the theoretical background of fantastic ChL and YAL, so that motifs, figures, narrating techniques, and intentions are considered. The paper will conclude with a justification about what “Harry Potter” really is in a literary sense: A work of fantastic ChL and YAL.
2. What are „Children’s Literature“ and „Young Adult Literature“?
2.1 Definitions
Both terms “Children’s Literature” and “Young Adult Literature” are ambiguous and thus not very easy to define. For instance, one may ask, whether ChL is written by children, read by children, written about children, written about what interests children, or written for children. One might generally answer that the notion of “Children’s Literature” includes a bit of everything (except the first aspect because children usually do not write literature).
Hunt (1996: 17) also refers to these controversies when attempting to define the term. Firstly, he puts it in rather general words: “it is a category of books the existence of which absolutely depends on supposed relationships with a particular reading audience: children.” This statement defines the target group of ChL what means that Hunt sees it as literature which is read by children. However, this definition does not clarify the notion regarding the characteristics of its field. Many critiques say that the term includes “books which are good for children and most particularly good in terms of emotional and moral values” (Hunt, 1996: 17). But what are emotionally and morally good values, and who decides what they are? This leads to the question, whether ChL is specifically written for children. In this case, authors of such literature decide what is good as well as the parents or teachers who decide to let children read it.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What are „Children’s Literature“ and „Young Adult Literature“?
2.1 Definitions
2.2 Historical developments in Great Britain, USA and Germany
3. What are “Fantasy” and “Fantasy Literature”?
3.1 Definitions
3.2 Sub-genres of Fantasy Literature
3.2.1 Allegorical Fantasy and Literary Fairy Tales
3.2.2 Animal Fantasy
3.2.3 Ghost Fantasy
3.2.4 Alternate Worlds or Histories
3.2.5 Myth Fantasy
3.2.6 Humorous Fantasy
3.2.7 Magic Adventure Fantasy
3.2.8 Time Travel Fantasy
3.2.9 Witchcraft and Sorcery Fantasy
4. Development of Fantasy Literature for children and young adults in Great Britain, the United States and Germany
5. Analysis of fantastic children’s and young adult literature
5.1 Motifs
5.2 Figures
5.3 Narrating techniques
6. Intentions, functions and perception
7. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper explores the landscape of Children's and Young Adult Literature (ChL/YAL) with a specialized focus on the genre of Fantasy. The central research question examines how specific literary features, such as motifs, narrative techniques, and figures, manifest within the "Harry Potter" series and whether this series serves as a definitive example of fantastic ChL and YAL.
- Historical evolution of Children's and Young Adult Literature in Britain, the US, and Germany.
- Categorization and defining characteristics of sub-genres within Fantasy Literature.
- Analytical frameworks for interpreting fantastic literature, including psychoanalytical and structuralist approaches.
- The specific application of fantastic narrative techniques and motifs within the "Harry Potter" series.
- Intentions, functions, and the global perception of "Harry Potter" within the context of maturity and adolescence.
Excerpt from the Book
5.1 Motifs
The underlying definition of “motif” is given by Frenzel (in Dahl, 1986: 110): “kleinere stoffliche Einheit, die zwar noch nicht einen ganzen Plot, eine Fabel umfaßt, aber doch bereits ein inhaltliches, situationsgemäßes Element darstellt.“ One of such elements is the „animation of inorganic or material creatures or figures” (Dahl, 1986: 110). This is typical of “Harry Potter”. For example, there are the staircases “that sometimes go different places” (Clark, 2003: 165) in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there is the Sorting Hat which becomes alive, when the freshmen in school have to get sorted into the school houses, and also chessmen become animate, when Harry, Ron and Hermione are playing a chess match in HP2. Dahl (1986: 110) asserts that the aim of the animation is the “Anthropomorphisierung” of guises.
A similar kind of motif is the metamorphosis. There often are shape shifters in fantastic stories, who transform their outer appearances either from organic to other organic stages, or from organic to inorganic stages (Dahl, 1986: 111). In “Harry Potter” there also are such shape-shifting characters; e. g. Professor McGonagall changes herself from time to time in a cat, which happens for instance in HP1 during a lesson at Hogwarts. Also Professor Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettygrew are so-called “animagis”, who transform themselves into wolves or rats in HP3. Another example of metamorphosis is the Boggart in the wardrobe, which is able to transform into anything other people are afraid of. Harry and his class once have to fight a Boggart during a lesson with Professor Lupin in HP3.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the scope of the paper, focusing on the context of ChL/YAL and the specific application of these theories to the "Harry Potter" series.
2. What are „Children’s Literature“ and „Young Adult Literature“?: This chapter defines the ambiguous terms of ChL and YAL and traces their historical developments in Britain, the USA, and Germany.
3. What are “Fantasy” and “Fantasy Literature”?: The author provides a definition of fantasy and categorizes the field into various sub-genres like Animal Fantasy, Ghost Fantasy, and High Fantasy.
4. Development of Fantasy Literature for children and young adults in Great Britain, the United States and Germany: This section details the historical timeline of fantasy literature, highlighting major milestones and authors across three nations.
5. Analysis of fantastic children’s and young adult literature: This chapter provides a deep dive into the motifs, figures, and narrating techniques used in fantastic literature, specifically using "Harry Potter" as a case study.
6. Intentions, functions and perception: The author examines the psychological and functional intentions behind fantasy literature, focusing on its role in adolescent development and its global reception.
7. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, confirming "Harry Potter" as a significant work of fantasy literature that transcends traditional age-based readership barriers.
Keywords
Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature, Fantasy Literature, Harry Potter, Joanne K. Rowling, Motifs, Metamorphosis, Witchcraft and Sorcery, Narrating Techniques, Literary Analysis, Adolescent Development, Sub-genres, High Fantasy, Magical Props, Reader-oriented literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper primarily examines the intersections of Children's and Young Adult Literature with the genre of Fantasy, using the "Harry Potter" series as a primary case study to illustrate theoretical concepts.
What are the main thematic fields explored?
The research covers historical development, definitions of sub-genres, narratological analysis, and the educational/psychological functions of fantasy literature.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to apply established theoretical frameworks of fantastic literature to the "Harry Potter" series to justify its status as a canonical work of fantastic Children's and Young Adult Literature.
Which scientific methods are employed for analysis?
The author utilizes literary studies and structuralist approaches, specifically drawing upon analysis methods from researchers like Dahl, to deconstruct motifs, narrative structures, and character roles.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates the historical context of the genres, provides a classification of sub-genres (e.g., Time Travel, Ghost Fantasy), and analyzes specific elements like metamorphosis, magical props, and point-of-view techniques.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Children's Literature, Fantasy, Harry Potter, Adolescent Development, Motifs, and Narrating Techniques.
How does the author define the "underworld" in fantasy?
The author, referencing Dahl, defines the underworld as a landscape motive frequently inhabited by evil characters, where protagonists face their most significant challenges, such as Harry's entry into the Chamber of Secrets.
How is the "Harry Potter" series positioned regarding its target audience?
The author concludes that while it is technically ChL/YAL, the massive adult readership and the complexity of the themes make it a broader literary phenomenon that transcends the original target demographic.
- Quote paper
- Evelyn Schmitz (Author), 2007, Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/87507
