This is... A couple of things. Help for my homework. A poll. Tl;dr
Anyway, I am currently making an assignment on fantasy, and I have gotten myself into a little trouble with one of my own questions. "What impression has fantasy (literature) done on this generation, and why is it popular these days?" Sooo... To get myself some material, and maybe some insight in what other people think, I am making this. So, what is your impression of Fantasy literature, why do you read it, what kind do you like the best.. And so on.
And yes, long(er) answers are preferable, as I have to be able to make some sense of your oppinion, thus "Fantasy is good" will get me slightly pissy.
Fantasy has allowed the average child to explore his/her own mental imagination. It allows them also to explore that of other people, often times in entire worlds created by another person.
I read fantasy for pure escapism. Social decline (i.e. chavs trying to stab me) drags my life down and its great to lay in bed and go to a place where I can say wingardium leviosar (dang it) and fly away. I prefer something based in my interests so I can relate to it slightly better ehich allows me to get further away from reality.
So, I guess you are not reading fantasy? Since it was pretty much "what is the use of fantasy", and not "what is your impression/what do you read of it" > > But thank you, and is not correct (entirely). Fantasy is more often used as an escape from reality, and most of the modern, popular works actually take place in something near reality, which I find interesting, when live roleplays are getting more popular as well (often taking place in a magical, medieval world very opposite our reality).
I think that popular works that are close to reality are so because people can imagine their reality as different. Because maybe they like where they are, but they want to add something magical to it.
I read fantasy as an escape from reality, I guess, but I don't need much help with that. (With the enourmous amount of daydreaming I do already.) I guess I find it feeds my imagination and gets me thinking. As well as being exciting (most of the time) and entertaining. What kind do I like the best? Hard to say. It depends what I feel like. I read a lot and like to try different kinds whenever I can. Reading though, I seem to prefer it a little farther from present day reality.
We need fantasy to expirement with technology and such
Whut??! And that would be Science Fiction (technically they are a subgenre of each other in some way, and then again, they are different genres)..
@Sunny: Thanks a ton, at the moment it is just confirming what I have learned by myself, which actually is good, because that will mean I will stand stronger when I have to defend the assignment.
We need fantasy to expirement with technology and such
I think what he's getting at is that you have to imagine new things/think outside the box before you can invent new things.
As everyone else here, I find fantasy to be an escape from reality. In a would with magic and such, the laws of nature can often be bent and broken and this opens up enormous levels of freedom. There is the possibility of one person making all the difference in the world, and quite often that one person is someone who is least expected.
In the real world you don't get that, too many people are willing to ruin that dream for you and if someone doesn't do it, you find out the hard way later on. Hellz yea to fantasy, it keeps dreams alive.
I think what he's getting at is that you have to imagine new things/think outside the box before you can invent new things.
I figured. Trouble with these sort of things that, in England/America you use your imagination (when you are fantasizing), while other places, like here in Denmark, you use your "fantasy"...
Okay, nice. Now, I really should be writing the assignment...
I read this really good piece of Fantasy just the other day. I can't remember it's name, but it was so good.
To me fantasy is all about another place, in which life seems so different. Take LOTR for example. In another world, at another technology level, other forms of beings.
Fantasy is a place where one can run from the dystopia that is society today...A dimension and outlet where anything is possible, where the writer is the limit....
It spurs a child from a young age to dare to dream...to think big and not let rigid formalities hold back the vast potential of youth. Powerful driver of thought.
