A discussion of children’s literature as a topic of a research paper suggests the treatment of something new, a matter rather unexplored, or at least not as exhausted as most as-pects of the quite popular area of children’s literature tend to be with respect to student’s papers in English literature. ‘Something new’ would imply a book recently published, considering that a new publication is not likely to be exhausted by studies. This would also call for a discussion of the readership, as time changes very fast today and people change with time, so that children living around the turn of the millennium may ‘need’ and expect different things than children of the past. In fact, the present situation for children’s literature is a subject of particular concern, for technological development has influenced the matter of reading to a large extent and voices become audible that fear a decline of reading culture especially with reference to children and youths. This changed reading situation will be the starting point of my paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Children, Books and Reading Today – Literary, Psychological, and Sociological Aspects
2.1 Children’s Literature
2.1.1 Defining Children’s Literature
2.1.2 A Synopsis of the History of Children’s Literature
2.1.3 Genres of Children’s Literature
2.1.4 Research in Children’s Literature
2.2 Child Development Theories
2.2.1 Maslow’s Theory of Human Needs
2.2.2 Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development
2.2.3 Piaget’s Theory of Developmental Levels
2.2.4 Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
2.3 Children’s Reading Needs and Reading Interests
2.3.1 Reading Interests and Reading Preferences
2.3.2 Reading Needs and Psychological Background
2.4 Children and Reading Today
3. Fantasy
3.1 Defining Fantasy and Fantastic Literature
3.2 Fantastic Matters
3.2.1 Fantastic Journeys
3.2.2 Good versus Evil
3.2.3 Other Worlds
3.2.4 Time Switching
3.2.5 Visitors of the Unknown
3.2.6 Miniature Societies
3.3 The Function of Fantasy Literature, Aspects of Value
4. Motives for the Success of Fantasy in the Contemporary Juvenile Readership – Construction of a Possible Concept
5. An Analysis of Representative Pieces of Children’s Fantasy
5.1 J.R.R.Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings
5.1.1 The Lord of the Rings - Contents
5.1.2 The Lord of the Rings – Analysis in View of the Work’s Popularity among Children
5.1.3 The Lord of the Rings – Concept Applied
5.2 J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter Series 1-4
5.2.1 The Harry Potter Series – Contents
5.2.1.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
5.2.1.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
5.2.1.3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
5.2.1.4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5.2.2 The Harry Potter Series - Analysis in View of the Work’s Popularity among Children
5.2.3 The Harry Potter Series – Concept Applied
6. Conclusion
7. Appendix: Reader Responses to The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter Series
7.1 The Lord of the Rings
7.2 The Harry Potter series
8. Bibliography
8.1 Primary Literature
8.2 Secondary Literature
8.3 Newspaper Articles
8.4 Internet Resources
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the role of fantasy literature in the reading habits of children at the beginning of the 21st century, investigating why fantasy has become so successful among young readers in an age of pervasive digital media. The central research question explores whether the significance of fantasy literature for young people can be upheld by analyzing how these books address specific psychological and developmental needs.
- Analysis of contemporary children's reading patterns and the influence of electronic mass media.
- Evaluation of child development theories (Maslow, Erikson, Piaget, Kohlberg) in the context of literary preference.
- Defining fantasy as a genre and exploring its potential for psychological "therapeutic" effects.
- Case studies on the success factors of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
- Integration of reader responses to validate the theoretical framework regarding genre popularity.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Defining Fantasy and Fantastic Literature
In ancient literature, the term ‘fantasia’, or Latin ‘visio’, was used to define the powers of imagination, “die bildliche Vorstellung oder Vergegenwärtigung”86. Aristotle describes ‘phantasía’, or imagination, as the ability to conceive of pictures of reality in a graphic and concrete way87. To Dante who uses the term ‘imaginativa’ or ‘fantasia’ to signify the ability of perceiving mental pictures, this imaginative faculty, which comprehends the art of prose fantasy, seems to originate outside the conscious human will, inspired by some divine power and offering “a dimension of creativity going beyond man’s empirical experience”88.
As the name indicates, the broad genre of fantastic literature is characterized in the first place by imagination; fantastic works are products of pure imagination. Still, when it is considered that all narrative literature is to be seen as fictitious, meaning that any author creates his own fictional reality marked by personal experience and mood (just as any world created in a literary work forms some kind of reality ruled by laws that may be similar to empirical reality or not, but are never identical with it89), the question of an appropriate delimitation from fantastic literature comes to the fore.
Answers can be found in Zgorzelski’s definition of the fantastic as coming into force when the inner laws of the fictitious world are broken90 or S.C. Fredericks’ reference to W.R. Irwin who characterized fantasy literature as ‘the literature of impossible’ whose authors carry out “the deliberate violation of norms and facts we regard as essential to our conventional conception of ‘reality’, in order to create an imaginary counter-structure or counter-norm”91. The criterion of the impossible, the feeling of incomprehensibility and the arousal of uncertainty appear to be significant factors within a definition.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the research topic by discussing the changed reading situation of contemporary children and the necessity of exploring why specific fantasy works remain highly popular.
2. Children, Books and Reading Today – Literary, Psychological, and Sociological Aspects: Provides a theoretical foundation covering definitions of children's literature, developmental psychology theories, and current influences of mass media on reading habits.
3. Fantasy: Defines the genre of fantasy and fantastic literature, establishing key themes such as "other worlds" and the "quest," while exploring the function of fantasy in human experience.
4. Motives for the Success of Fantasy in the Contemporary Juvenile Readership – Construction of a Possible Concept: Synthesizes the theoretical findings into a structured concept to analyze why fantasy successfully meets the needs of children today.
5. An Analysis of Representative Pieces of Children’s Fantasy: Applies the developed concept to evaluate the success of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, confirming that fantasy literature addresses universal human concerns and needs, proving its continued relevance despite the rise of digital entertainment.
Keywords
Children’s literature, Fantasy, Reading habits, Child development, Psychosocial development, Media influence, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Quest, Heroism, Identification, Myth, Escape, Therapeutic effect, Reading needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the role and success of fantasy literature among young readers at the turn of the millennium, examining why this genre resonates so strongly despite the increasing presence of electronic media.
Which specific themes are addressed regarding children’s literature?
The study covers literary, psychological, and sociological aspects, including the impact of mass media, child development stages, and the search for identity and meaning through reading.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The goal is to determine whether the thesis that fantasy literature serves a significant "therapeutic" function for young people can be substantiated through a theoretical framework and practical book analysis.
Which scientific methodologies are utilized in this research?
The author employs a combination of literary criticism, theoretical analysis based on psychological models (Maslow, Erikson, Piaget, Kohlberg), and a comparative study of established literature versus contemporary case studies.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body examines the theoretical background of children's reading patterns, provides a comprehensive definition and thematic analysis of the fantasy genre, and applies these concepts to analyze specific successful literary works.
What are the primary characteristics that define this research?
The work is characterized by its interdisciplinary approach, linking developmental psychology to literary analysis to explain reading preferences and the "therapeutic" power of fantasy fiction.
How does the work explain the appeal of The Lord of the Rings for children?
The paper argues that the trilogy's success stems from its mythic structures, its representation of "humilitas" (modesty/ethical heroism), and its alignment with the universal developmental need to overcome fear and transition into maturity.
Why does the author consider Harry Potter a successful fantasy work for children?
The analysis suggests that the series’ popularity is tied to its integration of modern school-story elements with mythic archetypes, allowing young readers to identify with an ordinary, "underdog" hero who gains power through moral choices and community.
- Citar trabajo
- Kaya Hellgardt (Autor), 2003, The role of fantasy literature in the juvenile reading habit, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/20185
