Genre 1
List 4 fantasy film or book titles
The Hobbit by Tolkien, The Chronicles of Narnia by Lewis, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Harry potter by JK Rowling + Twilight, GOT, The Lord of the Rings
List 4 archetypal characters of fantasy
monsters, fairies, wizards, mythological heroes, vampires, dragons, elves, dwarves, unicorns
List 4 items of medieval war equipment
spears, lances, shields, helmets, axes, daggers, swords, banners
List 5 dragons' physical characteristics
fangs, claws, scales, nostrils, spikes, tail, neck, paws, wings
List 7 adjectives to describe the house and atmosphere in The Fall
doomed/cursed, oppressive, mysterious, decrepit, dark, isolated, scary, dull, gloomy, ominous/threatening, morbid, decaying, haunted
List 3 characteristics of fantasy settings
Fantasy settings are can be magical or mysterious places like castles or fortresses. Fantasy worlds are often reached through a gate or portal.
List 2 types of fantasy. Bonus of 100 points if you can list 4 types.
medieval fantasy, high/epic fantasy, fairy tales, mythological stories and heroes
Explain dragons' (different) origins
Ancient people from China discovered a giant beast which looked like a dragon; in Egypt, Nile crocodiles were particularly big. Both these creatures may have inspired dragon legends because they were used to explain what humans could not.
Medieval European dragons represented evil and guarded treasures, they were popular figures in the Middle Ages and symbolised military power/might.
Which books do Smaug the dragon and Hagrid's dragon come from?
Smaug is in The Hobbit by Tolkien; Hagrid from Harry Potter by JK Rowling
Explain the different meanings of the title The Fall of the House of Usher
1) the death of the Usher family line
2) the collapse of the house belonging to the Usher family
Define fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that concentrates on imaginary elements (the fantastic). This can mean anything that an author can imagine outside of reality. With fantasy, the magical or supernatural elements serve as the foundation of the plot*, setting*, characterization*, or storyline in general.
Explain the difference between fantasy and sci fi
Technically, science fiction could be considered a subgenre of fantasy, as it involves supernatural elements. However, it is always distinguished from fantasy because its focus is scientific and futuristic rather than magical and (often) medieval. The most influential science fiction stories to date are undoubtedly the George Lucas’s Star Wars films; further examples include the TV series Star Trek and novels like H.G. Wells’ The War of the World’s and Douglas Adams’ series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
What characterizes Bilbo when he meets Smaug in his lair?
Bilbo can be defined as smart and wise because he can speak to the dragon without being eaten up or infuriating it. He is also clever because he doesn’t give his name thus hoping the dragon will keep him alive or will not track him down. Moreover, he talks in riddles to a dragon, which makes him pretty confident. Finally, Bilbo uses flattery to catch his attention and avoid being killed.
How does Hagrid behave towards the dragon he has found out?
He takes care of him as a father would. He does not realise the dragon could be dangerous.
When, or with what novel, did Gothic fiction start?
Gothic fiction is said to date back to Walpole’s novel The Castle of Otranto published in 1764.
What impact does fantasy try to have on its audience?
Fantasy allows people to escape from reality, becoming lost in exciting and unusual stories that provoke the imagination. Fanasy also tries to inspire fear and awe* in its audience.
What decade did fantasy start approximately? - 50 points for a clue!
It started with Poe's short stories around 1839 so in the 1830's.
Explain the legend of St George
The legend started as early as the 11th and 12th century. It tells the story of a dragon who attacked some villagers every day. They did not know what to do ; they gave him food, then animals, then gold and jewels, but to no avail. Finally, the King sent his troops but his soldiers ran away so the king sent his only daughter. When George heard of that, he ran to the place where the dragon was about to kill the princess ; George killed the dragon. His bravery is remembered.
What are the possible meanings of "desolation" in the film title The Desolation of Smaug? Give at least 2.
Desolation can mean chaotic; it refers to landscapes after a disaster; it might be synonymous with loneliness and refer to people’s feelings: devastated, hopeless. The title may mean that chaos will happen if Smaug gets mad and a war may break out.The dragon might be devastated because someone stole his treasure or his treasure weighs like a burden.
What does Gothic literature focus on? (its characteristics)
Gothic lit focuses on the past, intense emotions, irrationality, the supernatural, mystery & secrets, often family secrets, and death & suffering.
Explain the difference between high and low fantasy
Contrary to low fantasy, high fantasy represents an entirely different imaginary world from reality
Explain the difference between fantasy and horror
Technically horror can be considered a subgenre of fantasy, but it is likewise always distinguished from fantasy. Horror’s main focus is to promote fear and terror in its audience, sometimes using supernatural elements like ghosts, zombies, monsters, demons, etc. Examples include classic films like The Exorcist and Poltergeist, the popular TV series The Walking Dead, and Stephen King’s horror novels like Pet Sematary.
How have dragons evolved from medieval to contemporary literature? from the legend of St George and Beowulf to Hagrid's and Dayenrys' dragons?
In the Middle Ages, dragons were scary, evil creatures that killed humans whereas in contemporary literature dragons have become more accessible creatures expressing feelings and closer to human beings.
Explain the myth of beowulf
The myth discovered in the 1600s inspired the first stories about dragons.
It tells the story of Beowulf, a mighty warrior from Sweden, who comes to help the king destroy a monster. The dragon, on the lookout for troubles, was mad at the villagers whose village it burnt in retaliation/to take revenge.
List 3 ways with which the narrator of The Fall ushers the reader into instability and madness, a characteristic of Gothic literature. Bonus of 100 points for 4 ways or detailed answers.
1) he creates a very mysterious and oppressive atmosphere
2) he intertwines nature and a building ie inanimate objects with humans as if they were all living creatures with feelings
3) he doubts his friend's sanity and even his own; he wonders whether they are not mad
4) he mixes existing books and authors to fictional ones = he mixes reality and fiction
5) he describes Madeline as an unstable character who looks like a ghost or a vampire instead of a human being