Methodological features of school study of the fantasy genre (using the novels of Joan K. Rowling "Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone" and "Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets")

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Methodological features of school study of the fantasy genre (using the novels of Joan K. Rowling «Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone» and «Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets»)

Oleksii Kyskin, PhD of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Izmail State University of Humanities

Abstract

This article examines methodological techniques of school analysis of genre features of literary works on the example of consideration of the properties of the fantasy genre as one of the types of fantastic literature that emerged in the second half of the 20th century. American writer Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890 -1937), who elaborated the mystical and terrifying plo t of fantasy works, and the four English science fiction writers Algernon Henry Blackwood Lewis (1898 - 1963) and Mervyn Lorena Peake (1911 - 1968) are considered to be developers of fantasy genre features. It is in their work that the characteristic genre attributes of fantasy works will be introduced, which will allow these texts to be separated into a special structural genre subdivision that stands out among the rest of fantastic literature.

Key words: methodology, methodical methods of analysis, genre, genre personalities, fantasy, science fiction, fantasy, alternative world, magic.

Анотація

Методичні особливості шкільного вивчення жанру фентезі (за романами Джоан К. Ролінг «Гаррі Поттер і філософський камінь» та «Гаррі Поттер і таємна кімната»)

Олексій Кискін, Кандидат філологічних наук, доцент Ізмаїльський державний гуманітарний університет

У цій статті розглядається методичні прийоми шкільного аналізу жанрових особливостей літературних творів на прикладі розгляду властивостей жанру фентезі як одного із видів фантастичної літератури, що виник в другій половині ХХ століття. Розробниками жанрових особливостей фентезі вважаються американський письменник Говард Філіпс Лавкрафт (1890 - 1937), який опрацював містичну та жахаючу складову сюжету творів фентезі та четвірка англійських фантастів Елджернон Генрі Блеквуд Льюїс (1898 - 1963) та Мервін Лоурена Пік (1911 - 1968). Саме в їх творчості будуть започатковані характерні жанрові атрибути творів фентезі, що дозволить виділити ці тексти в особливий структурний жанровий підрозділ, що виділяється серед решти фантастичної літератури. Для цього у статті проведено дослідження зародження та розвиток творів фантастики, проаналізовано їх специфічні особливості та запропоновано методичні засоби виявлення жанрових відзнак. Виявлено фольклорну основу фантастичної літератури у чарівних казках. Наведено визначення терміну «фентезі», що запропоновані різними дослідниками.

Також у статті наводиться класифікація фантастичної літератури, розробленої українськими письменниками-фантастами Олегом Ладиженським та Дмитром Громовим. Проведено теоретичне розмежування таких різновидів фантастичної літератури як наукова тверда фантастика, наукова м'яка фантастика, література Нової хвилі. Також у статті було наведено результати досліджень жанрової специфіки фентезі та визначено характерні риси, що виділяють цей жанр серед фантастичної літератури. Ці характерні жанрові риси фентезі були виявлені в циклі романів про Гаррі Поттера англійської письменниці Джоан К. Роулінг. Це свідчить про те, що «Поттеріана» є вагомим внеском у розвиток жанрової специфіки фентезі та особливим внеском у розвиток популярності такої літератури в читацькому середовищі, особливо серед підлітків - основної цільової аудиторії Дж. К. Роулінг. Результатами дослідження, проведеного в цій статті, можна вважати надання методичних рекомендацій щодо засвоєння жанрової специфіки фентезійної літератури, що сприяє підвищенню інтересу до читання творів фентезі і взагалі до художньої літератури. Підсумки статті можна використовувати при підготовці до навчальних занять, присвячених історії розвитку фантастичної літератури, жанру фентезі та розробки занять і позакласних заходів, які знайомлять учнів з творчістю Дж. К. Роулінг та її романами про Гаррі Поттера.

Ключові слова: методика, методичні прийоми аналізу, жанр, жанрові особистості, фантастика, наукова фантастика, фентезі, альтернативний світ, магія .

Relevance of the topic

One of the key competencies developed in secondary education applicants in primary school is literary competence. It provides, according to the State Standard of Basic and Complete General Secondary Education and the Program on Foreign Literature for grade s 6-9 developed on its basis (ed. 2022), among other things, «... mastery of basic literary concepts and their application in the process of analysis and interpretations of works...» This is reflected in one of the four substantive lines - literary studies. It is embodied in the Foreign Literature Program for grades 6-9 (ed. 2022) in the content of educational material after each topic and contains the basic theoretical definitions necessary for the analysis of the literary phenomenon studied in this section. Therefore, the ability to form methodological means of teaching literary terms and concepts in students of secondary education is an important component of training a future philologist teacher. One of the objectives of studying literature in grades 6-7 (introduction to reading) in the Foreign Literature Program for grades 6-9 (ed. 2022) is to familiarize students with the main principles of analysis and interpretation of a work of art. Identification of genre -specific personalities is a fundamental factor in the characteristics of a literary work.

Preliminary education in primary school introduces students to the genre features of folk and literary fairy tales, the main of which can be called the use of magical and magical elements in their narration to reflect a fairy-tale, i.e., non-existent, artistic space. Thus, when mastering the genre features of fantastic literary works proposed for familiarization in the «Foreign Literature» program at the next secondary stage of school education, schoolchildren have already formed basic ideas about the use of fictional phenomena and objects in fairy tale texts to create an unreal artistic world.

The fantasy genre is rightfully considered one of the brightest genre discoveries in science fiction literature of the second half of the twentieth century. Its genre differences were formed in the literary texts of the pioneers of fantasy literature, who are rightly considered to be H.P. Lovecraft, E.G. Blackwood, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and M.L. Peake.

The characteristic genre features that distinguished fantasy texts from the mass of fantastic literatu re were the confrontation between Good and Evil, as the basis of the nation; an unlikely and/or incapable hero in a heroic (or villainous) quest for power or knowledge; opposition between traditions and innovations; antagonism between the individual and society; the hero's internal contradictions; use of unnatural forces; love and betrayal that the hero goes through while performing a special quest mission, achieving the goals of such a journey allows the fantasy hero to move to a new level of the journey-test until he reaches the final duel with the forces of Evil.

A particularly outstanding contribution to the development of the fantasy genre was made by the novels of the English writer J.K. Rowling, the author of novels united in a cycle with the image of the main character - a young wizard named Harry Potter. The living and undying interest in «Potteriana» among a worldwide readership, especially teenagers, prompted the developers of the Foreign Literature Program for grades 6-9 (ed. 2022) to offer introductions to J.K. Rowling in extracurricular reading lessons and spare time lessons. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The task of developing methodological skills in analyzing genre features of fantasy literature in secondary education applicants using the example of the Harry Potter novels makes the topic of this article relevant.

The purpose of this scientific research is to teach students the methodological techniques necessary to identify the characteristic features of the fantasy genre, studied in the works of leading domestic and foreign scientists, and the practical application of these methods in analyzing the genre specificity of the «Potterian» novels by the writer J. K. Rowling. This will help applicants for secondary education not only in determining the place of the work of the English author, namely the works about Harry Potter, in the development of fantastic literature and the modern world literary process, but will also facilitate the opportunity to master the methodology for analyzing the genre features of literary works.

Analysis of the latest research and publications

The popularity of the fantasy genre is evidenced by many studies by both domestic and foreign scientists, which appeared in a fairly short period of time. I would especially like to note the monographs: Kopistyanskaya N. Kh. Genre, genre system in the space of literary criticism (2005); Neamtsu A. Poetics of modern fiction (2002); Bovsunovskaya T.V. Fantasy: metaphysical boundaries of the novel (2008). Dissertations: Kolesnik, A.S. (2003). Linguistic means of displaying the mythological picture of the world: linguistic-cognitive aspect (based on the material of the Old English epic and modern British works of the fantasy genre). (Discand. philol. sciences) Kiev National University named after Taras Shevchenko, Kyiv; Leonenko, O. (2010). The fantasy genre in Ukrainian prose of the late 20th - early 21st centuries. (Author's abstract of thesis for the degree of Candidate of Philology) Cherkassy National University named after B. Khmelnytsky, Cherkassy; Boyko A.A. Implementation of the category of intertextuality in the artistic discourse of fantasy: a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in spec. 035 Philology. Odessa National University named after. I.I. Mechnikova, 2021.

The works of «Potteriana» were translated into Ukrainian by Viktor Evgenievich Morozov, a Ukrainian singer, composer, translator, and member of the Ukrainian PEN Club. Published novels by J. K. Rowling in the outstanding Ukrainian publishing house of children's literature «A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA- GA».

Presentation of the main research material

Schoolchildren become familiar with some initial theoretical definitions, such as the features of the genre classification of a work of art, at the preliminary educational stage of secondary education. Thus, the Model training program «Foreign Literature. grades 5- 9» for general secondary education institutions (as amended in 2023) (authors Nikolenko A. N., Isaeva O. A., Klimenko Zh. V., Matsevko-Bekerskaya L. V., Yuldasheva L. P., Rudnitskaya N.P., Turyanitsa V.G., Tikhonenko S.A., Vitko M.I., Dzhangobekova T.A.) one of the results of the 5th grade academic year establishes familiarization of students with the characteristics of certain genres of fiction, such as folk fairy tale, literary tale, story, story, poem, etc. In the process of further education in middle and high school, they not only deepen and expand the information acquired in previous studies about literary concepts already familiar to them, but also become acquainted with and study new ones. Such a new literary phenomenon that arouses any kind of reader interest is fantastic works. The program on foreign literature for the 6th grade offers secondary education applicants to acquire subject competence to demonstrate the distinctive features of the fantastic genre and be able to demonstrate them in the works they read. An important methodological point when teaching the genre features of fantastic literature at this stage of training is the separation of literary fiction from folk fiction.

The emergence and development of fantastic literature became possible thanks to the socio-economic and social changes that occurred in the history of mankind in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This period entered the history of the development of earthly civilization as the era of scientific and technological progress. The powerful and rapid development of industrial technologies, supported by scientific and technical innovations, was perceived in society as salvation from hard physical labor and the transition, thanks to freed life time, to the development and improvement of the cultural and aesthetic tastes of the person of the future, in which basic material needs will be satisfied by improved technologies.

This direction in the development of public opinion was generated during the rapid development of urban civilization in the 13th century, as a result of plague epidemics, due to which from a third to half of the inhabitants of Europe died out. Scientific and technical inventions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries actively penetrated not only into human consciousness, but also became active participants in everyday life. And the artistic opinion of the writers of this period began to plunge into the distant future of humanity, predicting its further development, which was designed to lead humanity to a happy life in a mechanized world. This is how science fiction literature came into being.

The rapid economic and industrial development in the second half of the twentieth century in many developed countries of the world was reflected in the various cultural heritage of the past day. Artistic and philosophical trends reflected changes in the aesthetic and moral ideals of humanity, which conquered space and dreamed of interplanetary travel and contacts with other worlds, intelligent beings that space pioneers would meet there. It was in the 20th century that the philosophical and aesthetic beliefs of existentialism, the art of the absurd, «magical» realism, etc. were formed and dominated in human consciousness. The reading public was captivated by works of adventure, detective, magical and terrifying literature.

After the military disasters of the 20th century, humanity became disillusioned with the possibilities of scientific and technological progress, the inventions of which were used to build mechanisms and devices for exterminating people. And in the second half of the twentieth century, science fiction works increasingly pay attention to forecasts for building a future society and world order based on the humanities, rather th an the natural sciences. Among the new science fiction genres, the fantasy genre quickly stands out in popularity and readership.

The vision of the future development of humanity, its socio-economic structure, interplanetary space travel and contacts with alien civilizations are reflected in works of science fiction literature. This is especially true for the genre of science fiction, the sensational development of which occurred in the 3050s of the twentieth century, and this period went down in the history of world literature as the «golden times of science fiction». Kharkov duet of modern science fiction writers and theorists of fantastic literature Oleg Ladyzhensky and Dmitry Gromov, known to fans of the genre under the creative pseudonym Henry Lyon Oldie, provided his own classification of fantastic assumptions and proposed a very laconic, but at the same time, Science Fiction is literature plus a fantastic assumption» (Генрі Лайон Олді).

The first fantastic nations focused on reproducing the further development of humanity, pictures of future worlds and their inhabitants, and the achievements of natural sciences, which received a powerful impetus in the second half of the 19th century. These are physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy. The results of their research and the discoveries made were widely used in various household inventions that filled human daily life. Such fantastic works are called «hard science fiction». Its developers are considered to be the science fiction works of the French writer Jules Verne («Robourg the Conqueror». «Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea». «From the Earth in a Month») and the English artists Arthur Conon Doyle («The Marracotta Abyss», «When the Earth Shrieked», «The Lost World» and Herbert Wells («The Time Machine», «The Invisible Man», «War of the Worlds»).

In the second half of the twentieth century, after the terrible consequences of the use of scientific inventions not for the further development of earthly civilization, but for the creation of machines and enterprises for the destruction of as many people as possible, disappointment and rejection of the results of scientific and technological progress arose in society. This led to the emergence of science fiction works focused on depicting the future social structure of our planet, predicting long-distance contacts with extraterrestrial civilizations, mutual understanding within the human community on Earth and intergalactic contacts. Such fantastic works also belong to science fiction. But since their nation is based on the achievements and developments of mainly the humanities, such as psychology, history, social science, literature, etc., they are called «soft science fiction». This subgenre of science fiction includes the works of Isaac Asimov, Arthur Clarke, and Ursula Le Guin. Some researchers, for example Boris Nevsky, propose adding to this list the name of Robert Ganlein, whose works, according to the scientist: «...despite their scientific nature, appeal not to the reader's mind, but to his heart» (ЕНФ).

The «new wave» of fantastic literature, the works of which were formed under the influence of scientific and technological achievements of mankind in the 60-70s of the twentieth century, especially in the space sphere, gave rise to a wide variety of science fiction subgenres. The combination of elements of fantasy and horror in one work, the reproduction of an atmosphere of fear and tension in them gives rise to horror fiction, the outstanding representatives of which can be considered Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King. The subsequent evolution of subgenres in science fiction of the late 20th and early 21st centuries over time played a significant role in the diversity and richness because each subgenre brings its own unique elements, themes, and atmosphere to the world of fantasy literature. Here are a few key subgenres and their influence on the development of science fiction in the late 20th and early 21st centuries:

- Fiction of Horror, or Horror. Works of this subgenre combine elements of fantasy and horror in their texts. This subgenre focuses on creating an atmosphere of fear and tension. Examples include the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King.

- Cyberpunk. Cyberpunk typically describes future worlds where technology has permeated every aspect of life, often focusing on the computer network, cyberspace, and the dark side of technological progress. Example: the works of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson.

- Alternative history. This subgenre explores the question «What if?» and alters historical events to create alternate timelines. Example: the works of Philip K. Dick, Harry Turtledove.

- Post-apocalyptic. Post-apocalyptic fiction depicts a world after a global catastrophe. This subgenre examines the survival of humanity in conditions. Example: Cormac McCarthy «The Road», Richard Matson «I Am Legend».

All of these subgenres not only add diversity to the world of fantasy, but also reflect changes in society, technology, and reader interests. They also interact with each other, sometimes merging into new forms and approaches to creating fantasy worlds.

But the real discovery of the scale of world literature (and not only literature, but in general the entire world culture of the late 20th - early 21st centuries) was the fantasy genre. The developers of the genre features of fantasy works are considered to be the American artist H.P. Lovecraft and representatives of English literature: E.G. Blackwood, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and M.L. Peake.

«Literary Dictionary-Reference Book» edited by R.T. Gromyak characterizes fantasy as follows: «Fantasy (English fantasy) is a genre type of fiction in which, while denying it, irrational motives of magic, magic, knightly epic are used in combination with a realistic nation (A. Blackwood, M. Peak, D. Lovecraft), J.-R.-R. Tolkien), virtual worlds are depicted with medieval surroundings, non-technical psychology, where the role of science is played by magic» (Гром'як, 2007: 693).

That is, fantasy is a genre of literature containing magical and supernatural elements that do not exist in the real world. Although some writers contrast real-world settings with fantastical elements, many create completely imaginary worlds with their own physical laws and logic, as well as populations of imaginary races and creatures. Speculative in nature, fantasy is not tied to reality or scientific fact. Fantasy includes a significant number of ever-growing subgenres, some of which writers combine in their works. There are several main fantasy subgenres:

- High or epic fantasy. Set in a magical environment with its own rules and physical laws, the plots and themes of this subgenre are grand in scale and usually center on a single, well-developed hero or group of heroes, such as Frodo Baggins and his galaxies in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings « (1954).

- Low fantasy. Set in the real world, low fantasy contains unexpected magical elements that shock the characters, such as the plastic action figures that come to life in Lynn Reid Banks ' The Indian in the Closet (1980).

- Magical realism. Although magical realism characters are similar to low fantasy, they accept fantastical elements such as levitation and telekinesis as normal parts of their otherwise realistic world, as in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's classic novel One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967).

- Sword and sorcery. A subset of high fantasy, it focuses on knights with swords, such as the aristocratic savage from the fairy tales of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian, but also on witchcraft, magic, or sorcery.

- Dark fantasy. Dark fantasy works combine elements of fantasy and horror (horror) in the text, its purpose is to upset and terrify readers. For example, the image of giant supernatural monsters in the unive rse of H.P. Lovecraft.

- Fables. Using personified animals and the supernatural, fables convey moral lessons like the stories in Aesop's Fables and The Arabian Nights.

- Fairy tales. These fairy tales and folk stories aimed at children are usually set in distant magical worlds (with openings like «Once upon a time, in a land far, far away...») where there are trolls, dragons, witches and other supernatural characters. The truth is acknowledged, as in Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812).

- Science fiction about superheroes. Unlike stories in which the hero gains special powers through scientific methods such as the effects of radiation, these heroes' powers are supernatural.

Fantastic elements have always been part of storytelling, as evidenced by the gods, terrible beasts, and magic found in ancient mythologies, folklore, and religious texts around the world. Fantasy as a literary genre appeared much later and differs from its predecessors in that its authors were famous, and they and their audience considered the works to be fictional. Modern fantasy originated in nineteenth-century literature, following a period of European chivalric romances and stories whose fantastical elements were still considered to be somewhat believable. Scottish writer George MacDonald, whose novel «The fantasts» (1858) tells the story of a young man immersed in a dream world where he experiences a series of adventures, is considered the author of the first explicitly fictional fantasy for adults. The Englishman William Morris, famous for his medieval fantasy, particularly his novel The Well at the End of the World (1896), subsequently took the genre a step further by completely inventing a fantasy world that existed outside the known world.

Building on the legacy of Macdonald and Morris, J. R. R. Tolkien wrote the first science fiction fantasy, The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955). Creatively and commercially successful, the epic brought the genre into the mainstream and influenced countless writers, making Tolkien the undisputed father of modern fantasy. If it weren't for JRR Tolkien, the genre might still exist on the literary fringes. In the decades that followed, fantasy continued to evolve, diversify, and grow in popularity, with Terry Brooks 's The Sword of Shannara (1977) becoming the first fantasy novel to appear on The New York Times paperback bestseller list. J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels (1997-2007) became the best-selling book series of all time. Finally, Hollywood has adapted many fantasy stories into hit films and television shows.

Ukrainian researcher of fantastic literature A.E. Neamtsu in the scientific study «Fantastic Paradoxes of the Human World» reinforces the idea of the gigantic potential of the human mind in the production of imagination and fiction with the following considerations: «Whatever science fiction writers talk about: time travel, distant extraterrestrial civilizations, incredible adventures of space Robinsons, environmental disasters, birth and the disappearance of galaxies - Man is always at the center of their narrative» (Нямцу, 2002 :2). Consequently, he rightly notes the wide variety of interpretations of the definition of «fantasy» offering a personal definition: «The science fiction of our century is a world of «damned» questions and desperate attempts to find understandable answers to them» (Нямцу, 2002 :2).

Analyzing the study of genre patterns of fantasy literature conducted by domestic and foreign scientists, special attention should be paid to the substantive and high professional level monograph completed by Doctor of Philology, Professor of KNU after Taras Shevchenko T.V. Bovsunovskaya «Fundamentals of the theory of literary genres». The leading Ukrainian scientist highlighted the genre features of fantasy from fantastic literature in general in a separate chapter of the study: «Fantasy: the metaphysical boundaries of the novel» Tatyana Bovsunovskaya defines the following genre attributes of fantasy works:

1. Inconsistent goals of the nation: fantasy heroes prefer a reflection of personal spirituality, while fantastic literature includes an indispensable moralizing of the individual and society.

2. The basis of the fantasy narrative is a variety of modern mythology, or neo -mythology, and science fiction relies in its modeling of future worlds on the achievements and discoveries of modern scientists specializing in natural disciplines: biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy.

3. Fantasy literature is distinguished by the reproduction of a universe with an illogical structure, where magical phenomena, miracle workers and witches, magical objects, etc. exist. And, on the contrary, an integral component of science fiction works is the logical interpretation of the actions, behavior and feelings of the characters.

4. The opposite of the vector of the nation: fantasy builds a plot in the past, mainly in the Middle Ages, contrary to science fiction literature, which tries to look into the future. (Бовсунівська Т. В., 2008). Tatyana Bovsunovskaya begins the chronology of fantasy literature from the turn of the 19th -20th centuries, and considers the source of fantasy to be folklore works, such as «the French fairy tale, Scandinavian and Celtic folklore» (Бовсунівська Т. В., 2008.).

That is, fantasy is a wide and varied genre, but many of its nations have several common themes and patterns, for example:

- Confrontation between Good and Evil

- Heroic (or villainous) quest for power or knowledge

- Tradition versus change

- Individual versus society

- Man against nature

- Man against himself

- Love

- Treason

- Epic journey, or quest

- Sensational and/or unsuitable hero

Of course, many of these themes are common in other literary genres. Young adult fiction, for example, often deals with coming of age, struggles with love and betrayal, and some variation of good versus evil, such as wicked adults or cliques of mean children.

However, thanks to the influential classic works of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings, which feature tiny hobbits saving the world, the epic journey of a reluctant hero realizing his true identity during his quest, are very close and associated with fantasy.

What distinguishes fantasy from other genres is its separation from reality. Stories may speak to the real human condition, but they do so with fantastical elements such as magic (the existence or absence of which can play a large role in the stories); prophecies of the «chosen one» or impending doom; ancient mythologies from around the world; reimagined Middle Ages; and the creation of entirely new worlds, races and creatures. While all writing requires imagination, fantasy is a playground for those who want to push their limits.

We can continue the study of the differences in fantasy works proposed by T. Bovsunovskaya. To clarify the characteristic features, genre differences between science fiction, horror (horror) and fantasy should be explored. There is some overlap between these three literary genres, but each has distinct characteristics that differentiate them.

Science fiction. In contrast, science fiction presents technologies and natural or technological scenarios that are now possible or may actually be possible in the future. For example, in the story «Burning Chrome» (1982) and the novel «Neuromancer» (1984), science fiction author William Gibson coined the phrase «cyberspace» and wrote about a complex network of computer databases exchanging information, envisioning the Internet.

Horror. (Horror.) Unlike the other two genres, which can contain terrifying elements, horror is primarily focused on mood. Its main purpose is to create a suspenseful atmosphere and create a feeling of dread and fear in the reader. The setting and circumstances of horror can be quite realistic, as in Stephen King's film Cuho (1981), where a St. Bernard, bitten by a bat, becomes rabid and terrorizes them. However, horror can include elements of both fantasy and science fiction, such as the fantastical extraterrestrial deities of H. P. Lovecraft's The Great Old Men or the bloodthirsty great white shark in Peter Benchley's Jaws (1974), but the ultimate goal is to unsettle readers.

Fantasy. This genre is not usually based on scientific facts or assumptions. It contains incredible supernatural and magical elements, such as the wizards from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series or the dragons, giants and white walkers from George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones.

Many works of fantasy literature immediately became best-selling novels with incredible circulations around the world. These novels were quickly adapted into popular films and television series, spanning the spectrum from epic to dark fantasy to magical realism. To illustrate this, we can cite examples of well- written fantasy that have become their vivid film adaptations: «Alice in the Land of See» (1865); Lewis Carroll; «The Hobbit» (1937) by J.R.R. Tolkien; «The Lord of the Rings» (1954-1955) by J.R.R. Tolkien; «The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe» (1950) by C.S. Lewis; One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) by

Gabriel Garcia Marquez; «The Princess Bride» (1973) by William Goldman; «The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger» (1982) by Stephen King; «The Golden Compass» (1995) by Philip Pullman; «Game of Thrones» (1996) by George R.R. Martin; «Dead to Dark» (2001) Charlaine Harris; «American Gods» (2001) by Neil Gaiman. And all the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling.

Thus, taking into account all the necessary information acquired about the genre patterns of fantasy works, it is possible to identify these characteristic features of fantasy in «Potterian» by J.K. Rowling.

1. Reproduction of a magical world that exists alongside human reality and an alternative world that is completely different from the real world is perhaps the most important genre feature of fantasy works. In the Harry Potter novels, this is a magical world in which future wizards learn magic at the Hogwarts School of Wizards. It is inhabited by inhabitants incredible for the human world, similar to creatures from ancient fairy tales and myths. This is a full-fledged world in which all everyday life is imbued with magic and witchcraft and is contrasted as an alternative to the real reality that surrounds us and is explained using logic.

2. School of magic as the main location:

The composition of the plots of the Potter novels is largely based on the Hogwarts school of witchcraft, as some kind of narrative core or source for the development of further events. The reading public, the majority of which are millennials or Generation Y (generation «gamer») - people born between 1981 and 1999. At the time of the appearance of «Potteriana» they are students of educational institutions of different levels. That's why they so enjoyed studying together with the heroes of the Harry Potter novels at different levels of the Wizards' School, starting with the elementary ones, and studying with them a variety of magical disciplines, learning to respond to life-changing challenges.

3. A classic selection of traits typical of a typical fantasy hero:

The character that unites the cycle of nations of novels - Harry Potter - is endowed by J.K. Rowling with the characteristic details of a hero of fantasy literature. He is a young man, even young, still unedu cated in life. At the same time, Harry Potter, as a typical fantasy hero, feels some unknown supernatural within himself - young, inexperienced, but also possessing a unique superhuman potential, the power and ignorance of the laws of which frighten the young wizard in the first place. But persistent learning of theoretical knowledge and efforts in practical classes will over time help the main fantasy hero and Harry Potter determine their own place in the fight against Evil, having made a heroic journey (quest) for this, where they are subjected to all sorts of tests and successfully pass them.

4. The fairy-tale feature of fantasy, borrowed from folk fairy tales, is the duel of Good and Evil:

This genre element, typical of fantasy literature, is the main force driving the plot of the nation in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels, thereby highlighting the importance of spiritual qualities and moral values. In «Potterian», the classic work and center of evil magic is reproduced in the image of Voldemort, with whom the young wizard Harry Potter, with the support of a team of friends, enters into a tough moral and volitional confrontation, bringing the victory of Good closer.

5. Epic production:

The narrative framework of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels depicts events on an epic scale. Each of the novels is part of a universal epic nation, in which the readership has the opportunity to follow an ongoing long story, step by step approaching the final confrontation, which creates in the recipients a sense of eternity, that is, the epic nature of the narrative.

6. Individual development of secondary characters:

Elaboration of personal details of character and individual habits, aesthetic preferences.

Another characteristic genre feature of fantasy literature in the Harry Potter novels is manifested in the creation of complex characters with carefully developed individual character traits and habits, their own aesthetic preferences, and personal moral and psychological principles. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and other assistants to the main character Harry Potter, as well as their leader, overcome difficulties and temptations, which gives the novels of J.K. Rowling realistic receptions.

7. Unpredictable twists and turns and puzzles:

The creator of fantasy literature necessarily uses unexpected moves or twists and turns in plot construction that are unexpected for readers, in which the hero or heroes are faced with another mystery- test through which they must go to get to the next level of their quest journey. This technique is also used by J. K. Rowling, thereby increasing national tension, intriguing the imagination of recipients, stimulating their interest in the development of further events.

Thus, we can conclude that the series of novels by J. K. Rowling about Harry Potter is an important milestone in the development of genre features of fantasy literature. The work of the English writer aroused keen interest among the audience, especially teenagers, who seemed to have lost interest in the very process of reading and comprehending works of fiction. Thanks to «Potteriana» young recipients acquired the opportunity to feel life in an alternative reality, where the logical laws of our everyday life do not apply and the world is built according to the laws of magic and witchcraft. Together with the heroes of the Harry Potter novels, it is possible not only to immerse yourself in a fictional other world, but also to take a more careful and sensitive look at the problems of the surrounding reality.

school literary fantasy genre

Джерела і література

1. Бовсунівська Т В. Основи теорії літературних жанрів: монографія. К.: Видавничо-поліграфічний центр «Київський університет», 2008. 519 с.

2. Бовсунівська Т.В. Фентезі: метафізичні межі роману. Основи теорії літературних жанрів: монографія. Київ: ВПЦ «Київський університет», 2008. С. 442-455.

3. Генрі Лайон Олді Офіційний сайт.

4. Енциклопедія наукової фантастики: офіційний сайт, (далі - ЕНФ).

5. Літературознавчий словник-довідник / за ред. Р.Г. Гром'яка, Ю.І. Коваліва, В.І. Терешка. Вид. друге, виправлене, доповнене. К.: Видавничий центр «Академія», 2007. 752 с.

6. Нямцу А. Поэтика современной фантастики. Ч. 1. Черновцы: «Рута», 2002. 240 с.

References

1. Bovsunivska T.V. (2008а). Osnovy teorii literaturnykh zhanriv : monohrafiia. K.: Vydavnycho-polihrafichnyi tsentr «Kyivskyi universytet». 519 р. [in Ukrainian].

2. Bovsunivska T.V. (2008). Fentezi: metafizychni mezhi romanu. Osnovy teorii literaturnykh zhanriv: monohrafiia. Kyiv: VPTs «Kyivskyi universytet». Р. 442-455. [in Ukrainian].

3. Entsyklopediia naukovoi fantastyky: veb-sait. [in Ukrainian].

4. Henri Laion Oldi Ofitsiinyi sait. [in Ukrainian].

5. Literaturoznavchyi slovnyk-dovidnyk / za red. R.H. Hrom'iaka, Yu.I. Kovaliva, V.I. Tereshka. Vyd. druhe, vypravlene, dopovnene. (2007). K. : Vydavnychyi tsentr «Akademiia». 752 р. [in Ukrainian].

6. Niamtsu A. (2002). Poetyka sovremennoi fantastyky. Ch. 1. Chernovtsu: «Ruta». 240 p. [in Russian].

Размещено на Allbest.ru