Jun 272012
  June 27, 2012

Fantasy (of which Science Fiction is a sub-genre) is belittled by supporters of the “mainstream,” both in literature and in film. This is a strange, modern development as the greatest works of literature are fantasies. The Iliad, Beowulf, and Hamlet are all works that shaped the arts, and all are fantasies (some people try to ignore the ghost as a fantastical element in Hamlet, but then some people are very silly). In the last 75 years, the mainstream has become more and more, “slice of life” pieces, reflecting everyday life. In general, you could gain the same meaning by going down to the corner store and watching someone shop. It isn’t just by tradition that fantasies tend to say more about the meaning of life – the genre was made for it. Fantasy allows the reader/viewer to step away from his beliefs and preconceived notions and look at the world in a new way. That gives it an ability to change people that no other genre has. Continue reading »