cl low fantasy

Low fantasy

Takes place in the real world, has fantastical elements interjected.

Anthropomorphic animal stories

• Humanlike: are animals, but do human things like wear clothes, drive, etc.

Who wrote The Wind in the Willows?

Kenneth Grahame

What is The Wind in the Willows about? What is an example of?

(Anthropomorphic Animal Story)

4 central characters:

• Mole: most childlike. Is spring cleaning, gets restless; has an adventure

• Rat: who Mole meets first. They go on a picnic

• Toad: Lives in a mansion called Toad Hall, inherited money from father. Narcissist: his father didn’t give him any praise as a child. He doesn’t like Toad Hall because it reminds him of his father.

• Badger: Grand patriarch of the story, father figure. 

Story isn’t really about animals; it’s more about male friendship

• Steal automobiles

Who wrote Charlotte’s Web?

E. B. White

E. B. White

• Worked as an editor for the New Yorker

• Lived in Manhattan 

• Had a farm in Maine, would spend summers there

• Charlotte’s Web originated from his experiences on the farm

What was E. B. White’s first book?

• Stuart Little

• Was accused of “bestiality”

• Has adventures in New York

Who are the central characters in Charlotte’s Web?

• Charlotte: spider

Based off of a real spider E. B. White saw in his farm

• Wilbur: pig

Farmer’s daughter rescues it from being slaughtered, names it “Wilbur”

Charlotte tries to save Wilbur from being slaughtered by writing things with her webs like “Some Pig”. 

• Fern: human

Doesn’t understand the animals, but knows that they’re communicating

How are Charlotte’s web and The Wind in the Willows different?

Charlotte’s Web: Naturalistic

• Eating animal things

The Wind in the Willows: Humanlike

• Drive, wear clothes

Toy Stories

• Children think of their toys as being characters, alive

• Most famous example is Pinocchio

• Winnie the Pooh

Who wrote Pinocchio?

Carlo Collodi

Pinocchio plot

• Pinocchio smashes Jiminy Cricket when he tries to give him advice

• “Ghost of the Cricket” come back throughout the story

• Pinocchio realizes he’s just a puppet; yearns to become a real boy

Who was Winnie the Pooh written by?

A. A. Miller

Winnie the Pooh

• Characters are based on toys son had in real life

• Christopher Robin (main character) shared the name with A. A. Miller’s son

• Instant hit 

• Christopher Robin became one of the most famous kids in the world

• Liked it at first, but going to boarding school made him think otherwise. Kids made fun of him for his stuffed animals, asked him “How’s Winnie doing?”

What was Winnie the Pooh’s original name?

• Edward Bear

• Changed it because his favorite animal at the zoo was named “Winnie”

• A swan he often saw at the park was named “Pooh”

• Became “Winnie the Pooh”

Toy Story

• First Pixar film

• Toys can’t let Andy know they’re alive

• Andy gets older, shoves toys to the side

Ghost Stories

• Most famous example is A Christmas Carol

• Main character is Ebenezer Scrooge

• His former partner, a ghost, tells him three ghosts will visit him: Ghost of Christmas past, present, and future

• Scrooge chooses money over people time and time again

Who wrote A Christmas Carol?

Charles Dickens

Who wrote The Graveyard Book?

Neil Gaimen

The Graveyard Book plot

• Something is out to kill Bod, a toddler

• Bod finds refuge in a graveyard—but if he leaves, he dies

• Ghosts in the graveyard take care of Bod

• Bod wants to leave and explore the world but would face the threat of his killer if he does

Time Travel Stories

• Most famous example is The Magic Tree House series

• Siblings find books in their treehouse

• Boy says “I wish we were there” while looking at one of the pictures in his book, gets transported to world of dinosaurs

Who was The Magic Tree House series written by?

Mary Pope Osborne

Who is the author of James and the Giant Peach?

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

• Born in Wales

• Father met his first wife in Norway; they had several kids. Dahl’s father remarried, then his second wife had Roald Dahl.

• When Roald Dahl was young, his father died. Second wife honored his wish for Dahl and his siblings to be taught in British schools

• Went to boarding school in Cardiff, spent summers in Wales

• Hated boarding schoolteachers—hit children, were strict, and he didn’t fit in. He faked appendicitis to be able to go home

• Was obsessed with Africa; got a job for Shell oil in Africa

• Spoke Norwegian, English, and Swahili

What British force did Roald Dahl volunteer for? Where was it?

The Royal Air Force; base was in Nairobi, Kenya

• Volunteered to be a fighter pilot but was too big, he was over 6 ft tall

• Asked if they mind if “his knees touched his chin” while in the pit

• Was assigned to a station in Libya

• Was given instructions to go to a certain base, but when he got there, he saw that it had been moved

• Didn’t have enough fuel to get back; had to do an emergency landing

• Landed on boulder, which hit fuel lodge

• Plane exploded, Dahl barely escaped with his life

What is the meaning of “SNAFU”?

Situation Normal All F*cked Up

What happened to Dahl after the crash?

• Was rescued, taken to a hospital in Alexandria

• Eventually given another plane to go to Greece, but it got taken over by Nazis, so he had to go back to Libya

• G-forces from the crash affected him, was no longer fit to fly

• Was moved to Great Britain and given a job to help new pilots fly

• Was recruited by British Secret Service to become a spy

What happened after Dahl became a British Secret Service spy?

• Dahl was sent to be a “Royal Air Force representative” in Washington DC

• Real job was to spy on American politicians and learn as much about them as possible

• British interviewer visited, asked him about his most interesting experience in the air force

• They got drunk, questions were never answered

• Dahl wrote a book about his experiences; publishers liked it but changed the name to “Shot down over Libya”

• Lived with the lie for a while but changed the title to “A Piece of Cake”, the original title

What were all of Roald Dahl’s books about before he changed things up?

• Short WWII stories with surprise endings

• Macabre: gruesome

What book did Roald Dahl write when WWII ended?

Over to You

Who wrote Leg of Lamb Slaughter?

• About a police officer husband and a beautiful wife

• Wife decides to make lamb’s leg to eat

• Husband comes home, tells her he’s cheating

• She hits him with the leg’s lamb and kills him

• Puts the lamb in the oven, goes to the store to see what would be good with it

• Comes home, pretends to be shocked like she wasn’t the one who killed her husband

• Police department comes, tries to find the murder weapon

• They stay for dinner and eat the lamb

What were some of Roald Dahl’s adult books called?

• Leg of Lamb Slaughter

• Summer like you

• Kiss Kiss

Why did Roald Dahl and his wife move away from NYC?

• Their governess was pushing the kids in a stroller; son fell out and almost died

• Decided New York wasn’t for them, moved to a townhome in Britain

• Dahl became a children’s author from his garden shed

• Told the story of James and the Giant Peach to his kids and wrote it down

• His wife later had a stroke that messed up her acting career

Who was Dahl’s first wife?

Patricia Neal

Who was Dahl’s second wife?

Felicity D’Abreu Crosland

Who wrote The Twain Series?

Mark West (the professor)

○ The first chapter was biographical 

○ The others were about the authors works 

● He then interviewed Roald Dahl for a book in the Twain Series 

● He applied for a grant to go to England for the interview and he got it and went ● Roald Dahl had 6 filing cabinets full of correspondents 

○ Mark asked how long it would take to go through them 

○ Roald Dahl said no way are you rummaging through my papers 

● He asked to record the interview with tape recorders 

● Roald Dahl picked him up in a beat up car and drive up to a mansion with a bar in the front 

● They went in and got a drink 

● Roald collected antique furniture 

● He had a place where he could burn things 

● One of the most successful children’s authors of all time 

James and the Giant Peach is about ___

Regression

What is “splitting”?

When your life is falling apart, you fall apart as well. Splitting involves:

• Projection

• Introjection

What is projection?

When we take parts of our self that we are not comfortable with and project them onto something else 

What is introjection?

Taking your memories of something and seeing them as different entities

What are some of Roald Dahl’s other children’s books?

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

• Big Friendly Giant (BFG)

• Matilda

What are James’ parents eaten by?

A rhinoceros. 

• James goes to live with Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker after this

What is J.K. Rowling’s real name?

Joanne K. Rowling

• Publishers didn’t think boys would read a book about a boy written by a woman, made her go by J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling childhood

• Born in upper middle-class family

• Father was an engineer, worked for Rolls Royce (cars)

• Based Hermione on herself: book-oriented, liked to study

• Good at languages

• Didn’t have a lot of friends, but had close few: similar to the Harry, Ron, and Hermione

J.K. Rowling in college

• Studied Greek mythology

• Knew how to speak Latin, French

• Love for languages came into play when she wrote Harry Potter

• Joined Amnesty International, did fundraising work

What is Amnesty International?

Works on behalf of prisoners that are in jail for their political beliefs 

J.K. Rowling life after college

• Got a job teaching English in Lisbon, Portugal

• Got to know local celebrity in Lisbon, got married for a short time; had a daughter

• Husband was vain, only cared about himself, based a character on him

• Divorced her husband, moved to Edinburgh to live with her sister

What happened when JK Rowling moved to Edinburgh?

• Moved to an “unheated” flat (wasn’t insulated too well) with her daughter

• Wanted to write a children’s series on how the British deal with education: kids live at school from middle to high school, teachers become substitute parents, only get away during summer

• Wanted to write a book in the series for each different year of school

• Would write in coffee shops with her baby 

What was the name of the coffee shop JK Rowling always wrote at?

The Elephant

• Burned down

• Saved the table that she always sat at before they did, moved it to new location

What was wrong with JK Rowling’s manuscript when she tried to submit it?

• It was written by hand, needed to be typed

• Had to use a typewriter

• Guidelines said she had to send two copies of the book, typed it all again

• Was rejected by big publishers, sent it to Bloomsbury, was accepted

• Book instantly sold out

• One book every year

What US publisher wanted to publish Harry Potter?

Scholastic

• Wanted to make the book more accessible to Americans

• Changed title to “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

• Became bestselling book in America

Why was Harry Potter successful?

Took things that were already out there but wrote them in original ways

• British School Story

• Mystery novels

• Knowledge of language

What is the first successful British school story?

Tom Brown’s School Days

• Boy goes off to a boarding school called “Rugby”

• Has a small group of friends

• Different “houses”

• Bully

Who wrote Tom Brown’s School Days?

Thomas Hughes

• Wanted to send his son off to Rugby (boarding school) but his son was afraid

• Wrote the story as a way to show his son his experiences; that it wasn’t that bad

Who is Fluffy (guard dog) in Harry Potter based on?

Cerberus

• Came from Rowling’s knowledge of Greek mythology

What does the “mort” in Voldemort mean?

Death

• Comes from Rowling’s knowledge of language and words

What does “mal” in Malfoy mean?

Bad

strange events and harry’s arrival

Mr. Vernon Dursley, a conventional and status-conscious man, is unsettled by odd occurrences—people in cloaks, owls flying in daylight, and whispers about someone named “Harry Potter.” That night, Albus Dumbledore meets Professor McGonagall and Hagrid outside the Dursleys’ home. They discuss Voldemort’s recent attack: he murdered James and Lily Potter but mysteriously failed to kill their infant son, Harry. Dumbledore leaves Harry with a note explaining everything, placing him in a basket on the doorstep. This sets up the magical world’s intersection with the mundane and introduces Harry as a child of destiny.

harry’s oppressive childhood

Ten years later, Harry lives a neglected life with the Dursleys, sleeping in a cupboard under the stairs while Dudley, their spoiled son, bullies him. The imbalance in treatment highlights Harry’s isolation and the cruelty of his guardians. At the zoo, Harry unknowingly uses magic to vanish the glass of a snake enclosure, hinting at his latent powers. He’s punished despite the incident being beyond his control, reinforcing his outsider status.

the letters and hagrid’s intervention

Mysterious letters addressed to Harry begin arriving, which Mr. Dursley tries to intercept. The letters multiply, arriving in increasingly bizarre ways. In desperation, the Dursleys flee to a remote island shack. At midnight on Harry’s eleventh birthday, Hagrid bursts in and delivers Harry’s Hogwarts acceptance letter. Harry learns he’s a wizard and that the Dursleys have deliberately hidden his heritage. This marks the turning point from repression to revelation.

diagon alley and magical identity 

Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, a bustling magical marketplace. At Gringotts bank, Harry discovers his parents left him a fortune, symbolizing both legacy and independence. He shops for school supplies, including a wand that shares a core with Voldemort’s—foreshadowing their deep connection. The experience immerses Harry in the wizarding world and begins his transformation from neglected boy to someone with purpose and power.

journey to hogwarts and sorting

Harry boards the Hogwarts Express from platform nine and three-quarters, a magical gateway hidden in plain sight. He befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, forming the trio that will anchor the story. At Hogwarts, students are sorted into houses by the Sorting Hat. Harry fears being placed in Slytherin, known for dark wizards, but he, Ron, and Hermione are sorted into Gryffindor, known for bravery. This moment defines their moral compass and sets up future rivalries.

flying lessons and forbidden discoveries

Professor Snape, the Potions master, shows immediate disdain for Harry, creating tension and suspicion. During flying lessons, Harry defies orders to retrieve Neville’s toy from Draco Malfoy, showcasing his natural talent. McGonagall recruits him for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Later, Malfoy tricks Harry into sneaking out at night, leading to the discovery of a three-headed dog guarding a trapdoor—an ominous mystery that propels the plot forward

troll attack and quidditch sabotage

On Halloween, a troll invades the school. Harry and Ron rescue Hermione, forging their friendship. During Harry’s first Quidditch match, his broom is cursed. Hermione suspects Snape and sets his robes on fire, breaking the spell. Harry recovers and wins the match. These events deepen the trio’s bond and raise questions about Snape’s intentions, blending school life with growing danger.

the mirror of erised and the sorcerer’s stone

Harry receives an invisibility cloak and discovers the Mirror of Erised, which shows his deepest desire—his parents alive. This moment reveals Harry’s emotional core. The trio investigates the connection between the Gringotts break-in and the three-headed dog, learning it guards the Sorcerer’s Stone, which grants immortality and wealth. The stone belongs to Nicolas Flamel, Dumbledore’s old friend. The mystery intensifies as Voldemort’s motives become clearer.

the forbidden forest and voldemort’s presence

The Forbidden Forest and Voldemort’s Presence
After Hagrid illegally hatches a dragon, the trio is punished and sent into the Forbidden Forest. There, Harry encounters a hooded figure drinking unicorn blood—a grotesque act that sustains life at a terrible cost. A centaur rescues Harry and reveals that the figure is Voldemort. This encounter confirms Voldemort’s return and his pursuit of the Sorcerer’s Stone, raising the stakes dramatically.

confrontation with quirrrell and voldemort

1. Confrontation with Quirrell and Voldemort
   Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to find the stone before Voldemort. They bypass magical obstacles, including logic puzzles and enchanted creatures. Harry reaches the Mirror of Erised and faces Professor Quirrell, who is possessed by Voldemort. The mirror gives Harry the stone, but he lies about it. Voldemort, speaking from the back of Quirrell’s head, orders Harry’s death. Quirrell is burned by touching Harry, whose mother’s sacrificial love protects him. Harry faints during the struggle.

recovery and gryffindor’s triumph

Recovery and Gryffindor’s Triumph
Harry wakes in the hospital. Dumbledore explains that the stone will be destroyed to prevent further danger. At the end-of-year feast, Gryffindor wins the house cup after Dumbledore awards last-minute points for the trio’s bravery. Harry returns to the Dursleys for summer, now aware of his place in the magical world and the legacy he carries.

james’s tragic beginning and magical encounter

James is orphaned in a surreal and abrupt tragedy when his parents are eaten by a rhinoceros, a darkly whimsical touch typical of Roald Dahl. Sent to live with his cruel aunts, Sponge and Spiker, James suffers emotional neglect and isolation. His longing for companionship is palpable. One day, an enigmatic Old Man offers him magical green objects, promising transformation if used correctly. James’s excitement turns to despair when he accidentally spills them, and they burrow into the ground—an act that sets the magical plot in motion.

the giant peach and the aunts’ exploitation

A peach begins to grow on a barren tree, swelling to an enormous size. The aunts, ever opportunistic, fence it off and monetize the spectacle, forbidding James from approaching. Their greed contrasts sharply with James’s curiosity and wonder. That night, James defies them and discovers a tunnel into the peach, symbolizing his first step into a new world—both literally and metaphorically.

meeting the insects and escaping exploitation

Inside the peach pit, James meets a group of anthropomorphic insects: Miss Spider, Centipede, Earthworm, Old-Green-Grasshopper, and others. Though initially intimidating, they become allies. Centipede severs the peach from its tree, initiating their escape. The peach crushes Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker—an exaggerated but cathartic end to James’s tormentors—and rolls into the Atlantic Ocean, launching the journey proper.

trials at sea

The group faces perilous challenges: sharks circling the peach, hostile Cloud-Men, and interpersonal tensions. James proves resourceful and brave, devising a plan to escape the sharks by tethering seagulls to the peach, lifting it into the sky. This act marks his transformation from passive victim to active hero. The peach flies across the Atlantic, and New York City comes into view—a symbol of arrival and possibility.

a tumultuous landing

As they prepare to descend, a passenger plane accidentally severs all the seagull strings, causing a rapid fall. Miraculously, they land atop the Empire State Building. After explaining their story to authorities, James and his companions are celebrated with a parade. The peach is devoured by delighted children, turning the magical fruit into communal joy and nourishment.

a new life and storytelling legacy

James and his insect friends settle in New York. The peach pit becomes a monument in Central Park, and James lives inside it, finally surrounded by children who want to hear his tale. He writes a book recounting his journey—revealed to be the very book the reader is holding. This metafictional twist closes the loop, turning James’s personal odyssey into a shared narrative.