Tom's Midnight Gardren and Swallows and Amazons
Tom 's Midnight Garden and Swallows and Amazons
How do ‘the lure of the real’ (Bogan,A.2006) and the ‘power of the fantastic’ (EA300,Block 4) work together in any two of the set texts in Block 4?
‘The lure of the real’ (Bogan,A.2006) and the ‘power of the fantastic’ (EA300,Block 4) are used to create dramatic effect and depth to narratives, in interesting and diverse ways. The two concepts are not mutually exclusive. When the real and the fantastic combine, truly delightful and often informative, stories are created. Novels differ in their proportional use of realism and fantasy. Realism is commonly used to convey a sense of believability, to give gravitas to characters and to enable a child reader to understand through the presentation of the familiar and recognisable. Fantasy can be viewed as a “departure from consensus reality.” (Hume cited in EA300. Block4.p169). This could exist in the form of imaginary play, dreams, unworldly creations or literal impossibility. This essay will concentrate on Swallows and Amazons and Tom’s Midnight Garden. Each text has different approaches to the use of reality and fantasy. However, they convey similar themes and messages through various presentations of ‘the real’ and ‘the fantastic.’
Ransome and Pearce anchor their stories in reality by creating a “powerful sense of place and” a “celebration of freedom underpinned by family security.” (EA300, Block4) Ransome achieves this by distinct geographical representation of the Lake District in his description. The Walker’s are allowed relative freedom under the watchful eyes of ‘natives,’ predominantly their mother. Pearce’s approach is quite different, however; yet still she portrays a strong bond between Tom, and his brother and mother. She also conveys a sense of place in relation to the garden. Tom “looked his good-bye at the garden, and raged that he had to leave it-leave it and Peter.” (Pearce, P.2008. p.1) Tom’s anger at forced separation from his brother and
How do ‘the lure of the real’ (Bogan,A.2006) and the ‘power of the fantastic’ (EA300,Block 4) work together in any two of the set texts in Block 4?
‘The lure of the real’ (Bogan,A.2006) and the ‘power of the fantastic’ (EA300,Block 4) are used to create dramatic effect and depth to narratives, in interesting and diverse ways. The two concepts are not mutually exclusive. When the real and the fantastic combine, truly delightful and often informative, stories are created. Novels differ in their proportional use of realism and fantasy. Realism is commonly used to convey a sense of believability, to give gravitas to characters and to enable a child reader to understand through the presentation of the familiar and recognisable. Fantasy can be viewed as a “departure from consensus reality.” (Hume cited in EA300. Block4.p169). This could exist in the form of imaginary play, dreams, unworldly creations or literal impossibility. This essay will concentrate on Swallows and Amazons and Tom’s Midnight Garden. Each text has different approaches to the use of reality and fantasy. However, they convey similar themes and messages through various presentations of ‘the real’ and ‘the fantastic.’
Ransome and Pearce anchor their stories in reality by creating a “powerful sense of place and” a “celebration of freedom underpinned by family security.” (EA300, Block4) Ransome achieves this by distinct geographical representation of the Lake District in his description. The Walker’s are allowed relative freedom under the watchful eyes of ‘natives,’ predominantly their mother. Pearce’s approach is quite different, however; yet still she portrays a strong bond between Tom, and his brother and mother. She also conveys a sense of place in relation to the garden. Tom “looked his good-bye at the garden, and raged that he had to leave it-leave it and Peter.” (Pearce, P.2008. p.1) Tom’s anger at forced separation from his brother and
Bibliography: Bogan,A. (2006). ‘Peter Pan and Wild Cat Island’ in Montgomery,H and Watson,N.J.(eds) Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, Milton Keynes, Palgrave Macmillan Cosslett,T Haslam,S (2009). ‘Introduction’ in Montgomery,H and Watson,N.J.(eds) Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, Milton Keynes, Palgrave Macmillan Hunt, P Ransome,A. (2001) Swallows and Amazons. Croydon, Red Fox Rustin,M and Rustin,M (1987) The Open University (2009) EA300 Children’s literature, ‘Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends,’ The Open University, Milton Keynes. The Open University (2009) EA300 Children’s literature: Study Guide, Block 1, Milton Keynes, The Open University The Open University (2009) EA300 Children’s literature: Study Guide, Block 4, Milton Keynes, The Open University Tucker,N. (1995). ‘Arthur Ransome and Problems of Literary Assessment’ in Montgomery,H and Watson,N.J.(eds) Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, Milton Keynes, Palgrave Macmillan