Story Analysis – Page 2 – Mythic Scribes Test Site

A Demon Did It: Breakdowns of Consistency in Fantasy Fiction

This article is by Stefon Mears.

Years ago, on The Simpsons, Lucy Lawless uttered the now famous line, “A wizard did it.”

In context the line was a broad dismissal of the myriad small errors fans are famous for finding in their favorite shows.

Found an inconsistency? Blame it on a wizard. Ironic, really, because by the end of its run Xena: Warrior Princess had more gods as recurring characters than human beings, but I’m hard pressed to think of a single wizard.

But then, “a god did it” might not have gone over so well with viewers.

The Walking Dead is Not About Zombies

by Nathan Lauffer

It’s about us. This is what I tell people every time I proselytize to the unconverted.

Consider me a missionary that goes out into the world and speaks the good news about good stories including The Walking Dead. When it comes to this particular conversion, I go to those who are “not into zombies”, “think zombies have been overdone”, and even those who “don’t really watch a lot of TV.”

The Walking Dead started as a graphic novel series, and is still going strong as that. If you prefer that medium, then I recommend it as much as I do the TV Series that came later. The two share a lot of things including characters, story lines, back stories.

Secrets of Fantasy Literature – Interview with Harry Potter Scholar John Granger

by Test Administrator

Labelled by TIME as “The Dean of Harry Potter Scholars,” John Granger is a pioneer.

When many were dismissing the significance of the Hogwarts Saga, or condemning the books for “promoting witchcraft,” John was the first literary critic to explain how they carry on the tradition of English fantasy literature. His book, How Harry Cast His Spell, shows readers how J.K. Rowling used classic literary techniques to weave a timeless story that connects with the hearts of readers.

I recently spoke with John about the popularity of fantasy literature, and the secrets of writing a great fantasy story.

What draws people to fantasy literature?

I think Mircea Eliade was right when he wrote that reading serves a mythic or religious function in a secular society, which is to say that we read fiction in general because it offers us an escape from or transcendence of our ego existence.

How Tolkien Influences My Writing

by Featured Author

This article is by Terri Rochenski.

My love affair with the fantasy genre started at an early age when someone bought me and my older brother The Chronicles of Narnia seven book gift set. I read them ‘til they fell apart.

Literally.

I can’t tell you how many times I checked the backs of every closet in our large farm house, totally expecting to find Mr. Tumnus. Oh, the disappointment of finding fantasy is just that—fantasy. Make Believe.

I was introduced to The Hobbit in middle school. The first time I watched the original cartoon released in 1977, I was hooked. I gobbled up the LotR series within the following month. While I may not have understood the underlying moral lessons at that age, re-reads through the years cemented Middle Earth as my favorite daydream land.

Sword & Sorcery Film Classics: Conan the Destroyer

by Philip Overby

So first you may be saying, “Film classic? Conan the Destroyer? Ha!”

Hear me out.

This isn’t going to be a glowing review of why Conan the Destroyer is the best movie ever made. Nor will it be a review trashing a movie that is maligned by most fans of fantasy cinema. It will be “balanced.” Meaning I will give both points and counterpoints to why I love/hate different aspects of this movie.

Come along with me on a journey. Not a journey to slay Dagoth, but a journey nonetheless.

Skyrim: A Fantasy Writer’s Perspective

by Codey Amprim

Many of us stood in line on a brisk November night, waiting to get our hands on the game that would enslave us to our PC’s and consoles for days to come. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim went on to be named the 2011 Game of the Year, and countless players lost themselves within this fantasy world.

While most players were swept away by the gameplay, the fantasy writer in me was constantly analyzing every aspect of Skyrim, from the storyline to the world and the creatures within it. Such is the nature of the fantasy enthusiast.

I also had very high expectations for this game, after being wowed by Oblivion for years. This is my view on what I saw, and what I would have liked to have seen, in the world of Skyrim.

J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Lord of the Rings”, and Free Will

by Featured Author

This article is by Darren Andrews.

Generations have been enthralled by Tolkien’s epic fantasy, “The Lord of The Rings”. Its pages have been studied alongside the works of C.S. Lewis in Christian-literature classes, a society exists dedicated to preserving it in the spirit of its author, and back in the 1970s (in England at least) it was ‘unofficial required reading’ to enter the more respected universities – if you wanted to be accepted by your peers!

J.R.R. Tolkien, born 1892, was both a philologist and a student of mythology. He was a down-to-earth man nevertheless, and filled with a remarkable amount of common sense and clarity of thought. That he spent so much of his effort in fiction yet had so great a grasp of reality – both of the seen and unseen – is perhaps one of his most endearing qualities.

Conan on the Couch – Psychoanalyzing Conan the Barbarian

by Featured Author

This article is by John Garlick.

Film is a powerful medium for communicating, even on levels which we aren’t aware of. In watching a film, the viewer is able to take part in their own desires and conflicts, literally “projected” onto the screen in front of them. As a viewer’s perception works on the film, so too do elements of the film work on the viewer, playing off of their psychological histories, and even addressing unresolved issues from childhood. By examining elements of a film through a psychoanalytic lens, we’re able to gain a better understanding of the film itself.

To demonstrate how a psychoanalytic approach to film is possible, let’s examine Conan the Barbarian, a fantasy adventure film from 1982. The film follows Conan on his quest to avenge his slain family and reclaim his father’s sword.