 |
| In Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, ice bear Iorek Byrnison encourages the protagonist, Lyra Belacqua, to "master" her fear. |
Before I made my first hesitant steps into the pre-teen chaos known to many as middle school, the subject of fantasy seemed to be more of a foreign language than foreign genre. Although my imagination was as if not more colorful than that of my classmates' at the time, reading and writing about worlds not of our own seemed a subject better suited for the ever adventurous and thrill-seeking boys. After all, what could be more masculine than a dragon spewing fire, a dwarf wielding a sharpened axe, or a futuristic space ship zooming off into the heavens?
I subconsciously avoided science fiction and fantasy for this reason, for I did not wish to earn the not-so-honorable title of a "nerd" or a "geek" (both of which I proudly self-proclaim myself to be today, I might add). After all, the majority of girls my age were far more interested in fashion than far-off lands, and frowned upon the dying breed of tomboys who so boldly refused to follow their stereotypical lead.
Nor did I truly wish to become "just another Harry Potter fan" for it seemed to me that, during this time period, J.K. Rowling's instant classic was the only fantasy series idolized by readers. To be completely honest, I was actually forbidden from reading the adventures of this fabled boy wizard. Apparently the word "witchcraft" did not sit well at the time with my strictly religious parents. It was partly because of their great dislike for such books that I purposefully avoided every novel that was even remotely related to fantasy, fearing that laying so much as a finger on such titles would evoke a serious reprimand.
This was a decision I soon came to regret.
The first classic fantasy novel that I ever had the pleasure of reading was (as near as I can remember) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. As much as I would like to say that I summoned up a sudden, spontaneous inner courage to break away from the monotony of girlhood and read this fantasy icebreaker on my own, I admit (with utmost embarrassment) that this was not the case. Alas, it was indeed a school-assigned book; but unlike many of the novels administered by my English teachers, L'Engle's remarkable narrative was one I thoroughly enjoyed.
By keeping one foot firmly planted in reality, A Wrinkle in Time left me wondering if there truly was such a phenomenon as a "tesseract" a sort of "worm hole" that would allow space travel to occur almost instantaneously. Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin's multi-planetary journey encouraged me to begin a voyage of my own, but instead of searching for a long-lost father like the Murrys and their friend, my expedition would lead me to yet other imaginary worlds.
My quest would then take me to a fabled land that many fans of well-acclaimed British author J.R.R. Tolkien have grown to love since the 1937 publication of The Hobbit and its 1954 trilogy sequel, The Lord of the Rings. Set in the vast, rich landscapes of Middle-Earth, these four classic tales describe the journey of a magic ring discovered by the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, and his nephew Frodo's epic mission to destroy it in order to prevent the destruction of their world by the ring's corrupted owner, Sauron.
By personifying the hills, mountains, and even the trees in such a way that they are as intricately designed as the likes of Bilbo, Frodo, Samwise, and Gandalf, the land itself becomes a character. Tolkien does not leave a single detail untouched in his creation of this world, which has not only its own creatures, but its own language, culture, history, and mythology.
The depth and detail of Middle-Earth is so vast and complex that a number of colleges offer classes that focus solely on its study. Tolkien's universe is one in which readers can truly immerse themselves. Few authors have ever come close to the level of depth and knowledge that Tolkien has achieved, though many have tried young aspiring author Christopher Paolini of The Inheritance Cycle (which includes Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and the fourth unnamed title), to name one in particular.
Tolkien's close friend and colleague, C.S. Lewis, was also a well-known author, and published the first of a seven-book series for children called The Chronicles of Narnia in 1950. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe follows the adventures of the four siblings who have been sent away to escape the perils of World War II and, during a game of hide and seek, discover a portal to an alternate world where animals are gifted with speech.
Like Tolkien's Middle-Earth, Lewis' Narnia is also populated by a variety of delightful creatures and fearsome beasts, from dwarves to fauns to centaurs, as well as every living animal imaginable. And just as Tolkien was inspired by Anglo-Saxon and Norse mythology, Lewis borrows from Greek mythology as well as many Christian ideals. Simple in its language but complex and detailed in its message, The Chronicles of Narnia is a worth-while read.
Returning to the subject of science fiction, I soon found myself in another galaxy, far, far away. Yet unlike Luke, Leia, and Artoo, Lessa and F'lar of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight (1968) live not long, long ago, but in the very distant future. The nineteen-book Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey (Dragonflight being the first) follows the hardships and successes of a human colony that settles on a new planet threatened by a menace known as Thread a deadly "silver rain" that falls from the sky every two hundred years and devours every organic material it touches. The colonists' only defenses against this peril are fire and water and what better way to protect their lives than with Pern's conveniently native, flame-spouting, miniature dragons?
Engaging and thrilling, Anne McCaffrey's novels express the strength of the human spirit and the will of all of mankind to survive. I appreciated the author's thought and consideration in creating such a vivid and realistic world that was so similar and at the same time, so alien to Earth. The close bond between human and dragon in particular, between Lessa and Ramoth also emphasizes the importance of cooperation during times of crisis, for the people of Pern would not have flourished for thousands of years had it not been for the noble dragons and their riders.
Last but certainly not least, my pursuit of classic fanciful literature took me to yet another alternate universe, that of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials (1995-2000). In Pullman's unique world, a human's soul takes the form of an animal that reflects his or her inner personality. Though these beings are called dζmons (pronounced much in the same way as the name for an evil spirit), their role is that of a "guardian angel" or a "conscience" rather than a devil.
The first book in the trilogy, The Golden Compass (published as The Northern Lights in the United Kingdom), places headstrong eleven-year-old Lyra Belacqua and her dζmon, Pantalaimon, on a perilous quest to the frozen North to find and rescue her kidnapped friend, Roger, all the while desperately searching for the truth behind "Dust," an enigmatic particle that seems to connect all worlds. On her journey, Lyra encounters a number of unforgettable characters, ranging from formidable armored bears to awe-inspiring witches. I highly recommend His Dark Materials for both Pullman's extraordinary writing ability and the fact that his trilogy celebrates the natural rights of free will and independent thought.
I give much credit to Madeline L'Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Anne McCaffrey, and Philip Pullman for much of my inspiration and passion for reading and writing fantasy and science fiction novels, but they are not alone. My list of favorite classic tales has grown drastically since I first "sank my teeth" into or, to put it more accurately, devoured A Wrinkle in Time, and all of these stories have motivated me over the course of my entire high school career, influencing both my writing and my outlook on life.
Without a doubt, this remarkable voyage has quelled my previous fears of fantasy and science fiction. With luck, the students of Mount Vernon High School will also dare to travel beyond the pages of the latest Harry Potter book and film, for as much as our society may have enjoyed following the exploits of this young boy wizard, there were indeed authors before his time that deserve as much, if not more praise than J.K. Rowling and I have no doubt that she, too, was inspired by the likes of Tolkien, Lewis, McCaffrey, and Pullman.
