scholarly journals Mystery or not? Quantum cognition and the interpretation of the fantastic in Neil Gaiman

Ars Aeterna ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33
Author(s):  
Ivan Čipkár
Keyword(s):  
Reader Response ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Genre Fiction ◽  
Realistic Interpretation ◽  
Quantum Cognition ◽  
Realistic Fiction ◽  
Neil Gaiman ◽  
Dual Interpretation ◽  
The Fantastic ◽  
Tzvetan Todorov

AbstractThe present paper describes a reader-response experiment focusing on the perception of the genre of the fantastic. It also proposes an update of the genre’s structuralist definition to better conform to contemporary cognitive research. Participants answered questions relating to the interpretation of events and important symbols in a Neil Gaiman short story and were also asked if they considered the story “fantasy” or “realistic fiction.” Tzvetan Todorov characterized the fantastic as a hesitation between the uncanny (realistic interpretation) and the marvelous (supernatural interpretation). Neil Gaiman, a popular contemporary author of genre fiction, has utilized this hesitation between psychological and supernatural explanations of his stories to great effect. The results show a consistently higher degree of enjoyment in readers who were aware of the dual interpretation and partook in the hesitation. This paper also introduces the concept of quantum cognition into literary theory and explains the benefit of using terminology from this discipline in a reader-response context. The findings of this study could be the first step towards a better understanding of the different ways in which readers cognitively approach the fantastic or genre in general.

scholarly journals FANTASTIC STORYWORLDS AND TRANSFICTIONALITY OF LITERARY CHARACTERS

2020 ◽  
pp. 009
Author(s):  
Snežana Milosavljević Milić
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Realistic Fiction ◽  
Neil Gaiman ◽  
Literary Character ◽  
The Fantastic

The interpretation of a literary character in the context of the distinction between the multiple storyworlds is connected with the phenomenon of “transfictionality” (Saint–Gelais 2005). When the same characters inhabit more possible worlds, they become travelling narrative individuals. If they originate as a ‘transfer’ of real historical persons through different fictional and non-fictional genres, “real individuals” represent extratextual versions (Margolin 1997, Dannenberg 2008). We refer to intertextual versions in case of variants of unreal individuals in different fictional genres. When we talk about variants of characters within a text created due to “travels” of characters from realistic to fantastic worlds, or through many virtual worlds, then we refer to intratextual versions. Our starting hypothesis is that transgressiveness of a character is an immanent characteristic of heroes in fantastic fictional worlds, regardless of the type of the fantastic. Modification appears as a compulsory factor of any type of transgression. The range and intensity of heroes’ changes, as we know, show high variability, from the oldest and most explicit metamorphoses to partial or soft and barely visible modifications, from bodily transformations to psychological and mental variations, from sudden shapeshifting to gradual changes. Special intention will be paid to the counterfactual aspect of fantastic narrative world in the short stories by Radoje Domanović, Dejan Vukićević and Neil Gaiman. In line with that, we will briefly outline the intratextual relations which originate between the doubles of actual realistic fiction world and virtual/fantastic worlds. In that vein, one can consider the significant role of techniques of the fantastic in switching between storyworlds.

A Study in Four Colours: The Case of the Chameleon Detective

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-41
Author(s):  
Lucyna Krawczyk-Żywko
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
First Century ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Sherlock Holmes ◽  
Neil Gaiman ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Twenty First Century ◽  
Literary Characters

Sherlock Holmes, one of the world's most famous detectives, is skilled at disguising himself and adjusting to different circumstances and yet remaining himself. Few literary characters lose so little in the process of adaptation, be it cinematic or literary, and I propose calling him a cultural chameleon: regardless of the palette and colour against which he is positioned – warm (scarlet and pink), cold (emerald), or black – he remains a brilliant sleuth. This paper compares four titles and four colours: A Study in Scarlet (1887), the first of the long-running series of texts by Doyle, and three instances of Holmes's adaptability to twenty-first century standards and expectations: ‘A Study in Emerald’ (2003), an award-winning short story by Neil Gaiman, ‘A Study in Pink’ (2010), the first episode of the BBC series Sherlock, and ‘A Study in Black’ (2012–13), a part of the Watson and Holmes comics series. Each background highlights different aspects of the detective's personality, but also sheds light on his approach to crime and criminals.

Ursula K. Le Guin

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra J. Lindow
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
American Literature ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Columbia University ◽  
Contemporary American Literature ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Radcliffe College ◽  
Neil Gaiman ◽  
Book Award ◽  
National Book

One of the most influential voices in contemporary American literature, Ursula K. Le Guin (b. 1929–d. 2018) began publishing in the 1960s and soon became known for her courageous exploration of ethics, ecology, and diversity using fantastic and futuristic settings. Elevating fantasy and science fiction from pulp-era sword and sorcery and space opera, her fiction explores and condemns chauvinistic traditions of colonialism, nationalism, sexism, and racism. Through her literary approach to genre themes and settings, she inspired not only generations of genre writers but also many mainstream writers who incorporated fantastic elements in their work. Ursula Kroeber was born on in Berkeley, California. Her parents were the Alfred Kroeber, pioneering anthropologist, and Theodora Kroeber, author of Ishi in Two Worlds. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1951, earned a masters degree from Columbia University in 1952, and married historian Charles Le Guin in 1953. A prolific writer, she published more than sixty books including novels for adults and young adults, picture books, short story collections, critical nonfiction, poetry, screenplays, and works of translation. Genre and mainstream recognition occurred throughout her career. Her first fantasy novel, A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), earned the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Her groundbreaking novel The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) won Hugo and Nebula Awards. She was only the second woman to receive both honors for one book. The Farthest Shore (1973) won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. The Dispossessed (1974) won Locus, Nebula, and Hugo Awards. Overall, her novels alone received five Locus, four Nebulas, two Hugos, and one World Fantasy Award. In 1989 she accepted the Pilgrim Award for her critical work. In 1994, 1996, and 1997, she earned Tiptree Awards for her exploration of gender through her depiction of androgyny and alternative cultures that privilege nonheteronormative marriage. Le Guin’s lifetime achievement awards recognize her importance in American literature. In 2000, the US Library of Congress named her a Living Legend for her significant contributions to America’s cultural heritage. In 2002, she won the PEN/Malamud Award for excellence in short fiction and the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers Association. In 2014, she received the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. In his introduction to her National Book Award acceptance speech, author Neil Gaiman describes her as someone who made him not only a better writer but also a better person as a writer.

Historically Speaking,—: Some reflections on Gulliver's Travels

1961 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 620-625
Author(s):  
C. F. Merrill
Keyword(s):  
World Literature ◽  
Realistic Fiction ◽  
Utopian Fiction ◽  
Gulliver's Travels ◽  
The Fantastic

It has been stated that “Gulliver's Travels draws upon at least five traditions of world literature …, the literal travel account, realistic fiction, utopian fiction, symbolism, and the fantastic voyage [1].”* There is, however, another aspect of Gulliver's Travels which perhaps some of its readers have not considered.

scholarly journals O insólito em stardust: análise intermidiática

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 33394
Author(s):  
Rogério Caetano De Almeida ◽  
Matheus Gustavo Cavalheiro
Keyword(s):  
Neil Gaiman ◽  
Tzvetan Todorov

Este trabalho discute alguns aspectos relacionados ao insólito para a adaptação do romance Stardust, de Neil Gaiman para uma obra cinematográfica. Utiliza-se aqui o trabalho de Linda Hutcheon sobre teoria da adaptação para averiguar os aspectos de aproximação e distanciamento entre as obras. No que tange ao insólito, parte-se das reflexões de Tzvetan Todorov sobre o fantástico, os desdobramentos dessas reflexões nas obras de Remo Ceserani e David Roas, chegando, por fim, ao trabalho sobre o insólito desenvolvido por Flávio Garcia. Metodologicamente, o trabalho tece uma breve comparação para chegar ao objetivo de demonstrar as semelhanças e diferenças entre obras adaptadas para diferentes linguagens. 

The Haunting of Haddonfield

Halloween ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 37-56
Author(s):  
Murray Leeder ◽  
Murray Leeder
Keyword(s):  
Musical Score ◽  
The Uncanny ◽  
Common Framework ◽  
The Fantastic ◽  
Tzvetan Todorov ◽  
Haunted Houses

This chapter argues that, formally, narratively, and thematically, the character of Michael Myers is constructed as a haunted force, and Haddonfield as a haunted space. One common framework for dealing with the supernatural in literature comes from the Bulgarian structural narratologist Tzvetan Todorov. Todorov delineated three modes for the literary supernatural: the Marvellous, the Uncanny and the Fantastic. Many of Halloween's most effective moments similarly depend on Fantastic hesitation. The chapter then explores the themes of haunted houses and legend tripping in Halloween, as well as the utilization of sound in implying a kind of omnipresence to Michael's presence and perspective. John Carpenter's musical score works similarly to project Michael's presence beyond his body.

scholarly journals Transitando pelas veredas insólitas de Rosa: uma leitura de “Chronos kai Anagke” / Moving Through the Unusual Paths of Rosa: An Analysis of “Chronos kai Anagke”

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Adilson Dos Santos ◽  
Rita das Graças Felix Fortes
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Joao Guimaraes Rosa ◽  
Tzvetan Todorov

Resumo: Publicado em 2011, pela Editora Nova Fronteira, o volume de contos Antes das primeiras estórias reúne quatro contos da juventude de João Guimarães Rosa (1908-1967) publicados na revista O Cruzeiro e no diário O Jornal. Apesar de ainda não terem conquistado a devida atenção por parte da crítica especializada, os contos dessa coletânea flertam com as vertentes do insólito ficcional e evidenciam uma faceta de sua obra que será posteriormente aprimorada nas narrativas de matriz regionalista. O objetivo do presente estudo é apresentar uma leitura do conto “Chronos kai Anagke” pelo viés de uma dessas vertentes. Com base no arcabouço teórico de Tzvetan Todorov e Filipe Furtado, pretende-se demonstrar que a narrativa rosiana se enquadra no que Todorov denomina “fantástico puro”.Palavras-chave: João Guimarães Rosa; conto; insólito; fantástico.Abstract: Published in 2011, by Nova Fronteira, the volume of short stories Antes das primeiras estórias brings together four short stories from the youth of João Guimarães Rosa (1908-1967) published in the magazine O Cruzeiro and in the daily O Jornal. Although they have not yet received due attention by the specialized critics, the short stories of this collection flirt with the strands of the literature of the unusual and show a facet of his work that will be further refined in the narratives of regionalist matrix. The aim of this study is to present an analysis of the short story “Chronos kai Anagke” through the perspective of one of these strands. Based on the theoretical framework of Tzvetan Todorov and Filipe Furtado, we will demonstrate that this short story fits into what Todorov calls “pure fantastic”.Keywords: João Guimarães Rosa; short story; unusual; fantastic.

scholarly journals Metonímia e realismo em “A enxada”, de Bernardo Élis

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-76
Author(s):  
Maria Cecília Boechat
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
Roland Barthes ◽  
Literary Realism ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Social Content ◽  
Figures Of Speech ◽  
Figure Of Speech ◽  
Roman Jakobson ◽  
Tzvetan Todorov

Resumo: Análise do conto “A enxada”, de Bernardo Élis, publicado em Veranico de janeiro (1966) e tornado antológico por Alfredo Bosi, que o selecionou para compor sua coletânea O conto brasileiro contemporâneo (1975). A análise procura mostrar um dos procedimentos estruturantes da narrativa, que consiste no recorrente e variado uso da metonímia. A relação entre essa figura de linguagem e o realismo literário foi estudada por linguistas como Román Jakobson e Tzvetan Todorov e pelo semiólogo Roland Barthes, cujos trabalhos consistem no fundamento teórico da análise proposta. Nessa perspectiva, o objetivo é mostrar que, embora o conto de Bernardo Élis, por seu forte conteúdo social, tenha sido explorado principalmente em seu viés sociológico, a relação que a narrativa estabelece com a realidade rural brasileira não se pretende factual ou documental, mas encontra-se explicitamente mediada pela linguagem e pela tradição literária brasileira, em que se insere pela retomada de um episódio do romance A bagaceira (1928), de José Américo de Almeida.Palavras-chave: Realismo; Figuras de linguagem; Bernardo Élis.Abstract:Analysis of the short story “A enxada”, written by Bernardo Élis, published in the book Veranico de Janeiro (1966) and turned anthological by Alfredo Bosi, who selected it to be included in his collection O conto brasileiro contemporâneo (1975). This study aims to show one of the structural procedures of the narrative, which consists in recurrent and varied use of metonymy. The relation between this figure of speech and literary Realism was studied by linguists such as Román Jakobson and Tzvetan Todorov and by the semiologist Roland Barthes, whose works are comprised of the theoretical foundation of the analysis proposed. From this perspective, the focus of this article is to prove that, even though the story of Bernardo Élis, due to its powerful social content, has been explored mainly through its sociological bias, the connection that the narrative establishes with the Brazilian rural reality does not intend to be factual or documental. Nonetheless, it is found clearly mediated by language and the Brazilian literary tradition in which it is placed with the recallof an episode from the novel A bagaceira (1928), written by José Américo de Almeida.Keywords: realism; figures of speech; Bernardo Élis.

THE ‘OTHER’ NARNIA: MANIFESTATIONS AND MUTATIONS OF C.S. LEWIS’s THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE IN NEIL GAIMAN’s CORALINE

Mousaion ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-110
Author(s):  
Carole Godfrey
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Neil Gaiman ◽  
Fantasy World ◽  
The World ◽  
The Witch

Between 2003 and 2004, Neil Gaiman wrote a short story called ‘The problem of Susan’. In it, a young journalist has a dream in which she is Susan Pevensie and the world of Narnia has become dark and terrifying. In this article, the author argues that Gaiman’s preoccupation with and intertextual re-envisioning of Narnia goes beyond ‘The problem of Susan’, and that his children’s book, Coraline (2002), can be viewed partly as a rewriting of C.S. Lewis’s The lion, the witch and the wardrobe ([1950] 2001). The author further shows that the two books have many shared aspects, but that Gaiman transforms these aspects to make the fantasy world in Coraline an unsteady, threatening and even horrifying version of the bright and inviting world of Narnia. The author also argues that Gaiman’s purpose in so doing is to defy and subtly criticise what he views as Lewis’s attempts to encourage children to remain innocent and childlike.

scholarly journals Sueño, poesía y realidad latinoamericana en Me alquilo para soñar, de Gabriel García Márquez.

Sincronía ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol XXV (79) ◽  
pp. 315-333
Author(s):  
Seohyeok Park ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Gabriel Garcia Marquez ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Life Narrative ◽  
Latin Americans ◽  
Common Foundation ◽  
The Fantastic

The present article reviews the configuration of dream as the fantastic and poetry as another dimension of reality, in the short story “Me alquilo para soñar” by García Márquez. Three dimensions are highlighted in which three main characters are embodied: the life-dream, the life-poetry and the life-narrative, which share creation as a common foundation. The main objective is to demonstrate that the mechanism of creation is the same, the imaginative recreation, and to analyze the strategy of verisimilitude conjoining the perspective of the experience of the reader, in order to scrutinize the reality of Latin Americans who are presented to the reader in this short story.

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