Fantasy Book Review Earthsea: A Wizard Of Earthsea. Ursula K. Le Guin. United States: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 1968. 251 pp. “A Wizard Of Earthsea” is the story of how a young man named Sparrowhank became a great sorcerer, dragonlord and Archmage named Ged, once known as Sparrowhank. It is the first book out of six, in the fantasy series: “Earthsea Cycle”, written by Ursula K. Le Guin. “A Wizard Of Earthsea” takes place in its own Earthsea universe. Earthsea consists of hundreds of islands, an archipelago, all spread out over a large ocean. The islands were once raised up from the ocean, by a great past hero named Segoy. The story starts out on the island of Gont, an island in the Northeast Sea, known for its wizards. Throughout
First published in 1971, Grendel, written by John Gardner, elaborates on the beast from the classic epic poem Beowulf. Grendel, a large beast in the land of the Danes, has been engaged in a twelve-year long war against the humans. Gardner’s book expounds upon the origins and life of Grendel and why he acted like he did throughout Beowulf. In Grendel, the main character meets and talks to the Dragon, who gives him advice and winds up having a greater impact than either of the two characters had expected. Throughout the book, this conversation between the two characters leads to the Dragon putting a charm on Grendel, Grendel killing more humans, and it helps to illuminate the theme of monsters and humans in the book.
The American author, teacher, and mythologist, Joseph John Campbell, is universally known for his work in comparative folklore and culture. His studies led him to discover the pattern, journey of the hero. The sequence consists of three stages and exists in many dealings with Greek mythology as well as current popular culture. A modern example of the occurring cycle is the 2001 production, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In the film, an orphaned young boy named Harry Potter is invited to study at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In time, he is involved in a dangerous quest to save the wizarding community from the grasps of the Dark Lord. The film demonstrates aspects of a traditional journey of the hero because Harry
Scene: This scene in the film comes just after the house has been picked up in the twister. Dorothy's house has been lifted up into the sky and suddenly dropped back down to earth in the middle of the Land of Oz. In the scene itself, Dorothy leaves her home to see that she is "Not in Kansas anymore," and finds the new and amazing world of the munchkin city in front of her. She also meets Gwendela the good witch as her journey in Oz begins.
The balance of light and dark has been off-kilter forever and the balance has never been obtained! In the fantasy novel A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin, the battle of light and dark has subsided, balance has been restored, and shows the journey of discovering one’s identity. At the end of the novel, when the shadow and Ged conjoin it can be seen as the realization of one’s identity, as well the discovering of balance. LeGuin uses symbols in the novel to convey what is happening on a deeper level. At the beginning of the end, the sea turned into sand as Ged approached his shadow, which can be seen as a balance, when two opposites, such as sea and sand, become one.
The hero’s journeys of Gilgamesh and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series shape the central characters and develop their qualities so they can rise to their station and overcome their difficult tasks along the way.
The Wizard of Oz is an early film but editing is used quite a bit. First off, the absence of color in the beginning and the ending of the film. This sets an overall feeling of Dorothy being home. Next the film turns to color once Dorothy dreams of being in a different world, the color, yet again, set an overall mood for Dorothy in this new world “Over the rainbow.” The first steps of Dorothy being in the world of The Wizard of Oz gives off an example of inside and outside editing. The shot begins with a close up of Dorothy’s face and the camera slowly moves out to show everything else around Dorothy, which was the start of the yellow brick road and Munchkin land. After the viewer see all of that, the camera moves back in to Dorothys face when she says that they are not in Kansas anymore. One editing transition used a lot in The Wizard of Oz is the fade-in and dissolve. Another is cross-cut, two events occurring at the same
Fantasy appeals to us, to put it crudely, because of the relationship between magic and morality. An alternate world filled with strange and wonderful things, a world defined by imagination, gives us a setting in which to lose ourselves within. J.K. Rowling has done this and has captured the minds and hearts of readers all around the world with her bestselling series “Harry Potter”. As we engage in the engrossing narrative following Harry Potter and his friends, some may be able to relate to the lives of such characters. J.K. Rowling takes an undeniably riveting approach to showcasing the round characterizations throughout her novel "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone" to such a degree that the reader can personally identify with such characters.
In “The Celestial Globe,” readers quickly derive the back story to “The Cabinet of Wonders,” the first book in the Kronos Chronicles, from context. In a well-balanced mix of history and fantasy, Rukoski who studied English Renaissance literature at Harvard has the infamous and mysterious John Dee rescue Petra from Prince Rudolfo of Prague to provide her with sanctuary and training for her unique psi abilities in Elizabethan England.
Harry potter and the prisoner of Azkaban is an excellent book. Out of ten stars I would rate this one an eight because it was to short. Once you get into it and finish it. It seems so short, because it is so interesting. Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban starts out with a bang. In the beginning Sirius black a Man accused of thirteen murders in one night escapes from Azkaban.( A wizard prison guarded to the tee by dementors, deadly spirits that feast on anything happy. Basically they suck the life out of you slowly until you go mad and lose sanity). Harry runs away on the same night and crosses the man without realizing it. Since Sirius is an ananamugus he is able to turn into a giant black
Harry Potter is a fascinating tale of sorcerers, wands, broomsticks, dragons, and magic. The story begins with a young boy named Harry Potter who lives at number four Privit Drive, Surray, England. His journey begins after the death of his parents at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry learns of his past and his future as a wizard from Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He travels to Hogwarts where he learns spells and enchantments, makes new friends, finds enemies, and discovers fantastic secretes. J.K. Rowling weaves a web of impeccable storytelling with this critically acclaimed novel. In the tale of Harry Potter imagery, symbolism, and motif take central focus.
My book report is on the book 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone' by J.K.
Hans Christian Andersen’s story follows a similar protagonist, but a varied story line. She, too, yearns to visit the surface like her five older sisters (Anderson). However, she must wait for her fifteenth birthday (Anderson). On her visit to the surface, she saves “a young prince, the most beautiful of all, with large black eyes,” from a shipwreck and falls in love with him (Anderson). Repeated visits to the surface cause her to “grow more and more fond of human beings, and wish more and more to be able to wander about with those whose world seemed to be so much larger than her own” (Anderson). The little mermaid discovers that if her young prince were to love her, she could gain an immortal soul (Anderson). Despite her fear, she decides to visit the sea witch who then cures her of her fins…for a price
The title of my book is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It is written by J.K. Rowling. I really liked this book. This book is a fiction book. That of course means it’s not true.
Beowulf and Sir Gawain and The Green Knight are British mythological stories whose authors are unknown. The stories paint the picture of brave and selfless heroes who put the lives of their fellow men before their own. Though the stories differ in their narration, they are built on the same ideas and principles. This essay compares and contrasts the various themes in these two stories and their development. The issues discussed are the role of women, strength and courage and afterlife.
“The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen is one of the worlds most cherished fairy tales. Through the years, this story has inspired its fair share of different adaptations and spinoffs, as well as intertwined itself in popular culture. Although it is widely considered a children’s story today, upon close examination, we can find various elements of literary devices and themes, all of which provide the seasoned reader with a deep connection to the story. To honor the tradition of story-telling, it is essential that a short summary of the story be given.