Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Spellbook Trope

I think it's really interesting that so many fantasy authors insert literary notions into their works. I mean, "The House of the Seven Librarians," "Magic for Beginners," and Pan's Labyrinth are just a few that we've encountered so far. And I got to thinking....where did this idea start? Lots of lore involved witches with spellbooks, and this idea in and of itself reflects the innate magic in every tome. Obviously fantasy writers enjoy this notion- and well they should! Reading has more to do with fantasy than with any other genre. Think about it; you're taking a few words and seeing a whole new reality. To torment a brand new cliche: "It's just like magic!"

Also, someone previously mentioned that the saddest moment in the movie was when the mother burned the mandrake. I TOTALLY AGREE! I think that there is definitely a comparison to be made between Ofelia and her mother. For instance, they are both concerned with Ofelia being 'a princess,' only Ofelia means it in a fantasy-type way and her mother just wants to squeeze the best out of the crummy life they have. It's so sad!

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