I had a thing to say...

[lagilman]

But really, it can all be summed up thus:

The squalling of "oh, fantasy isn't about REAL issues or proper use of metaphors" we're seeing once again from critics and writers who should know better by now ignores the fact that ALL good fiction invokes moral and psychological themes - and emotional themes, too. And fantasy, in particular, excels at that precisely because it frames it outside our daily realities.

In the immortal words of Ursula K. "National Book Fellowship Medalist for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters" Le Guin: "Fantasy is probably the oldest literary device for talking about reality."

Deal with it, litsnobs.  And deal with it, Mr. Ishiguro.

Comments

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

ALL good fiction invokes moral and psychological themes - and emotional themes, too

the key word here is "good" ...

[lagilman]

Yep. That's why I used the word.

(the point being that good and fiction trumps "oh but it's genre" or "oh but it's lit.")

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

totally agree... its got to be readable.

[matthewsrotundo.livejournal.com]

Or, as I like to put it--all fiction is fantasy.

It's the very definition of the word. Deal with that, litsnobs.

[greatsword.livejournal.com]

I like to point out what works they have to put on the "fantasy" side of the line if they start drawing a line between fantasy and literature.

The Tempest.
Midsummer Night's Dream
Hamlet (arguably)
Animal Farm
Gulliver's Travels
Faerie Queen (Spenser)
The Iliad
The Odyssey

I usually don't have to go too far down the list before the objections begin.