The imaginarium - the best of human fantasies

Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. Albert Einstein

Imagination ... is more important than knowledge.

Well talk about:

-Imagination as we know it today. -First sparks of imagination. -Behavioral modernity -Crucial facts about fiction & fantasy -Where it all began? -Famous fantasy worlds -Fantasy in general. -How fantasy influences ourselves?

Imagination as we know it today

ability to form new images and sensations that are not perceived through sight, hearing, or other senses

image formation or any sensation may be described as "hidden" as it takes place without anyone else's knowledge Imagined images are seen with the "mind's eye-one's ability to "see" things with the mind. basic training for imagination- storrytelling(narrative) It evokes river of words, actions and pictures in our mind Stories that tell us what we already knew and forgot, and remind us of what we havent yet imagined Stories with elements that violate the natural, physical laws of our known world.

First sparks of imagination.

Cave paintings Reindeer antler art Fantasy is closely tied with process of creation The earliest undisputed evidence of prehistoric art dates to the Upper Paleolithic,Acheulen biface- one of the examples of figurative art
Acheulean biface from Saint-Acheul, France

First piece of human artwork-This reindeer antler from Neschers in France is engraved with a stylised horse. It was created by early humans and found between 1830 and 1848.

Cave of Altamira, near Santander, Spain.

Behavioral modernity
First human self-knowledgment Tick tock in human head or a giant leap forward in human evolution? Precondition for fantasy and imagination itself Behavioral modernity is the point in history when a human become aware of himself, aware of his actions, when we become modern and civilized

-Where it all began?

Less then two centuries old(modern genre) Its antecedents have a long and distinguished history Ancestors of fantasy genre: Epic of Gilgamesh Arabian Nights European romances of chivalry J.R.R Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings created an enormous influence on genre of epic fantasy

Crucial facts about fiction & fantasy

Imagination is an crucial part of fiction What is fiction? How fantasy is distinguished from other fiction genres? There are two types of fantasy:

Traditional fantasy Modern fantasy

Strong, believable characters and should They examine issues of the human condition, We find in them universal truth

Fantasy isnt nonsense

Nonsense Unconventional Fantasy
It contradicts rules of It is unusual. Not Not possible in the logic. It doesnt make normal. This may be world as we know it. logical sense. odd or strange, but it But it follows rules may still be within the limits of It can make fun of reasonable. the fantasy world the conventional author has created. behavior. When literature It can help readers understand the difference between what is sensible and not sensible in the real world. breaks conventions, Fantasies provide it helps us to rethink metaphors through what we thought was which we can normal. examine aspects of life from a different perspective.

Some categories
Talking Animals: The fact that animals can talk is the main difference from reality. Toys and objects that come alive Tiny humans: people are small. Things happen in miniature. Imaginary worlds: Sometimes people cross between worlds and sometimes the whole story is in an imaginary world. Magical powers: People (or one person) can do magic Supernatural tales: sometimes spooky Time-warp fantasies: Time travel or somehow crossing time High fantasy: Clear battle between good and evil

Six Fantasy Motifs

Some stories have a higher fantasy quotient than others. If a story contains all six motifs, it is either a classic fairy tale or an example of modern high fantasy. If a story contains only the motif of magic, a necessary ingredient, it is still classified as fantasy literature.

1. Magic
2. Other worlds 3. Good verses evil

4. Heroism
5. Special characters 6. Fantastic objects

The Value of Fantasy

Fantasy fosters creativity Children who have rich fantasy lives are less likely to be violent than children with low fantasy lives Less aggressiveness All the advances in science would not be possible without the capacity to imagine. Fantasy leads to the ability to imagine possibilities and to organize and structure reality. Good fantasy actually tells the truth about life

FAMOUS FANTASY WORLDS The Fantastical World of Cult Novelist Karl May 2001: A Space Odyssey Star Wars & Star Trek Alice in Wonderland The merry old land of Oz Westeros- Game of Thrones Series Wizarding World of Harry Potter Middle Earth