Chapter – fantasy, childhood and entertainment

Further research into

Walters, J (2011)    Fantasy film a critical introduction.      Oxford: Bloomsbury publishing  

Chapter – fantasy, childhood and entertainment (Mostly Paraphrased)

A big strand of fantasy fiction films features a strong relationship with the concept of childhood. The image of childhood as been consistent throughout the history and development of the fantasy genre.

Cazy bazalgette and David Buckingham:
childhood is recognised as another world, one which we have all visited but can now only access through memories. To most adults the essence of childhood is somewhat mysterious and magical and we can only recapture it through our imagination.

This claim has particular power within the study of fantasy and childhood. The description of childhood being mysterious and magical implies that it is entirely unknowable and therefore an ungraspable concept to adults. So much so that the concept resides outside our conscious adult minds and therefore stays out of reach the more we strive to understand it or recapture it.

(This implies that childhood fantasies are only available to adults in an unconscious state... perhaps dreams?) - perhaps the concept of dreams needs to be looked at...