The Fantastic and Sociocultural Norms

Abstract

Despite the abundance of theoretical works on fantasy narrative, there are still disagreements regarding the very meaning of the term, its boundaries, and even the possibility of speaking of a distinct genre, disagreements that sometimes seem irreconcilable. It is clear, on the other hand, that any theorization about the boundaries and meaning of this literature must begin with considerations regarding the definition and meaning of the real, since every work of fantasy is shaped by some notion of the real that is implicit within it. The real functions as a kind of norm that the text must, in one way or another, transgress in order for us to speak of the fantastic. We will attempt to address the issue of how this genre is constituted, paying special attention to the normative importance of sociocultural models, an aspect that is not always immediately apparent to the average reader but which, in our view, is a key element in understanding modern fantasy.