English A Language & Literature HL
English A Language & Literature HL
18
Chapters
104
Notes
Chapter 1 - Thoughts & Feelings
Chapter 1 - Thoughts & Feelings
Chapter 2 - Structure & Freedom
Chapter 2 - Structure & Freedom
Chapter 3 - Thinking Ahead I (Internal Assessment)
Chapter 3 - Thinking Ahead I (Internal Assessment)
Chapter 4 - The Real & Imagined
Chapter 4 - The Real & Imagined
Chapter 5 - The Wild
Chapter 5 - The Wild
Chapter 6 - Thinking Ahead 2 (External Assessment)
Chapter 6 - Thinking Ahead 2 (External Assessment)
Chapter 7 - Borders & Boundaries
Chapter 7 - Borders & Boundaries
Chapter 8 - Identity & Authority
Chapter 8 - Identity & Authority
Chapter 9 - Thinking Ahead 3 (Internal Assessment)
Chapter 9 - Thinking Ahead 3 (Internal Assessment)
Chapter 10 - Histories & Futures
Chapter 10 - Histories & Futures
Chapter 11 - Possible worlds
Chapter 11 - Possible worlds
Chapter 12 - Thinking Ahead 4 (External Assessment)
Chapter 12 - Thinking Ahead 4 (External Assessment)
Chapter 13 - Transformation & Remediation
Chapter 13 - Transformation & Remediation
Chapter 14 - Intersection, Union & Difference
Chapter 14 - Intersection, Union & Difference
Chapter 15 - Thinking Ahead 5 (Internal Assessment)
Chapter 15 - Thinking Ahead 5 (Internal Assessment)
Chapter 16 - Storytelling
Chapter 16 - Storytelling
Chapter 17 - Problems & Projects
Chapter 17 - Problems & Projects
Chapter 18 - Thinking Ahead 6 (External Assessment)
Chapter 18 - Thinking Ahead 6 (External Assessment)
IB Resources
Chapter 11 - Possible worlds
English A Language & Literature HL
English A Language & Literature HL

Chapter 11 - Possible worlds

Exploring 'Mr. Fox': The Blend of Real & Fantasy

Word Count Emoji
679 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

New fabulism

  • New Fabulism is a literary style that mixes real world settings with elements of fantasy, folklore, and the supernatural. It's like the cool new neighbor who has all these weird and wonderful items in their yard. You never know what you're going to find!
    • For example, think of the Harry Potter series, where magic and wizards exist alongside muggles (normal people) in modern day England.
  • In "Mr. Fox", the main character and his assistant-turned-co-writer, Mary Foxe, navigate these blurred boundaries.

    • This is similar to how characters in the 'Stranger Things' TV series navigate between their small town and the upside-down world.
  • As Mary pushes Mr. Fox to deeper exploration of characters and themes, we see a shift from gratuitous violence to a nuanced examination of human violence, akin to the difference between a splatter-filled horror movie and a psychological thriller.

  • There's also a fun, puzzle-like aspect to the novel as readers try to determine which narrative thread – or reality – they're in. Kind of like watching 'Inception' and trying to figure out which level of dream the characters are in!

Postmodernism

  • Postmodernism is a movement that followed Modernism, like a little sibling that grows up to challenge and reinterpret everything their older sibling did.

    • For example, if Modernism is The Beatles, trying to understand and express the fragmented nature of the world with their music, then Postmodernism is like punk rock, tearing up the rulebook and celebrating chaos.
  • Modernism struggles with fragmentation, randomness, and isolation, like trying to piece together a complex jigsaw puzzle. Postmodernism, on the other hand, takes the pieces of the puzzle, throws them in the air and enjoys the patterns they make as they fall.

    • Imagine Modernism as an intense game of chess, while Postmodernism is more like a lively round of Mario Kart.
  • In Modernism, there's a quest to truly understand oneself. However, Postmodernism questions if understanding or even having a unified self is even possible. Think of the contrast between a soul-searching indie film and 'The Matrix' where everything, including one's self, is questionable.

  • Postmodernism is playful and ironic, finding liberation in detachment from authenticity. It's like laughing at a meme that pokes fun at a serious situation.

  • Postmodernism blurs boundaries between genres and the "real" and artificial, challenging traditional notions of high and low art. It's like scrolling through Instagram and seeing a random snapshot from someone's day get as many likes as a beautifully curated professional photo.

  • Lastly, it loves intertextuality, irony, meta-fiction, and narcissism. So, you can imagine it as a self-aware TV show that makes references to other shows and itself, like 'Community'.

So, the next time you're reading "Mr. Fox" or any other Postmodernist work, don't get stressed out if things seem a bit confusing. Instead, buckle up and enjoy the chaotic, mind-bending ride!

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IB Resources
Chapter 11 - Possible worlds
English A Language & Literature HL
English A Language & Literature HL

Chapter 11 - Possible worlds

Exploring 'Mr. Fox': The Blend of Real & Fantasy

Word Count Emoji
679 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

New fabulism

  • New Fabulism is a literary style that mixes real world settings with elements of fantasy, folklore, and the supernatural. It's like the cool new neighbor who has all these weird and wonderful items in their yard. You never know what you're going to find!
    • For example, think of the Harry Potter series, where magic and wizards exist alongside muggles (normal people) in modern day England.
  • In "Mr. Fox", the main character and his assistant-turned-co-writer, Mary Foxe, navigate these blurred boundaries.

    • This is similar to how characters in the 'Stranger Things' TV series navigate between their small town and the upside-down world.
  • As Mary pushes Mr. Fox to deeper exploration of characters and themes, we see a shift from gratuitous violence to a nuanced examination of human violence, akin to the difference between a splatter-filled horror movie and a psychological thriller.

  • There's also a fun, puzzle-like aspect to the novel as readers try to determine which narrative thread – or reality – they're in. Kind of like watching 'Inception' and trying to figure out which level of dream the characters are in!

Postmodernism

  • Postmodernism is a movement that followed Modernism, like a little sibling that grows up to challenge and reinterpret everything their older sibling did.

    • For example, if Modernism is The Beatles, trying to understand and express the fragmented nature of the world with their music, then Postmodernism is like punk rock, tearing up the rulebook and celebrating chaos.
  • Modernism struggles with fragmentation, randomness, and isolation, like trying to piece together a complex jigsaw puzzle. Postmodernism, on the other hand, takes the pieces of the puzzle, throws them in the air and enjoys the patterns they make as they fall.

    • Imagine Modernism as an intense game of chess, while Postmodernism is more like a lively round of Mario Kart.
  • In Modernism, there's a quest to truly understand oneself. However, Postmodernism questions if understanding or even having a unified self is even possible. Think of the contrast between a soul-searching indie film and 'The Matrix' where everything, including one's self, is questionable.

  • Postmodernism is playful and ironic, finding liberation in detachment from authenticity. It's like laughing at a meme that pokes fun at a serious situation.

  • Postmodernism blurs boundaries between genres and the "real" and artificial, challenging traditional notions of high and low art. It's like scrolling through Instagram and seeing a random snapshot from someone's day get as many likes as a beautifully curated professional photo.

  • Lastly, it loves intertextuality, irony, meta-fiction, and narcissism. So, you can imagine it as a self-aware TV show that makes references to other shows and itself, like 'Community'.

So, the next time you're reading "Mr. Fox" or any other Postmodernist work, don't get stressed out if things seem a bit confusing. Instead, buckle up and enjoy the chaotic, mind-bending ride!

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of English A Language & Literature HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟