Fantasy in literature is increasingly highlighted as an interesting element as time goes and becomes an important element which constitutes the reality itself surrounding us.47) In particular as the world-renowned fantasy novel 「Harry Potter, 1997~2...
Fantasy in literature is increasingly highlighted as an interesting element as time goes and becomes an important element which constitutes the reality itself surrounding us.47) In particular as the world-renowned fantasy novel 「Harry Potter, 1997~2007」by J. K. Rowling and 「The Lord Of The Rings,
1955」by a British writer J. R. R. Tolkien were cinematized and received worldwide attention, the value of fantasy was re-evaluated.
Fantasy is most noticeable in child literature. To children, the fantasy world is not something unrealistic but an important element constituting their inner world and extension of their reality. In addition, fantasy for children is not an fictitious realm existing through the medium of imagination but a world existing as their own reality itself.48) Therefore, fantasy in child literature should be evaluated as a literary element reflecting the unique value inherent in children. Above all, child fantasy literature rearranges the life in reality and restructures imagination. Furthermore, the picture book stimulates and maximized their imagination to effectively deliver the message of the writer and enhance the educational values. Thus, it takes an important position in child fantasy literature.
The purpose of this study is to examine the roles and rationality of fantasy by analyzing the linkage between the reality space and the fantasy space as well as the characteristics of each space. To this end, this study used the following study methods: First, this study used a literature review to examine the theoretical background of fantasy; Second, this study analysed the relationship between reality and fantasy to demonstrate that fantasy does not stay simply in the fictional world but is engaged in the realm of reality. In other words, this study found that fantasy has the function to heal and recover the inner problems of human beings; Third, this study examined the literary values of child fantasy literature and the characteristics of fantasy picture books; Fourth, based on the aforementioned, this study proposed an analytical tool based on theoretical grounds which was designed to analyzed the reality space and the fantasy space systematically; Fifth and finally, this study examined overall characteristics and narrative construction of fantasy
picture books to facilitate understanding, Then, this study examined the characteristics of each of reality space and fantasy space including the way of expression and roles and analyzed the relationship between the two to understand the character, rational order of fantasy and consequent constuction of fantasy picture book.
The study results showed that the fantasy space are granted with internal reality and rationality from the reality space sufficient to stimulate readers' imagination, and played the role of objectifying and healing the problems in
reality.