This half-year senior elective allows students to study the contemporary fantasy genre by reading representative novels like The Hobbit and Harry Potter. The course examines the theme of good vs. evil, the heroic archetype, and the particular setting and characters expected in fantasy. The system will explore the genre's origins in Greek myth, Anglo-Saxon epic, English literature, and American pulp fiction through excerpts and short stories. Recent and exciting developments in fantasy filming will be compared to earlier, less dignified attempts in animation and live-action. This course requires students to read additional fantasy independently, write papers, and create projects.