The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

In Sharon Black's article, The Magic of Harry Potter: Symbols and Heroes of Fantasy, one of the statements she and Bettelheim make is that children can read and comprehend fantasy stories as unreal, but not as untrue. When I think of this and how it relates to The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, it makes me wonder if adolescents could really distinguish what is unreal to also be untrue? I do not think many adolescents would discover the parts of this book that are not true. I think it would be a challenge for them to figure out certain parts and really comprehend that it is not true.

In Black's article, she also talks about fantasy and the rise of a hero. While reading this book, you continually ask yourself , who is the hero? At first, Sybel is the choice. She's strong, masculine, she possesses male attributes and she is not necessarily "traditional" when it comes to nurturing a child. She changes throughout the book and it makes the reader question whether she is the true hero. She turns into a character who is full of hate and is seeking power. So then you ask yourself, maybe Tamlorn is the hero? He's honest, brave, and intelligent. Perfect attributes for a hero. But, as Black describes the cycle of the child-hero in her article, it makes you realize who the true hero is in the story. "The child of destiny begins in obscurity, often in a situation of extreme danger or degradation. He is in a darkness inhabited by both benign and evil presences." It also is stated that the child-hero will recognize what he/she has the capacity to become and they will eventually return. At this point, you know Sybel is the child-hero in this story. She definitely went through rough periods in this book, but she reached out to Maelga and then eventually returned to the place she belonged. She just was searching for herself throughout the whole story...trying to find her true identity. She came full circle and in the end, she was someone who was more loving, caring, and better at having relationships with others.