Fantasy Author Charles De Lint
When most people think of fantasy, images of fairies, unicorns, dragons, and other fantastical creatures set in a "Camelot" type world comes to mind. Most would not think of these extraordinary creatures living in modern times. The fantasy author Charles de Lint is among many present-day authors that has broken the mold of what fantasy should be. He has taken fantasy-related elements and placed them in a modern day setting. He uses these extraordinary creatures and events as metaphors for the deeper understanding of what his main characters represent and whom they are inside. His message is a common one that can be found in all his books and short stories. It says that people should not deny what is inside them. Carol Porter notes in the article De Lint Author of Magic that "His protagonists are tested over and over again to prove their mettle against evil forces and learn about themselves and their strengths in the process...De Lint is making the point that through suffering, people can and will become stronger and better individuals as they discover unforeseen and undiscovered aspects of themselves". Some of the works in which you will find this message are in the novels Someplace to be Flying and Memory and Dreams, as well
De Lint, Charles. Someplace to be Flying. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1998. Blaschke, Jayme Lynn. "Charles de Lint, Memory & Dreams."Kinrowan. n. pag. 21 April, 1999 De Lint, Charles. Memory and Dreams. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1995. Memory and Dreams presents a much more obvious metaphor behind its fantastical creatures. De Lint uses the creatures and events in relation to the main character to represent creation. He also, as Jayme Lynn Blaschke points out, "confronts head on the harsh realities of denial, abusive relationships, suicide, and ultimately, responsibility for one's own actions." Readers follow the life of Isabelle Copley, a talented artist who discovers her ability to create life through her paintings. She is taught to create numena by a master artist named Vincent Rushkin. Numena are the creatures brought to life through the paintings. They are immortal, cannot bleed, and can look like anything imaginable. They are also strongly connected to whomever it is that brought them over from whence they came and do not remember where they were before they were brought over. Throughout her relationship with Vincent Rushkin, Isabelle faces physical and mental abuse. She also goes through trust issues. When her best friend commits suicide and a fire destroys almost all her numena painting, which kills the numena themselves, Isabelle turns away from her them. She isolates herself from the world and paints only abstractly. It is not until ten years pass and she receives a long overdue letter from her best friend, written before her death, that she has to return to face the consequences of her past. as in the short story collection titled The Ivory and the Horn.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2278
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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