Consequences of Classification: Genre, Fantasy, and the Constructed Hierarchy of Literary and Genre Fiction
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Melissa Elmes
Date
4-12-2022
College Affiliation
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
English
Submission Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Speculative fiction is a broad yet hazily defined genre: Some works are classified as literary fiction; others are called fantasy or young adult fiction. But what factors influence these classifications? What distinguishes fantasy from other subgenres? “Consequences of Classification” seeks to explain what trends, particularly those related to the marketing of these texts, determine the categorization of speculative fiction into subgenres like literary fiction, fantasy, and young adult. For this purpose, I conducted a comparative study of speculative fiction novels from each of these classifications, studying the subject matter, writing style, and major themes of Suzanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight, and Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight in the context of commercial and critical genre trends. Ultimately, I suggest that, while there is a rational basis for differentiating them, the commercial genres assigned to works of fiction reveal misassumptions about literary merit and illustrates a false hierarchy of literary genres that influences their critical and commercial receptions.
Recommended Citation
Ostmann, Anna, "Consequences of Classification: Genre, Fantasy, and the Constructed Hierarchy of Literary and Genre Fiction" (2022). 2022 Student Academic Showcase. 4.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/src/Oral_Presentations/Session2/4
Publication Date
2022
Consequences of Classification: Genre, Fantasy, and the Constructed Hierarchy of Literary and Genre Fiction
Speculative fiction is a broad yet hazily defined genre: Some works are classified as literary fiction; others are called fantasy or young adult fiction. But what factors influence these classifications? What distinguishes fantasy from other subgenres? “Consequences of Classification” seeks to explain what trends, particularly those related to the marketing of these texts, determine the categorization of speculative fiction into subgenres like literary fiction, fantasy, and young adult. For this purpose, I conducted a comparative study of speculative fiction novels from each of these classifications, studying the subject matter, writing style, and major themes of Suzanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight, and Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight in the context of commercial and critical genre trends. Ultimately, I suggest that, while there is a rational basis for differentiating them, the commercial genres assigned to works of fiction reveal misassumptions about literary merit and illustrates a false hierarchy of literary genres that influences their critical and commercial receptions.