The Opposite of Magical is Mankind: An Ecocritical Analysis of Maggie Stiefvater’s Dreamer TrilogyZupančič, Anja (Avtor) Krevel, Mojca (Mentor) ecocriticismnatureenvironmental issuesfantasyhuman-mademagical worldsocial ecologyMaggie StiefvaterThe Dreamer TrilogyThis master’s thesis deals with the ecocritical analysis of The Dreamer Trilogy, a book series by American writer Maggie Stiefvater. The first half of the thesis provides the theoretical overview of ecocriticism and a short introduction to the genre of fantasy. The overview consists of the definition of ecocriticism as a field of literary theory which focuses primarily on the relationship between humans and nature; a summary of the disagreements surrounding the naming of the field, its history and developmental stages; and the various theoretical approaches ecocriticism employs. Among them, deep ecology and social ecology are discussed more in detail due to their relevance for the analysis. The introduction to fantasy explores the origins of fantasy literature, from ancient storytelling to modern genre fiction, and delves into the subgenres which best describe The Dreamer Trilogy. The section ends with a subchapter dedicated to the defence of including fantasy literature in ecocritical analysis. In the second part, the thesis moves on to the interpretative ecocritical analysis of the three novels which make up The Dreamer Trilogy: Call Down the Hawk, Mister Impossible, and Greywaren. The focus is on ecocritical ideas and concepts present within the novels as well as on the way that the author incorporates them into the story. Special attention is paid to the relationship of humans to that which is other to them, including nonhuman animals, fantasy beings specific to The Dreamer Trilogy, and the environment. As dualistic world views are often considered the root cause for human exploitation of the environment, the analysis also focuses on the portrayal of the natural, human-made, and magical worlds, as well as on the differences and the connections between them. The thesis also discusses the use of fantasy elements in relation to complex environmental concepts, and how fantasy fiction can be employed to spread environmental awareness among readers who prefer genre fiction to realistic novels or nonfiction.20252025-07-13 08:16:27Magistrsko delo/naloga170714VisID: 582786COBISS_ID: 243308547sl