Final answer:
Authors handling animal fantasy and realism in literature face the challenge of balancing anthropomorphic elements and believability. They must create a convincing narrative that properly reflects animal behavior in fantasy or adhere to naturalistic accuracy in realism, while also prompting readers to think about human-animal relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
Handling Animal Fantasy and Realism in Literature
Lukens highlights that writing in the genres of animal fantasy and animal realism comes with particular challenges for an author. Representing animals in a narrative requires balancing anthropomorphism with believability, and setting appropriate boundaries to maintain the integrity of the story. For instance, in animal fantasy, authors create worlds where animals can exhibit human behaviors and even speak, while in animal realism, stories must accurately depict the natural behaviors and environments of animals. This tension necessitates a delicate handling of the narrative to ensure a convincing and engaging tale.
When authors navigate these genres, they must consider how their animal characters interact with the human world and influence the reader's understanding of both the natural world and human society. This often involves exploring themes of survival, communication, and interspecies relationships. For fantasy, the author has boundless creative freedom but needs to craft a coherent world with internal logic. Realism, on the other hand, might require in-depth research to accurately portray animal behavior and ecological dynamics, imperative for creating a believable narrative.
Ultimately, whether an author is writing animal fantasy or realism, they face the responsibility of representing animals in a way that resonates authentically with readers, invoking a range of emotions and reflections on the part of humans' relationship with nature and other living beings. Through this literary exploration, readers are prompted to consider the significance and implications of the natural world, challenge their perceptions, and possibly reassess their interactions with nonhuman animals.