Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons^™

Membership Meeting And Closing Ceremonies, The Mythopoeic Society

Mythcon

While the Members’ Meeting portion of Mythcon will be of interest primarily to members of the Mythopoeic Society, all conference participants are welcome to attend. Led by the Mythopoeic Society Stewards, the meeting will announce and discuss timely and necessary Society topics. Following the meeting, we will host our traditional leave-taking closing ceremonies which feature singing songs dear to Mythcon regulars. Words and music at: https://mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-closing-songs.htm Members’ Meeting and Closing Ceremonies take place Monday morning, 11:15 am - 1 pm in the Terrace Rooms.

Merlin In The Middle? The Status Of Merlin Within The Monstrous Matter Of Britain, Michael A. Torregrossa

Mythcon

The character of Merlin from the Arthurian tradition is a figure that exists between two worlds: the mundane and the

marvelous. He participates in the daily affairs of Camelot, but he is also an otherworldly figure, both demon born and divinely blessed. In modern Arthuriana, adapters have focused much on Merlin’s demonic side though creators alter and/or transform his heritage in unique ways. One set of texts occurs within what I have termed the Monstrous Matter of Britain. Merlin (because of his origins) has an important role within this subtradion. However, there are some interesting works that chose to ignore …

John Wain: The Inkling In The Middle, David Bratman

Mythcon

John Wain (1925-1994) - novelist, poet, and general man of letters – was caught between two literary generations. A tutorial pupil of C.S. Lewis’s at Oxford, he was invited by Lewis to join the Inklings, a private literary club consisting mostly of dons. While Wain enjoyed the company of his seniors, he felt at odds with them on basic matters of literary preference, in particular seeing no point to fantasy. Wain is more often classed with his contemporaries, post-WW2 writers known as The Movement, the University Wits, or the Angry Young Men, poets and novelists in a realist, often sarcastic …

Wisdom And Life Lessons In The Works Of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury, And David R. Slayton, Phillip Fitzsimmons

Mythcon

In keeping with the conference theme Fantasies of the Middle Lands, I will present on the magical use of the imagination, commonplace wisdom, and life lessons to be found in the science fiction and fantasy works of three authors from Middle America whose works span a century of science fiction and fantasy: Edgar Rice Burroughs, (1875-1950) and Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), both from Illinois, and David R. Slayton (in the present), a relatively new author originally from Oklahoma. The works of Burroughs and Bradbury were significant in making me both a reader and a re-reader of books. Their works— especially Burroughs’ …

The Middle-(Un)Man Of Desire: A Girardian Reading Of Lewis’S Perelandra, Clinton Manley

Mythcon

The French polymath René Girard presents a compelling argument that all desire is mimetic. According to Girard, we don’t actually know what we want; instead, we imitate the desires of others. This imitation is pervasive: children imitating their parents, athletes emulating their favorite sports stars, writers their favorite authors, and rivals mirroring each other. These models of desire act as mediators, indicating what objects or ways of being are worth pursuing. For Girard, desire exists in this middle place between a subject, a model, and an object. Thus, desire is interdividual. When the object of desire can be shared, mimetic …

Betwixt And Between: The Dialectics Of Middle-Ness In The Two Towers By J.R.R. Tolkien, K. T. Tamilmani, Evelyn J. Jaziz

Mythcon

The dialectics of middle-ness is evident in various aspects of the novel The Two Towers by J.R.R Tolkien. It also includes the physical geography of Middle-earth, the character arcs of key protagonists, and the overarching struggle between good and evil. The paper follows textual analysis methodology. Geographically, the story unfolds in the region of Middle-earth known as Rohan, situated between the familiar landscapes of the Shire and Gondor. This middle ground becomes a crucial battleground in the war against Sauron, highlighting the strategic importance of this region in the larger conflict. At its core, middle-ness in The Two Towers reflects …

Discussion Of The Mythopoeic Society Fantasy And Scholarship Award Nominees And Winners, David Lenander

Mythcon

David Lenander, who served on all of the Awards committees, leads a discussion of the finalists this year, hopefully joined by a few of the other committee members

Scott’S Monday Morning Cartoons, Scott Lohman

Mythcon

Watch cartoons with Scott Lohman!

Guest Of Honor And Mythopoeic Society Awards, The Mythopoeic Society

Mythcon

Speech by Author Guest of Honor Eleanor Arnason

AUTHOR GUEST OF HONOR ADDRESS and MYTHOPOEIC SOCIETY AWARDS (plus Clerihew Awards and Golfimbul Awards)

An Insider’S Take On The German Sf Market, Gary Lynch

Mythcon

Gary Lynch has lived in Germany, and presents his “take.”

Exploring Middle-Earth’S Second Age Architecture Via Alan Lee’S Artworks, Sultana Raza

Mythcon

This paper will explore the different ways in which Alan Lee follows up faithfully on Tolkien’s creation of Middle-earth, in terms of its history. One of the ways in which Tolkien made his world so believable was by recording great historical events in the past, the ruins of which were described in the books. Alan Lee remains loyal to Tolkien’s vision in this respect, as he puts us in the midst of a used world, with its own wear and tear, not to mention beautiful ruins. The latter serve to tell us how grand were the civilizations that preceded the …

“Blindfolded By Mist Or By Shadow’: Seeking, Hesitating And Doubting In Tolkien’S Smith Of Wootton Major, Sylwia Wilczewska

Mythcon

In spite of its relative brevity, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Smith of Wootton Major has been a subject of numerous interpretations, with different scholars diverging on whether and to what extent the story can be read as allegorical, autobiographical, philosophical and religious (cf. esp. Flieger & Shippey 2001). In my presentation, I want to focus on an overlooked theme of the story: the way in which reaching or crossing the boundaries of the realm of Faery – the ‘Perilous Realm’ (OFS 32) of Tolkien’s literary aesthetics – results in borderline cognitive states like inquiry, hesitance and doubt. Though Wootton Major …

For All Mankind, Scott Lohman, Ben Huset

Mythcon

Scott Lohman and Ben Huset lead a discussion of this television series.

Minnesota/Midwest Fantasy, Eleanor Arnason, Caroline Stevermer, Lois Mcmaster Bujold, Patricia C. Wrede, Michael Merriam

Mythcon

In keeping with our theme of “Fantasies of the Middle Lands,” five novelists who’ve set work in Minnesota or the Midwest talk about Midwestern influence and setting in general and their own work. Eleanor Arnason (Daughter of the Bear King), Caroline Stevermer (River Rats), Lois McMaster Bujold (The Sharing Knife books were partly inspired by Ohio), Patricia C. Wrede (MFA finalist The Dark Lord’s Daughter starts out at the Minnesota State Fair!), Michael Merriam (Last Car to Annwn Station)

Tolkien’S Mechanical Dragons In The Fall Of Gondolin (1916) And World War I, Romauld Lakowski

Mythcon

In this paper I will discuss Tolkien’s description of the mechanical dragons at the siege of Gondolin in a section of “The Fall of Gondolin” in The Book of Lost Tales that was omitted from the published Silmarillion. The rather strange description of the firedrakes and the bronze or iron serpents that besiege Gondolin is unique to the 1916 version of the Fall and very different from any of Tolkien’s other dragons and resemble more machines or engines of war like the tanks that Tolkien encountered in the WWI trenches. I will end by comparing Tolkien’s mechanical dragons in …

Narnia And The Norse: The Presence Of Medieval Icelandic Literature In C.S. Lewis’S Writings, Melody Green

Mythcon

In his autobiography Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis spends quite a bit of time discussing his deep, lifelong love of the stories that are often called “Norse Myth” (even though the majority of these stories were first written down in medieval Iceland. His diaries and letters reveal more about his love of this literature, including discussion of the Kolbitars, the weekly discussion group organized by J.R.R. Tolkien to read aloud the Icelandic sagas and eddas in their original language. In spite of this, little work has been done on Lewis’s own writings and the medieval Icelandic literature that he …

A Far Green Country: The Eschatology Of Tolkien’S Middle-Earth, Donald Williams

Mythcon

Ask most people for Tolkien’s greatest and most original contribution to theology and they will either not understand the question or respond (very rightly) that it is his elucidation and application of the imago Dei in his doctrine of sub-creation. Eschatology—the doctrine of last things—will probably not occur to them. They will have missed an important element of Tolkien’s worldview and an important reason why their sojourns in Middle-earth help to restore their ability to live with hope in the primary world. For the world-shaping power of the Christian eschaton to bend the course of the cosmos into history, into …

The Tragic Life And Misconstrued Work Of Jules Verne, Gary Lynch

Mythcon

Gary Lynch presents on Jules Verne.

Before And After: Editing A Collection Through The Pandemic, Cami Agan

Mythcon

At Mythcon in San Diego (2019, the “before time”), the Stewards approved my proposal for the collection of essays entitled Cities and Strongholds of Middle-earth; Essays on the Habitations of Tolkien’s Legendarium from Mythopoeic Press. I will discuss the process of soliciting contributors, compiling, cajoling, editing, developing the introduction, proofing the volume, working with MythPress editors, as well as discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic affected/ affects the process of publication, and offer a general overview of the volume itself, which [Varda willing!] will be available for order at Mythcon53.

An Inkling Of Mystery: Examining C.S. Lewis’S Philosophy Of Myth, Alysa Cripe

Mythcon

In a review of his friend J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis characterizes its precursor The Hobbit as “a fragment torn from the author’s huge myth.” Lewis is not speaking simply of Tolkien’s longer work as the larger myth, but the legendarium of Middle-earth. Other literary critics have also praised Tolkien for his creation of a convincing mythology alongside the geography, maps, and history of Middle-earth. The word “myth” continually appears in analyses of Tolkien’s writing, writing that has captivated readers since its conception. It is therefore logical to infer that this mysterious mythic quality holds great …

J.R.R. Tolkien And The Essence Of Enchantment, John Rosegrant

Mythcon

It is well-known that Tolkien saturated his works with his love of language, so it is worthwhile to reflect on the particular ways that he loved language. Tolkien especially loved languages of the past, and the past of languages, and he especially loved the esthetics of language: the sounds themselves, and the match between sound and meaning. He was thus searching for the beauty that could still be perceived in what was lost in language, a position like that of the Beowulf poet gazing from the top of his tower at the sea of fading paganism. This position can be …

Rivendell & Second Foundation Discussion Of The Works Of Eleanor Arnason, Eleanor Arnason, Eric M. Heidman, David Lenander

Mythcon

Eleanor Arnason, Eric M. Heideman, & David Lenander These two local discussion groups, one chartered by the Mythopoeic Society, come together to discuss with Eleanor Arnason her fiction, particularly her Minnesota set book, Daughter of the Bear King, and the Attebery praised classic novel, Ring of Swords.

Desert Power: Decolonization Of The Fremen Narrative In Dune: Part Two, Tim Lenz

Mythcon

In Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 2 (2024), being the middle part of a planned film trilogy, the audience receives extensive exposure to the indigenous people of the planet Arrakis, the desert-dwelling Fremen. Compared to the source material, Frank Herbert’s science fiction masterwork Dune (1965), the portrayal of the Fremen people deviates significantly in the film adaptation. This paper will contrast depictions of Fremen belief, culture, and characters between the original novel and the 2024 film, and will argue that the recent adaptation portrays a partially-decolonized narrative of the Fremen people which affords them additional agency and nuance. The primary focus …

Middle West And The Pastoral Ideal In The American Artistic Landscape, Rebecca Umland

Mythcon

The complex and sometimes contradictory origin and use of the term Middle West—an evolving concept especially during the later American Expansionism period (primarily 1880 and after)—impacted the imagination of its writers. Their works view the Middle West as an idyllic place that occupies a central part of their personal and cultural pasts, and as a mediator between East (aged, urban and jaded) and West (wild, youthful, untamed). Middle West rests on yeomanry, an Old-World concept which Jefferson especially admired, embodying the virtues of maturity, wisdom, and kindness: “The pastoral ideal, a haven midway between the corruptions of urban civilization and …

The Year In Star Trek, Scott Lohman, Joan Marie Verba

Mythcon

The panelists will talk about this year’s developments and will be open to discussion and questions.

In Harmony With Nature: Beorn As An Ecological Ideal, Kaelyn Harris

Mythcon

This paper will explore Beorn’s role in the ecological welfare of his corner of Middle-earth and his relationships with the rest of Middle-earth based on his unique identity. I posit that Beorn acts as a positive representative of the ideal relationship between man and nature, primarily due to his dual identity, which allows for him to experience the world as the other races are unable to do so, in connection with his bear form and bear nature. Beorn is uniquely placed at the middle of civilization and wilderness; he cultivates his own space, growing plants and looking after animals much …

The 500th Mythprint, Megan Abrahamson, David Bratman, Janet Brennan Croft, Eleanor M. Farrell

Mythcon

After over 50 years of the Mythopoeic Society and through its many changes, Mythprint’s 500th—that’s right, five hundred—issue will be coming out at the end of this year (61:4 #411). The current editor Megan Abrahamson will chair a panel of former Mythprint editors talking about the newsletter’s past and future. If you’re interested in learning about Mythsoc history, being a contributor to (or future editor of!) Mythprint, or if you have suggestions for the future of Mythprint, join us for conversation and questions.

Fantasist Of Middle America: L Frank Baum And His Works, L. Frank Baum

Mythcon

The panelists will talk about this centrally important midwestern Fantasy writer, who is named one of Diversicon’s “Posthumous guests of honor” this year. He would be remembered as greatly influential if he had only written The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but come and learn about more of his legacy.

The Sub-Creator And The Secondary World: Positioning The Hobbit In J.R.R. Tolkien’S Legendarium, William Thompson

Mythcon

Coming between his tales of the First Age and Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit occupies a curious middle position in his legendarium. The Hobbit is a children’s text, noteworthy for its lucky main character and its use of an often intrusive narrative voice, but the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and his thirteen companions allowed Tolkien to begin mapping his stories of the First Age onto a new narrative. Elrond, for example, the Master of the Last Homely House, and “one of those people whose fathers came into the strange stories before the beginning of History” …

Ursula Le Guin’S Universes, David Emerson, Brian Attebery, Eleanor Arnason, David Bratman

Mythcon

This panel will be discussing the relationships of the panelists to Le Guin’s work and to Le Guin herself. Is there an intersection between their work and hers? Did they meet her? If so, what it was like working with her? What is their best Le Guin story? What do they see as their most “Le Guinian” work and why. What are their favorite Le Guin works? What do they see as her most underrated work we should all go read?