"Even though all modern fantasy stories contain some sort of magical elements, some stories have a higher fantasy quotient than others" (Jacobs & Tunnel, 89). There are six basic fantasy motifs, as discussed by Jacobs & Tunnel, including magic, other worlds, good versus evil, heroism, special character types, and fantastic objects. If a story contains all six, it is classified either as a classic fairy tale, or a modern high fantasy. Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach is an example of a modern high fantasy, as it contains all six fantasy motifs discussed by Jacobs & Tunnel.
The most basic element in fantasy literature is magic. According to Jacobs & Tunnel "Â…each of the other five motifs is tinged by magic to some degree" (90). In the story James and the Giant Peach, magic is introduced when James is given magic crystals from the little old man. "There's more power and magic in these things," said the little old man, "than in all the rest of the world put together"......
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