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“A serious attack on the fantasy story for children comes from those who do not wish children to be frightened.” C．S. Lewis writes in an essay named Three Ways of Writing for Children. Those who say that children must not be frightened mean two things. Firstly, they mean that we mustn’t do anything likely to give children fears, and secondly, they want to keep out of their minds that they are born into a world of death, violence (暴力), wounds and evil (邪恶). C．S. Lewis says he agrees with the first reason, but not the second.
He goes on to comment, “Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel (残酷的) enemies, let them at least hear of brave fighters and heroic courage. By limiting your child to perfect and nice stories of child life in which nothing alarming ever happens, they would fail to face fears and hardships.” “It would be nice，” he continues, “if no little boy in bed ever hears a frightening sound. But if he is to be frightened, I think St. George, or any bright champion in armor (盔甲), is a better comfort than the idea of the police.”
Bruno Bettelheim, a wellknown child psychologist, also points out that fantasy stories provide children with a valuable education about good and evil. He believes that all children have many personal fantasies filled with fears and fantasy stories comfort them and offer solutions. Happy endings tell them that solutions and hope are real and model the kind of happy life children want to find.
A good fantasy suggests rather than teaches possible answers to life. It’s believed that reading fantasies quickens the ability to get and put ideas from books to reality. It’s what good literature does — it makes life larger.
