Functions of Secondary Worlds in Children's Literature

Secondary worlds in fantasy are very important for children’s literature and serve many functions. While fantasies are often categorized as children’s literature, they are also written for adults, offering an escape from the real world. For instance, secondary worlds are prominently featured in works like "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" and "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" In these stories, secondary worlds allow authors to convey their ideas, criticisms, or thoughts.

In "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" Wonderland serves as a microcosmic representation of the Victorian era. The problems and popular activities of the era, such as tea parties, are depicted in unusual and absurd ways within this secondary world. Similarly, in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" the author incorporates religious and moral elements into the narrative through the secondary world.

Another function of secondary worlds is to provide an escape from reality. In secondary-world fantasies, there is often a motif of escaping or replacing the real world. Typically, a bored child protagonist seeks new experiences and adventures. The secondary world emerges after a period of exploration and is often difficult to find, requiring imagination. For example, in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" Lucy is the first child to discover the wardrobe's portal to another world. However, she struggles to convince her siblings of its existence because they initially lack belief.

Child characters in these stories often face loneliness and crises of maturity and identity in the real world. In the secondary world, they gain experiences that help them find themselves, mature, and eventually realize they no longer belong there. The secondary world is primarily a domain for children.

In secondary worlds, the message “Everything is possible” is conveyed. Child characters can become heroes and central figures in these worlds, giving them opportunities to be important and learn how to cope with real-life challenges. The secondary world offers a place where anything can be real and is often better than the real world. Initially, there is usually a problem that the child character must solve to become a hero. For example, Narnia in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" is an alternative world with unique animals, mythical creatures, geography, time zone, and culture. The child characters experience a completely different world where they can achieve great things, making it an ideal place for them.

Another function of secondary worlds is wish fulfillment. Because everything is possible in these worlds, children can do whatever they want. They remember the real world only when they grow up, as secondary worlds are primarily for children. The completion of their maturity journey necessitates leaving the secondary world. When children leave, they return to the real world as mature and experienced individuals, shaped by their adventures in the secondary world.

By understanding these functions, we can appreciate how secondary worlds in children's literature serve as powerful tools for storytelling, personal growth, and imaginative exploration.