Submission Date
7-23-2020
Document Type
Paper- Restricted to Campus Access
Department
English
Faculty Mentor
Jon Volkmer
Project Description
The Verge of Renaissance is a four-part novella which reimagines the conflict between science and religion in our society as a conflict between science and magic in a fantasy world. It also draws inspiration from the late medieval and renaissance periods in Europe, where science represented a new way of thinking and challenged long-held beliefs. Popular audiences can better understand these complex academic ideas when presented in a “fun” genre like fantasy fiction. Through this project, I hope to increase empathy and understanding by portraying real-world issues through the story’s characters. The Verge of Renaissance uses humor and immersive worldbuilding to depict a world readers will want to be a part of. In depicting a fantasy world with advancing technology, this novella also satirizes the cliché of fantasy stories stuck in the middle ages. To supplement my writing, I read a range of fantasy works, including C.S. Lewis’s allegorical The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Terry Pratchett’s satirical Discworld novel The Truth. Over the course of Summer Fellows, I received feedback on the story and revised it in a workshop setting.
Recommended Citation
Ernst, Samuel, "The Verge of Renaissance: A Fantasy Novella" (2020). English Summer Fellows. 20.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/english_sum/20
Restricted
Available to Ursinus community only.
- Usage
- Abstract Views: 12
- Downloads: 1
Comments
Presented during the 22nd Annual Summer Fellows Symposium, July 24, 2020 at Ursinus College.
The downloadable file contains the text of the four chapter novella.
A related presentation is available here.