The Light Fantastic | Themes

The Light Fantastic Themes

Fantasy Cliches and Parody

Pratchett uses a variety of fantasy clichés in order to parody the fantasy genre. He uses so many clichés and in such a humorous manner that he gives them new meaning. However, in the Discworld, these are not clichés, but part of reality. Sometimes Pratchett takes this further when TwoFlower mentions something that the reader recognizes from fairy tales and one of the Discworld characters shrugs it off as pure fantasy. For example, Twoflower thinks Druids are good people, when actually in the Discworld they are bloodthirsty.

Like in many fantasy books, Pratchett uses wizards, spells, dwarfs, trolls, magic and most notably a fantasy adventure plot. Within this plot, Pratchett begins with the staple fantasy fare of a world heading towards destruction. Rincewind, the man who has to save the world is essentially a coward accompanied by a person he does not like, Twoflower. The novel then goes on the...
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