Liminal Writing In Neil Gaiman’s Fantsay Novels

Neil Gaiman is a unique and creative member of Western fantasy fiction writers.He has won Carnegie Prize,Newberry Prize,Hugo Award and other awards for his works,such as The Graveyard Book,American Gods,and Anansi Boys.As a modern writer,Neil gaiman has formed a unique characteristic of liminal writing by absorbing traditional fantasy novels and integrating his own literary concepts.The reason why Gaiman’s works win the double affirmation of the mainstream literature circles and the book market is related to the inheritance and development of fantasy literature.In fantasy novels,space is regarded as the most important component.The space composition in Gaiman’s fantasy novels is mainly manifested in the interlacing of the magical space and the modern space,the overlapping of the spiritual space and the sensory space,which reflects the mixed juxtaposition of the liminal space.Various spatial images invade each other,and behind the chaos and complexity point to the character’s distress and hesitation.The protagonists in Gaiman’s novels are constantly changing continuums,they move between the magical world and modern society to achieve phased growth and search for their own completeness.This is a process of constant rebirth and constant understanding of the unheard of world.Gaiman’s shaping of the liminal persons reflects his understanding of the character’s eternal and dynamic growth.While Gaiman presents the protagonist’s fantasy adventures to readers,he further demonstrates the multiple liminal themes.Lost,identity and cultural themes are important ties in Gaiman’s literary works.The author uses them to connect all the threads of his works,and realizes the multiple representation of the liminal themes by constructing and eliminating the boundaries of the binary oppositions of "real and illusory","ego and the other","sacred and secular" and so on.All kinds of opposing elements and fighting forces should be divided into two parts,but in Gaiman’s novels they are intertwined into a mixed and diverse appearance.A systematic discussion of Gaiman’s works from the perspective of liminal theory is not only helpful to grasp the overall aesthetic characteristics of Gaiman’s works,but also helpful to consider the value and possibility of liminal writing in children’s literature,which can provide reference for the booming development of Chinese children’s fantasy literature.