“I asked myself not why I was alive but why I had lived. Out of expectation, I supposed and wondered whether I still expected anything. It seemed I did. Something more is always expected.” (Antonio di Benedetto, Zama, 2000, p. 193, New York Review Books: New York.)
Progressive Fantasy can be understood as a fantasy sub genre which focuses on characters increasing in power and developing skills over time. It is an exploration of personal growth, triggered by a state of things where one’s vision can be at times obliterated by shortcomings. Seeing beyond its easy escapism label, it is an approach that can be empowering, allowing space for a fantastical projection of the self that in turn can foster self agency IRL.
