Under hill and over hill : the child and the subterranean journey in children's fantasy by Stuart James Boon.

The subterranean journey is a mythic pattern that belongs to the common past of all cultures and societies. The journey into the underworld is a motif that, in one shape or another, has found its way into the literature of every age and every genre. This is due to the fact that it possesses an undeniable personal and mythic significance for every individual in every age. The questions this thesis asks are, 'What does the , subterranean journey offer to the child? What are the lessons learned from the whispers in the dark?' In order to better understand the significance of both the quest and these questions, the child's nature is examined before, during, and after their subterranean journeys. While exploring the archetypes of the Child and the theories of Jung, a mythic pattern emerges which expresses the need to actualize or realize the self. Thus, the subterranean journey of children's fantasy expresses the most important psychic challenge of childhood: the challenge of becoming an individual.