Not as expected : the disruption of conventions in Terry Pratchett's Tiffany aching novels

In the Tiffany Aching novels, Pratchett utilizes many conventional tropes and figures from the fantasy genre in his telling of Tiffany‟s adventures, from the central figure of a witch with a pointy hat who rides a broomstick, to the unlikely heroine surmounting unbeatable odds to triumph over a powerful foe. However, Pratchett‟s usage of these very tropes and conventional figures transfigure readers so that they are able to relook at these tropes and conventions after reading, and gain new insights into the meanings hidden behind these literary traditions. By utilizing, subverting, and commenting on existing tropes and narratives in the genre, Pratchett criticizes the way in which these elements of narratives dictate the way which people understand their positions in the world and the choices they can make. Through the telling of Tiffany‟s growth as a witch and young woman from The Wee Free Men to I Shall Wear Midnight, Pratchett, in his critique and Tiffany‟s story, shows readers the alternative pathways open to them beyond the conventions of both story and society, alternatives pertinent to both young and mature readers alike.Bachelor of Art