Wainscot
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- See Wainscoting for panelling applied to the lower part of an interior wall.
Wainscots is an academic term used in English literature studies, first coined by The Encyclopedia of Fantasy in 1997.
The term is applied loosely to fantasy fiction which involve societies that are concealed ("hidden in the wainscotting") and secretly working in the real world. These societies typically have a special insight into the mechanics of the world, such as an understanding of magical forces or knowledge of supernatural beings. Wainscot societies may seek to hide this information from outsiders, or they may be disbelieved due to ignorance, conspiracies, or consensus reality.
A significant feature of wainscot fiction is that it does not take place in fantasy realms only accessible via some kind of magical portal (e.g. Narnia). Wainscot stories involve hidden parts of the familiar, mundane world. In horror-tinged works of fantasy, such as H. P. Lovecraft's universe or the Buffyverse, the majority's ignorance of the true horrors of their world may seem like a blessing.
Some have suggested the term "wainscot" can be applied to works that are not strictly fantasy, such as Men in Black, Spy Kids, Transformers, or The Matrix series.
[edit] Examples
- Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
- The Borrowers by Mary Norton
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Gaiman's works often make use of wainscotting)
- Little, Big by John Crowley
- Most of the work of Tim Powers
