The "training sequence," and its introduction into fantasy

From Elven Blades and Zero-G Ki: The Evolution of Martial Arts in SF and Fantasy:

Lord of the Rings comes from an early period in the development of the fantasy genre. At that time, the convention was that the only thing necessary to make an ordinary person into a warrior is a weapon. Similarly, in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, the gift of non-magical swords and bows endows English schoolchildren not only with battlefield competence, but with mastery.

Genre conventions have changed, and now the "training sequence" is almost obligatory in novels in which previously untrained characters end up fighting. Mirroring the evolution of the wizard from ancient Merlins and Gandalfs of mysterious origin to Ursula K. Le Guin and J. K. Rowling's youngsters in wizardry schools, writers began paying attention to how warriors, those other standbys of fantasy, learned to do what they do.

Very interesting article. Found out about it in a USENET post I found on Google Groups.

Echoes of Peanuts in everyday life...

Today I asked my sister-in-law what her two and a half year old daughter, Aeris, wanted for Christmas. She promptly replied, "Savings bonds." Of course, there's a difference between what the kid wants and what the mother of the kid wants for the kid (she seems to feel that Aeris will get more than enough toys and clothes, but really needs a good start toward college), but I suppose since I did ask, I should go ahead and follow through. The cheapest savings bond denomination is $25, though. I'd hoped to spend maybe half that much.

Can't help being reminded of that bit from the Peanuts Christmas special, though, where Lucy complains that nobody ever gives her what she really wants: real estate.

In other news, my furnace has stopped working again. Have to call the landlord tomorrow morning, I guess.