Difference between traditional fantasy and modern fantasy. Traditional fantasy they from the oral tradition of collected stories. The setting is often vague and magical. Characters are symbolic and do not grow and change. Modern fantasy Stories are associated with an author. Setting is detailed and key and should be credible. Characters grow and change. Both genres are fantasies and portray other worlds, with elements of magic, talking animals, strange characters, and objects can include heroe's journey, supernatural, universal themes of good versus evil, right versus wrong.