The Meaning of Ritornello Variations in the Expression of Young Children’s Imagination

Abstract

Objectives This study emphasizes the importance of the manifestation of children's imagination, based on Bachelard's concept of the mobility of matter, while revisiting the concept of children's imagination through Deleuze's artistic philosophy of Retornello, aiming to reveal the creativity and artistry of imagination. Methods The study presents Bachelard's concepts and types of imagination, then organizes Deleuze's concept and characteristics of Retornello based on arrangement and materialism, and subsequently explains three variations of Retornello distinguished by arrangement and artistic trends. Following this, the study analyzes how Ritornello is varied in actual imaginative play based on excerpts from previous studies on the manifestation of children's imagination. Results Examples of imaginative play between children and puddles illustrate the movement of arrangement and material. Firstly, the ‘Puddle-Classicist Ritornello’ began by encountering various forms of puddles, showcasing the harmonious relationship between form and material, and expanding imagination through these encounters. Secondly, by abandoning the forms of puddles shaped by weather and water, and focusing on the essential materials of the puddle, children’s imagination transformed into the ‘Canals and Indoor Puddles-Romanticist Ritornello.’ Thirdly, by completely shedding the form of the puddle and concentrating on the molecular material of the puddle, the variation of imaginative ritornello reached its climax, presenting the pinnacle of the ‘Modernist Ritornello.’ Conclusions The creativity of imagination through Bachelard's materialistic movements and the artistry of Retornello through its materialistic mobility are interpreted within the same context. In other words, imagination signifies both creativity and artistic mental activity, and furthermore, imaginative play and life can be creative and artistic. Thus, by examining the relationships among children's lives, play, imagination, and the artistry of Ritornello, the study proposes discussions on how children's lives can be artistic.