By reading Phantastes by George MacDonald and reflecting on my previous Fantasy readings, I believe there may be an additional factor in the formula of Fantasy that we (to my knowledge) have not discussed. This factor is defiance.
When Anodos is faced with obvious warnings/commands along his journey, he takes them into account but eventually defies them. Common sense seems to dissipate when confronted with beauty, curiosity, etc (all of these leading to danger). Chapter three finds Anodos alongside his host. This is his first encounter with a human (or human-like) creature in this foreign, fantastical land. The woman warns of the night-prowling trees and to stay until morning, "... it might be better to stay all night, than risk the dangers of the wood then" (15). However, Anodos seems set on his own path, though he does not have the same native wisdom she holds, "... I wish to see all that is to be seen, and therefore I should like to start just at sundown" (15). Her warning is shot down, and he takes off. This happens in countless other circumstances later on in the novel as well (often frustrating me to the point of exhaustion).
For alternate examples, we can also look to The Chronicles of Narnia series (the Pevensie children, specifically Edmund in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe) and the Lord of the Rings (Frodo against Gandalf, Peregrin against Gandalf, Arwin and Éowyn against their fathers, etc).
Is this theme a necessary factor to Fantasy? How does it add to the overall characterization and development of plot?
(I'm ending the post here. Though, I could start exploring these questions).
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