tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post259138353757305497..comments2024-02-14T17:33:59.172-04:00Comments on The Written World: The Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia by Laura MillerKailanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11136262232046813471noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-81110563067521586802011-05-25T12:42:37.371-03:002011-05-25T12:42:37.371-03:00I think folks who espouse that you *have* to choos...I think folks who espouse that you *have* to choose between Star Trek and Star Wars, or Lewis or Tolkien, are nuts, personally. I mean I think it is more than okay if you only like one or the other, but I think it is ludicrous to believe that a person *must* like one or the other. I enjoy both Star Wars and Star Trek. I have a slightly greater connection to Star Wars because it was what got me into science fiction and you never forget your first love. But Star Trek is wonderful too.<br /><br />As for Tolkien and Lewis, I came to both as an adult and while I far prefer Tolkien, I still love the Chronicles of Narnia and think they are very special. Of course I come to Chronicles from a different aspect. I grew up and remain a Christian and even though I didn't read these as a child I always say Lewis' books in Christian bookstores and so always had an idea that they had a Christian aspect even though I hadn't read them. <br /><br />I got into this discussion with someone once who felt 'betrayed' when they learned that Lewis wrote an allegory and while I can understand that on one level, I also though Lewis at the very least deserved some credit in that I don't believe he was ever silent about this being an allegory. If you read about the tumultuous friendship between Tolkien and Lewis one of the things Tolkien bickered about with Lewis is that Tolkien hated allegory and didn't like that Lewis' work was so allegorical. Setting aside whether allegory is a valid form of literature or not, I often wonder if it is the publisher's fault more than Lewis for Chronicles continuing to be published in a fashion that doesn't let people know what the author's intention was. I certainly don't feel Lewis should be in any way vilified for what he did. I don't believe he was trying to "fool" anyone (although I haven't read many biographies so I could be wrong). I believe he purposefully set out to write a series of stories that introduced Christian mythology into the other mythology of England in a way to explain Christ and his sacrifice to young people. <br /><br />Again, I understand a person feeling betrayed by this, but I squarely lay that blame on the way the book is marketed and published an not on the author who was by all accounts very open with what he was doing, so much to the point that it was part of a rift between him and Tolkien.<br /><br />I also think you don't *have* to read the religious stuff into Lewis, but it is (as an adult) much harder to do because it is, and was meant to be, somewhat obvious in an allegorical sense.<br /><br />The book sounds like one that I need to pick up and read sometime as I think I agree with the author's overall premise, and that is rescuing Narnia for everyone. It is such a magical world that I would hate to see people stay away from it because it has its origins in religious ideas.Carl V. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948764216438379394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-43365845424306883652011-05-22T18:03:45.413-03:002011-05-22T18:03:45.413-03:00My experience was similar to Alexandra's... I ...My experience was similar to Alexandra's... I first came too Narnia as an adult and in many ways it felt too late. This is something that makes me sad. But reading Laura Miller's book did make me appreciate Lewis' work more, even if it will never become a favourite of mine.Ana S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16092495983972185943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-9447815587948991752011-05-21T18:45:29.788-03:002011-05-21T18:45:29.788-03:00I wonder if Lewis ever intended Narnia to be disse...I wonder if Lewis ever intended Narnia to be dissected and broken down so that the all of the religious aspects are apparent. Or if someone noticed similarities and made a bigger deal of the Religious aspects than they should be. Are these aspects intentional or someone's interpretation?Starr Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00617802298680632466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-74655183179126125242011-05-20T12:57:10.276-03:002011-05-20T12:57:10.276-03:00At least you've felt the magic of Narnia when ...At least you've felt the magic of Narnia when you were young. I've only started to read them now and also cannot ignore the (not so) veiled religious allusions. <br /><br />I think you've been hit by what Tor.com calls the Suck Fairy, in particular it's variation, the Message Fairy: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/09/the-suck-fairyAlex (The Sleepless Reader)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03083761152675156469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-59991664641091004552011-05-20T10:34:31.426-03:002011-05-20T10:34:31.426-03:00Oohh thank you for reminding me that I have this b...Oohh thank you for reminding me that I have this book to read :) I'm like you. Loved it but now the religious parts bother me which makes me prefer Tolkien. But still love both!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18102250492155489672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-37005830321718372422011-05-20T07:56:19.966-03:002011-05-20T07:56:19.966-03:00simply put: I don't like religion shoved in my...simply put: I don't like religion shoved in my face, nor politics, nor anyones sex life... i think some things are meant to be "private".. not saying they can't be mentioned ..just not "constant" where one can't get away from it.DesLilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582481597658080464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-29371984547085035002011-05-19T21:22:13.811-03:002011-05-19T21:22:13.811-03:00Narnia for me, but I didn't read Lord of the R...Narnia for me, but I didn't read Lord of the Rings until I was in high school or so. I haven't had a lot of difficulty with the religious aspects, except in The Last Battle -- I don't know, I never experienced that feeling of betrayal that some people seem to have had with the Narnia books, when they discovered the Christian elements. I just felt like, CS Lewis was a Christian guy, and Christian stuff got into his books. If I wrote a book it would be full of the stuff that's important to me, too.Jennyhttp://jennysbooks.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19926025.post-69999287220934599622011-05-19T20:25:14.854-03:002011-05-19T20:25:14.854-03:00I remember reading about this a while back. I don&...I remember reading about this a while back. I don't think it would be one for me.Stacihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07600979915661464945noreply@blogger.com