Surprisingly I have actually read this book before, but it was so long ago that I had very little memory of the events that occurred. The Magician's Nephew is basically a story of the creation and I love the symbolism that C.S. Lewis writes into these children's books.
One thing that I find really interesting is the fact that Lewis uses children in all of his books as the main hero's/characters. There are two different reasons I can see for this. 1. The Chronicles of Narnia were written for children, so naturally children should be placed in the spotlight. or 2. Lewis is trying to give deeper meaning to the book.
While I read these books I considered the scriptural idea that we are each called to "be like little children." I like to think that the reason Lewis put the children in these books is to show that sometimes, the hero of a story, needs to be innocent and youthful. The children as main characters remind us of the kind of people we should be. Children are submissive, and we also should be submissive to the call of Christ. Perhaps this is Lewis' way of reminding us to submit to Christ's will.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
I had even less experience with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader than I did with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I have still never seen the movie, so I am unable to make any comparisons. This was also my first time reading this book. I love how quickly this book can be read. I think it takes an incredible writer to be able to write such a symbolic novel, yet make it so user-friendly.
Honestly the religious connection in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was a lot harder for me to see. I understand that it is a symbol of the religious journey we each take. But understanding the connections throughout the book was more difficult.
The one thing I really liked was how often Aslan showed up in different forms and on all the different islands. This was a strong reminder for me that no matter what kind of role or path I follow in life, I need Christ right next to me. When Eustace is still a dragon and is trying to shed his own skin...no matter what he does, he can't do it all on his own. It ultimately takes Aslan to help him shed his skin. And the part that comforted me was that Eustace went through pain in order to shed that skin.
As each of us are trying to become the people Christ wants us to be its going to be painful. Its going to be hard, and not always very much fun. But in the end Christ is still right there waiting for us to come out even better on the other side. It is like the "refiner's fire." We each go through different trials and hardships so that we will be ultimately worthy of Christ's love and sacrifice.
To me this is a beautiful concept, because it shows me that even when I feel like I'm struggling, God still knows my potential, and is trying me because He wants me to reach my full capacity.
Honestly the religious connection in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was a lot harder for me to see. I understand that it is a symbol of the religious journey we each take. But understanding the connections throughout the book was more difficult.
The one thing I really liked was how often Aslan showed up in different forms and on all the different islands. This was a strong reminder for me that no matter what kind of role or path I follow in life, I need Christ right next to me. When Eustace is still a dragon and is trying to shed his own skin...no matter what he does, he can't do it all on his own. It ultimately takes Aslan to help him shed his skin. And the part that comforted me was that Eustace went through pain in order to shed that skin.
As each of us are trying to become the people Christ wants us to be its going to be painful. Its going to be hard, and not always very much fun. But in the end Christ is still right there waiting for us to come out even better on the other side. It is like the "refiner's fire." We each go through different trials and hardships so that we will be ultimately worthy of Christ's love and sacrifice.
To me this is a beautiful concept, because it shows me that even when I feel like I'm struggling, God still knows my potential, and is trying me because He wants me to reach my full capacity.
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Astonishingly enough I have never before read The Chronicles of Narnia and I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one in class who hasn't. I really enjoyed reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was a lot easier to read and go through than I had originally expected . . . and I really liked the religious undertones of the book.
One thing we discussed a lot in class was how C.S. Lewis stated that this book was not an extended allegory, but rather a supposal. This basically means C.S. Lewis "supposed" that if there was a world inhabited by animals, what form would Christ come in and what kind of events would would occur. And that is where the land of Narnia was born and created.
I personally love the symbology of Aslan as the Christ figure in the land of Narnia. A lot of times I feel like the glory of Christ is lost when reading the Bible. Christ was the son of a Carpenter, a man who lived much like everyone else at the time, but the one difference was He was perfect. But there is little visual examples of Christ's glory on earth. He was scorned, he was mocked, he was hated by the people . . . it's not hard to remember the magnificence of Christ, but it's difficult to visually see this through the Bible.
This is not the case with Aslan in the land of Narnia. Aslan is a magnificent lion. The color of fur, his long mane, they are all physical characteristics of Aslan's power and grace. Throughout the book the four Pensieve children regularly speak of the greatness of Aslan and how it can barely be described. I feel like this is a really beautiful reminder that Christ is a magnificent being that not only deserves but demands our respect and love.
I have seen the movie of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and it is very similar to the book. But I would have to agree with Professor Young when he says that the movie just rushes over the most important part of the book. I was amazed at how quickly Aslan's death is passed over in the movie and how much time they give to the great battle. I understand why they did . . . fighting sells tickets . . . but it took away the mysticism of the entire story.
I really enjoyed this book, despite it being a relatively simple children's book, it still has many important lessons for everyone to learn.
One thing we discussed a lot in class was how C.S. Lewis stated that this book was not an extended allegory, but rather a supposal. This basically means C.S. Lewis "supposed" that if there was a world inhabited by animals, what form would Christ come in and what kind of events would would occur. And that is where the land of Narnia was born and created.
I personally love the symbology of Aslan as the Christ figure in the land of Narnia. A lot of times I feel like the glory of Christ is lost when reading the Bible. Christ was the son of a Carpenter, a man who lived much like everyone else at the time, but the one difference was He was perfect. But there is little visual examples of Christ's glory on earth. He was scorned, he was mocked, he was hated by the people . . . it's not hard to remember the magnificence of Christ, but it's difficult to visually see this through the Bible.
This is not the case with Aslan in the land of Narnia. Aslan is a magnificent lion. The color of fur, his long mane, they are all physical characteristics of Aslan's power and grace. Throughout the book the four Pensieve children regularly speak of the greatness of Aslan and how it can barely be described. I feel like this is a really beautiful reminder that Christ is a magnificent being that not only deserves but demands our respect and love.
I have seen the movie of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and it is very similar to the book. But I would have to agree with Professor Young when he says that the movie just rushes over the most important part of the book. I was amazed at how quickly Aslan's death is passed over in the movie and how much time they give to the great battle. I understand why they did . . . fighting sells tickets . . . but it took away the mysticism of the entire story.
I really enjoyed this book, despite it being a relatively simple children's book, it still has many important lessons for everyone to learn.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Perelandra
Perelandra was ultimately a retelling of the Genesis story from a unique and other-worldy view. It was different from most adult fiction that I read. There was relatively little action and a lot of dialogue. Personally I feel that dialogue is a strong point for Lewis. He knows how to really mold a story based on characters and how to force his audience to develop their own opinions on sensitive subjects that he covers.
On thing that Lewis discusses a lot in this book is the idea of innocence. The Green Lady is the symbolic representation of innocence and youth through the story. She naively follows the commands of Maleldril and listens despite the fact that she doesn't understand the concepts behind the command. To me this shows an almost child-like trust. I know that we have often been told to become like little children throughout the scriptures, and the Green Lady is an example of this. I realize that she is also a symbol of Eve before the fall, but I feel like in my own life her childlike qualities have more pertinence.
The concept of childhood comes up a lot in this book. The Green Lady is always commenting on how young she is, but how she is getting older with everything she learns. Youthful innocence includes not necessarily understanding or comprehending everything that God does. I think this always plays a lot into faith. Faith isn't doing something because we can see the reason behind it, but rather it is blindly following God's command even when we don't know why we are.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book. At times it did get long because plot development was pretty slow. But it has a good message that is applicable and is a powerful reminder of the horrors of sin and temptation.
On thing that Lewis discusses a lot in this book is the idea of innocence. The Green Lady is the symbolic representation of innocence and youth through the story. She naively follows the commands of Maleldril and listens despite the fact that she doesn't understand the concepts behind the command. To me this shows an almost child-like trust. I know that we have often been told to become like little children throughout the scriptures, and the Green Lady is an example of this. I realize that she is also a symbol of Eve before the fall, but I feel like in my own life her childlike qualities have more pertinence.
The concept of childhood comes up a lot in this book. The Green Lady is always commenting on how young she is, but how she is getting older with everything she learns. Youthful innocence includes not necessarily understanding or comprehending everything that God does. I think this always plays a lot into faith. Faith isn't doing something because we can see the reason behind it, but rather it is blindly following God's command even when we don't know why we are.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book. At times it did get long because plot development was pretty slow. But it has a good message that is applicable and is a powerful reminder of the horrors of sin and temptation.
Lewis
In class we talked about Lewis as a scholar, critic, and teacher. I'm amazed every time I learn a little bit more about C.S. Lewis. He really was one of the most intelligent men of our age. I'm also amazed by the insight he had into the life of Christ and God and how closely it relates to many Gospel principles and ideas.
This has gotten me thinking a lot about the Holy Ghost, and how it manifests to people. I do not think that being a member of this church is a prerequisite to receiving guidance and comfort from the Holy Ghost. It's apparent to me that no man could have gotten so close to the Gospel without divine guidance. It makes me wish that Lewis had had the chance to receive the Gospel in this life. I'd be very interested to see what kind of Mormon he would have been. I can picture him as a powerful and influential speaker. I am however grateful that this church so strongly believes in work for the dead. Even though Lewis didn't have the chance during mortality, he will ultimately be able to choose wether or not to accept this Gospel. And I can only imagine the clarity he will receive.
I remember a seminary lesson where I walked into class and sitting on my chair was a big comforter from a queen sized bed. I wrapped up in it, and then our teacher related the comforter to the Holy Ghost, who is the true Comforter for each and everyone of us. I'm ridiculously grateful for the Holy Ghost, through which God works. I can't explain it with words, but the feeling of comfort is better than any physical comfort I have ever received.
This has gotten me thinking a lot about the Holy Ghost, and how it manifests to people. I do not think that being a member of this church is a prerequisite to receiving guidance and comfort from the Holy Ghost. It's apparent to me that no man could have gotten so close to the Gospel without divine guidance. It makes me wish that Lewis had had the chance to receive the Gospel in this life. I'd be very interested to see what kind of Mormon he would have been. I can picture him as a powerful and influential speaker. I am however grateful that this church so strongly believes in work for the dead. Even though Lewis didn't have the chance during mortality, he will ultimately be able to choose wether or not to accept this Gospel. And I can only imagine the clarity he will receive.
I remember a seminary lesson where I walked into class and sitting on my chair was a big comforter from a queen sized bed. I wrapped up in it, and then our teacher related the comforter to the Holy Ghost, who is the true Comforter for each and everyone of us. I'm ridiculously grateful for the Holy Ghost, through which God works. I can't explain it with words, but the feeling of comfort is better than any physical comfort I have ever received.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Miracles
I'm going to be 100% honest, and I'm not sure that is a good thing. But the top line of my notes says, "Miracles...intellectual, abstract...personally for me kinda confusing." And that seriously sums up this book for me. I'm not totally positive what all the points that C.S. Lewis was trying to make in this book were. We talked about how Lewis's audience for this book was much more intellectual than some of the other books we've read. And I guess I'm just not all that intellectual.
I'm simply going to let you all know what my favorite part of this book was. When Lewis is talking about the nature of God I think its beautiful when he talks about God as a real person, a concrete, choosing human being with a particular character. I've never really thought about God having a unique character or personality. I've never really thought about God being happy or mad or sad. For me He has just been a constant - someone who never changes. It makes me wonder if God makes jokes, if He laughs, if He mourns when He sees us sad.
When I was younger my brother told me that he had full conversations with God. Not just asking for help or being grateful for blessings, but full on conversations. He'd tell our Heavenly Father jokes, tell Him how his day went . . . pretty much everything and anything were fair game when it came to prayer. This for me is a novelty idea. But it makes me realize that everything really is fair game for talking to God. We are meant to develop a relationship with Him . . . and what better way than cracking jokes, telling personal stories, and sharing every part of ourselves with Him?
I'm simply going to let you all know what my favorite part of this book was. When Lewis is talking about the nature of God I think its beautiful when he talks about God as a real person, a concrete, choosing human being with a particular character. I've never really thought about God having a unique character or personality. I've never really thought about God being happy or mad or sad. For me He has just been a constant - someone who never changes. It makes me wonder if God makes jokes, if He laughs, if He mourns when He sees us sad.
When I was younger my brother told me that he had full conversations with God. Not just asking for help or being grateful for blessings, but full on conversations. He'd tell our Heavenly Father jokes, tell Him how his day went . . . pretty much everything and anything were fair game when it came to prayer. This for me is a novelty idea. But it makes me realize that everything really is fair game for talking to God. We are meant to develop a relationship with Him . . . and what better way than cracking jokes, telling personal stories, and sharing every part of ourselves with Him?
The Weight of Glory
The Weight of Glory is an essay by C.S. Lewis that talks a lot about the afterlife and the glory we, as Christ-like beings, are meant to receive there. In it Lewis talks about 5 main promises that we will receive once we die.
1. be w/ Christ
2. be like Christ
3. receive glory
4. fed/feasted
5. receive an official position in the universe
In class we talked a lot about glory and how Lewis doesn't mean glory as in fame or pride, but rather great pleasure in the fact that we have pleased God. We talked about how we are all aiming towards the day when God will come to us and say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
That statement is what really got me thinking during class. Maybe I haven't been analyzing Lewis's writings enough but I have been putting lots of thought into his messages and how they apply to my daily life. The word my thoughts really started focusing on was that of 'servant.' We are meant to serve God in this life, that is large part of our purpose here on earth. How can I serve God? What can I do that will be good enough for Him? And you know what I realized, there are lots of things I can do, and even though I'm just one person, my life can have an impact on others.
For instance, I could serve a full-time mission. Honestly this is something that I've been putting a lot of thought into. I also realized that motherhood in and of itself is a way of serving God. There is no larger responsibility that we as women are given then to be co-creators with God. Basically I've realized that when we follow any of God's commandments we are serving Him. Everything I do, everything you do . . . it is all getting us closer to the afterlife where we will be with God for eternity.
1. be w/ Christ
2. be like Christ
3. receive glory
4. fed/feasted
5. receive an official position in the universe
In class we talked a lot about glory and how Lewis doesn't mean glory as in fame or pride, but rather great pleasure in the fact that we have pleased God. We talked about how we are all aiming towards the day when God will come to us and say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
That statement is what really got me thinking during class. Maybe I haven't been analyzing Lewis's writings enough but I have been putting lots of thought into his messages and how they apply to my daily life. The word my thoughts really started focusing on was that of 'servant.' We are meant to serve God in this life, that is large part of our purpose here on earth. How can I serve God? What can I do that will be good enough for Him? And you know what I realized, there are lots of things I can do, and even though I'm just one person, my life can have an impact on others.
For instance, I could serve a full-time mission. Honestly this is something that I've been putting a lot of thought into. I also realized that motherhood in and of itself is a way of serving God. There is no larger responsibility that we as women are given then to be co-creators with God. Basically I've realized that when we follow any of God's commandments we are serving Him. Everything I do, everything you do . . . it is all getting us closer to the afterlife where we will be with God for eternity.
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