Narnia (and Other Lewis Works): Love It or Hate It?

[CupofJoe]

Sorry if I gave offense

 

[Steerpike]

Sorry if I gave offense

I don't think you did, Joe.

 

[Mindfire]

I don't think you did, Joe.

No, Joe. You did not.

 

[Jabrosky]

I have fond memories of our third grade teacher reading the first Narnia book to us in class, but now there's one thing about the whole franchise that I find disturbing: prepubescent children obtaining lethal weapons and fighting in presumably bloody wars like grown-ups. I'm surprised this hasn't already inspired an outrage, especially since we feel sorry for child soldiers in the real world.

 

[Ireth]

I have fond memories of our third grade teacher reading the first Narnia book to us in class, but now there's one thing about the whole franchise that I find disturbing: prepubescent children obtaining lethal weapons and fighting in presumably bloody wars like grown-ups. I'm surprised this hasn't already inspired an outrage, especially since we feel sorry for child soldiers in the real world.

From what I recall, Peter and Susan were in their teens, Edmund wasn't much younger, and Lucy was largely on the sidelines of the war, acting as a healer more than anything else. If that helps.

 

[Steerpike]

The fighting doesn't bother me. As Ireth notes, the kids doing most of it were of an age kids might actually have fought in times past. Further, one things that children hate in children's books is being patronized, talked down to and/or basically being treated like kids. I suspect part of the allure of the novels to many children comes from the power of the main characters to act with autonomy and power in a way that affects the world, including the ability to fight the bad guys.

 

[Jabrosky]

Fair enough, it's been a long time since I last consumed any media pertaining to Narnia.

 

[Shockley]

As a non-Christian, this might surprise some of the people who jumped into this thread on the last page: I absolutely love C. S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. Even his explicitly religious stuff, like the Screwtape Letters, sit among my favorite books of all time. The man was just awesome, as far as writing and story-telling goes. The Magician's Nephew has one of the most powerful scenes (in my opinion, of course) in fantasy.

If you can't read a book without being offended by it having a view-point different from your own, it's not the the book's problem.

 

[Mindfire]

As a non-Christian, this might surprise some of the people who jumped into this thread on the last page: I absolutely love C. S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. Even his explicitly religious stuff, like the Screwtape Letters, sit among my favorite books of all time. The man was just awesome, as far as writing and story-telling goes. The Magician's Nephew has one of the most powerful scenes (in my opinion, of course) in fantasy.

If you can't read a book without being offended by it having a view-point different from your own, it's not the the book's problem.

Straight out of left field.

 

[Shockley]

In what way?

 

[Mindfire]

An unexpected way.

 

[Steerpike]

I agree that being offended by a book over these sorts of things is a bit ridiculous, particularly for writers. I liked the Narnia books. Also like His Dark Materials, which is quite a different viewpoint.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

As a non-Christian, this might surprise some of the people who jumped into this thread on the last page: I absolutely love C. S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. Even his explicitly religious stuff, like the Screwtape Letters, sit among my favorite books of all time. The man was just awesome, as far as writing and story-telling goes. The Magician's Nephew has one of the most powerful scenes (in my opinion, of course) in fantasy.

If you can't read a book without being offended by it having a view-point different from your own, it's not the the book's problem.

I'm not at all offended by the Chronicles; I kept hearing that it was a Really Obvious Christian Allegory but as I was reading it I saw very little that seemed overtly Christian (sure, there's Aslan's resurrection, but even that is markedly different from the story of Jesus). I just didn't enjoy them very much.

 

[Shockley]

I was responding directly to the guy who made a big deal out of the Christian allegory. I should have quoted him directly.

Here are my thoughts on that: As I understand it, Lewis was really defensive about the idea of 'Aslan as Jesus,' since he didn't see it that way. He just saw Narnia and the real world having similar religious structures - so Aslan played the role that Jesus plays in Christianity, but that was the end of the connection as far as Lewis himself was concerned.

Which makes sense to me. Plenty of fictional religions are glorified ports, and I think Lewis takes the lion's share of the hate because he ported something that, in modern times, is the source of a lot of angst both ways.

 

[Aravelle]

I'm not at all offended by the Chronicles; I kept hearing that it was a Really Obvious Christian Allegory but as I was reading it I saw very little that seemed overtly Christian (sure, there's Aslan's resurrection, but even that is markedly different from the story of Jesus). I just didn't enjoy them very much.

I wholeheartedly agree. They're much too like a faerietale, marinated in religious allegories. I don't feel fantasy and religion should intermingle much... which is somewhat hypocritical as I love His Dark Materials.

I have every intention on reading The Screwtape Letters, and have contemplated The Great Divorce. I think I'll like his writing style much better.

Also, did you know Lewis didn't edit his writing at all? It drove Tolkien bats, it did.

 

[Mindfire]

I wholeheartedly agree. They're much too like a faerietale, marinated in religious allegories. I don't feel fantasy and religion should intermingle much... which is somewhat hypocritical as I love His Dark Materials.

I have every intention on reading The Screwtape Letters, and have contemplated The Great Divorce. I think I'll like his writing style much better.

Also, did you know Lewis didn't edit his writing at all? It drove Tolkien bats, it did.

The Screwtape Letters are a masterpiece. At once satirical and thought-provoking. I'd recommend Lewis's Space Trilogy too.

 

[LisaChitty]

Love it! The Narnia series was a childhood favourite of mine and will always remain a favouri.