Religious Differences Between Nansian And Narnia

Many of the works of C.S. Lewis contain themes of Christianity and the relationship between man and the spiritual world. Written in the mid 1950s and towards the end of his life, Till We Have Faces is one of Lewis’ most intellectual works. Considered as his most mature work of writing, it is a retelling of the classical mythical story of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of Orual, the older sister of Psyche. It prompts the reader to relate with Orual as the victim of the “gods,” then, when the veil is lifted and the faults of Orual are revealed, the reader is able to better recognize the faults of his own and those of society. Till We Have Faces opens the eyes of readers to what love should be, and to its effect upon the world.

In Bruno Bettelheim’s essay, ‘The Child’s Need for Magic’, he talks about how a child and an adult’s ways of viewing the world and answering questions can differ. Bettelheim says that adults use science to figure out why certain things happen, while a child uses stories they hear to figure out the reason of why certain things happen. The examples Bettelheim uses for stories a child could hear are myths, fairy tales, and the Bible, which he says can be distinguish from each other by the way they solve problems. In the author’s point of view, myths have one set fictional way of solving a problem, fairy tales can have multiple ways to solve a problem, and the Bible gives hope to people that if they act a certain way to situations their problems will be solved for them.

Regardless of personal beliefs or opinions, it is nearly impossible to imagine the existence of modern English literature without the influence of religion. Since the dawn of recorded history, religion has played a vital, recurring role in works of fact and fiction, alike. In his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, author Thomas Foster asserts several points about this relationship between religion and literature, especially in relation to the image of Christ, and states, “Culture is so influenced by its dominant religious systems that whether a writer adheres to the beliefs or not, the values and principles of those religions will inevitably inform the literary work” (125).

In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe we discover a world of fantasy filled with the never-ending battle between good and evil. The children in the story, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy lived in London during the war and were sent to live with a professor because of the air-raids. The children quickly find a wardrobe, which is actually a passageway into the land of Narnia. Unbeknownst to them they are the son’s of Adam and the daughter’s of Eve that according to a prophecy will restore peace to Narnia and do away

Assessment Type 2 – Text Analysis – Novel: How are the ideas, experiences, values and beliefs of these characters from the divine wind relevant to you and the others today?

Throughout time, readers have learned many different lessons from their favourite books. In The Chrysalids, John Wyndam used his story to teach his readers valuable, lifelong lessons. He makes it evident to his readers that prejudging certain people is not right. Also, he relates how change is possible, but hard to achieve. More specifically, religion often influences one’s point of view. John Wyndam’s, The Chrysalids was written with a purpose that teaches his readers about discrimination, about how change is possible, and how religion often influences one’s point of view.

C.S. Lewis was a famous Christian and children’s literature author. Even 50 years after his death, his Chronicles of Narnia books are still a favorite of young children and his Christian books are still

The clash of the West and Africa entails foreign situations that society must face. The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver reflects on the impact of foreign situations on how it molds the way a society develops. In the novel, children are led by the missionary father, Nathan into the Congo, where they face the task of conversion. A molding of society is evident with the Price children, in their faith and their attitudes toward the Congolese. The way each child faces their faith is distinct and molds the person they will become. This sense of identity is impacted by the father and his obsession with God and the oppression of the Congo, creating an evident “evil” the children must overcome. Universally, in any situation people face, their faith evolves and changes the way they

While attending Oxford University, C.S. Lewis went from being an atheist to a renowned Christian. Lewis touched a vast audience with his numerous books (around thirty or more) including The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and The Four Loves. He brought fantasy and entertainment into his writing along with slight to thunderous bits of theology woven through his stories and books. This made Lewis one of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century.

We simply must try to rescue him” (Lewis 65). In the children’s journey to save the faun it shows how the two forces of both good and evil are in a continuing battle. The children are shown to be going against an evil force, known as the White Witch. The White Witch is known to be a malicious and heinous individual, while the children are known to be pure and innocent. Overall, the forces of good and evil and betrayal are pushed to the brink and in the end good prevails, known as the faun and children. Also another way Lewis exhibits the archetype good versus evil, is by showing how good triumphs evil. This is shown when the little girl “Lucy is firmly against the White Witch but Edmund [the brother] is tempted by her offer of unlimited Turkish Delight and the promise to be king one day” (HURLEY). The obvious known evil force is the White Witch and while the good is Lucy and her brother Edmund. Although, the White Witch bribes Edmund with a choice of his favorite treat, Turkish Delight which makes him think the Witch is an honorable individual. This causes Edmund to betray his siblings and go on the side of the evil White Witch, but eventually in the end see’s her true colors and apologizes for betraying them and they forgive

In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathan Edwards uses literacy devices, especially metaphors and similes in order to convey God’s wrath on sinners. These metaphors and similes are imperative for driving emotion onto the readers and listeners. Edwards wants to strike fear onto the listeners by sending his message from God.

The novel also focuses on the passage from the Wardrobe to the land of Narnia. The obscurity of Narnia’s entrance suggests that journeys cannot be sought after and instead they will present themselves at places and times we least expect. The symbolism of the wardrobe urges readers to consider what both physical and imaginative journeys may lie within ordinary existence. The use of the wardrobe can be compared to the TV in Pleasantville. The mediums are both portals to another world and are the catalysts for physical

Mankind has always been fascinated by the afterlife. In light of this fascination, it is no surprise that two Christian authors, both known for their fantasy literature, wrote imaginative accounts of the metaphysical: “Leaf by Niggle”, by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Great Divorce, written by C.S. Lewis. Although the works are similar in their vivid imagery and creative imaginings, they are markedly different in style and in the characters they use to develop their story. Both authors create two distinct worlds that are somewhere between Heaven and Hell and both offer beautifully descriptive accounts of these worlds. However, Tolkien’s style is quiet and meditative while Lewis writes with clarity and boldness. Tolkien limits his examination to two main characters while Lewis studies many characters.

As, perhaps arguably, his most famous novel, from his most famous book series, The Chronicles of Narnia, there has been much debate as to his motives for the implementation of religion in his works, and even some question as to whether religion is an actual existing aspect of the work. This essay will not only outline the unmistakable presence of religious allegory, but also focus on the purpose of it being there. Thus being, that C.S Lewis uses religious allegory to effectively introduce and develop core themes of the novel in a fashion both comprehensible and relatable for a universal audience.

Callow, A. (2015). The Chronicles of Narnia, and How C.S. Lewis Created Christian Fantasy Fiction. Retrieved from Digitalcommons.linfield.edu: http://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=dcestud_theses