Narnia and the Fields of Arbol

Narnia and the Fields of Arbol PDF Author: Matthew T. Dickerson
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813173191
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 319

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Book Description
The remarkable breadth of C. S. Lewis's (1898–1963) work is nearly as legendary as the fantastical tales he so inventively crafted. A variety of themes emerge in his literary output, which spans the genres of nonfiction, fantasy, science fiction, and children's literature, but much of the scholarship examining his work focuses on religion or philosophy. Overshadowed are Lewis's views on nature and his concern for environmental stewardship, which are present in most of his work. In Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis, authors Matthew Dickerson and David O'Hara illuminate this important yet overlooked aspect of the author's visionary work. Dickerson and O'Hara go beyond traditional theological discussions of Lewis's writing to investigate themes of sustainability, stewardship of natural resources, and humanity's relationship to wilderness. The authors examine the environmental and ecological underpinnings of Lewis's work by exploring his best-known works of fantasy, including the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia and the three novels collectively referred to as the Space Trilogy. Taken together, these works reveal Lewis's enduring environmental concerns, and Dickerson and O'Hara offer a new understanding of his pioneering style of fiction. An avid outdoorsman, Lewis deftly combined an active imagination with a deep appreciation for the natural world. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, the first book-length work on the subject, explores the marriage of Lewis's environmental passion with his skill as a novelist and finds the author's legacy to have as much in common with the agrarian environmentalism of Wendell Berry as it does with the fantasy of J. R. R. Tolkien. In an era of increasing concern about deforestation, climate change, and other environmental issues, Lewis's work remains as pertinent as ever. The widespread adaption of his work in film lends credence to the author's staying power as an influential voice in both fantastical fiction and environmental literature. With Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, Dickerson and O'Hara have written a timely work of scholarship that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most celebrated authors in literary history.

Narnia and the Fields of Arbol

Narnia and the Fields of Arbol PDF Author: Matthew T. Dickerson
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813173191
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 319

Get Book Here

Book Description
The remarkable breadth of C. S. Lewis's (1898–1963) work is nearly as legendary as the fantastical tales he so inventively crafted. A variety of themes emerge in his literary output, which spans the genres of nonfiction, fantasy, science fiction, and children's literature, but much of the scholarship examining his work focuses on religion or philosophy. Overshadowed are Lewis's views on nature and his concern for environmental stewardship, which are present in most of his work. In Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis, authors Matthew Dickerson and David O'Hara illuminate this important yet overlooked aspect of the author's visionary work. Dickerson and O'Hara go beyond traditional theological discussions of Lewis's writing to investigate themes of sustainability, stewardship of natural resources, and humanity's relationship to wilderness. The authors examine the environmental and ecological underpinnings of Lewis's work by exploring his best-known works of fantasy, including the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia and the three novels collectively referred to as the Space Trilogy. Taken together, these works reveal Lewis's enduring environmental concerns, and Dickerson and O'Hara offer a new understanding of his pioneering style of fiction. An avid outdoorsman, Lewis deftly combined an active imagination with a deep appreciation for the natural world. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, the first book-length work on the subject, explores the marriage of Lewis's environmental passion with his skill as a novelist and finds the author's legacy to have as much in common with the agrarian environmentalism of Wendell Berry as it does with the fantasy of J. R. R. Tolkien. In an era of increasing concern about deforestation, climate change, and other environmental issues, Lewis's work remains as pertinent as ever. The widespread adaption of his work in film lends credence to the author's staying power as an influential voice in both fantastical fiction and environmental literature. With Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, Dickerson and O'Hara have written a timely work of scholarship that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most celebrated authors in literary history.

Narnia and the Fields of Arbol

Narnia and the Fields of Arbol PDF Author: Matthew Dickerson
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813138655
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
An exploration of the Chronicles of Narnia and the Space Trilogy that “enriches our understanding of how to care for our world” (Alan Jacobs, author of Breaking Bread with the Dead). In Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis, authors Matthew Dickerson and David O’Hara illuminate an important yet overlooked aspect of the author’s visionary work. They go beyond traditional theological discussions of Lewis’s writing to investigate themes of sustainability, stewardship of natural resources, and humanity’s relationship to wilderness. The authors examine the environmental and ecological underpinnings of Lewis’s work by exploring his best-known works of fantasy, including the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia and the three novels collectively referred to as the Space Trilogy. Taken together, these works reveal Lewis’s enduring environmental concerns, and Dickerson and O’Hara offer a new understanding of his pioneering style of fiction. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, the first book-length work on the subject, finds the author’s legacy to have as much in common with the agrarian environmentalism of Wendell Berry as it does with the fantasy of J. R. R. Tolkien. In an era of increasing concern about deforestation, climate change, and other environmental issues, Lewis’s work remains as pertinent as ever. The widespread adaption of his work in film lends credence to the author’s staying power as an influential voice in both fantastical fiction and environmental literature. With Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, Dickerson and O'Hara have written a timely work of scholarship that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most celebrated authors in literary history. “Both revelatory and a pleasure to read.” —Robert Siegel, award-winning author of The Whalesong Trilogy

Ents, Elves, and Eriador

Ents, Elves, and Eriador PDF Author: Matthew T. Dickerson
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813171598
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 343

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Book Description
Many readers drawn into the heroic tales of J. R. R. Tolkien's imaginary world of Middle-earth have given little conscious thought to the importance of the land itself in his stories or to the vital roles played by the flora and fauna of that land. As a result, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion are rarely considered to be works of environmental literature or mentioned together with such authors as John Muir, Rachel Carson, or Aldo Leopold. Tolkien's works do not express an activist agenda; instead, his environmentalism is expressed in the form of literary fiction. Nonetheless, Tolkien's vision of nature is as passionate and has had as profound an influence on his readers as that of many contemporary environmental writers. The burgeoning field of agrarianism provides new insights into Tolkien's view of the natural world and environmental responsibility. In Ents, Elves, and Eriador, Matthew Dickerson and Jonathan Evans show how Tolkien anticipated some of the tenets of modern environmentalism in the imagined world of Middle-earth and the races with which it is peopled. The philosophical foundations that define Tolkien's environmentalism, as well as the practical outworking of these philosophies, are found throughout his work. Agrarianism is evident in the pastoral lifestyle and sustainable agriculture of the Hobbits, as they harmoniously cultivate the land for food and goods. The Elves practice aesthetic, sustainable horticulture as they shape their forest environs into an elaborate garden. To complete Tolkien's vision, the Ents of Fangorn Forest represent what Dickerson and Evans label feraculture, which seeks to preserve wilderness in its natural form. Unlike the Entwives, who are described as cultivating food in tame gardens, the Ents risk eventual extinction for their beliefs. These ecological philosophies reflect an aspect of Christian stewardship rooted in Tolkien's Catholic faith. Dickerson and Evans define it as "stewardship of the kind modeled by Gandalf," a stewardship that nurtures the land rather than exploiting its life-sustaining capacities to the point of exhaustion. Gandalfian stewardship is at odds with the forces of greed exemplified by Sauron and Saruman, who, with their lust for power, ruin the land they inhabit, serving as a dire warning of what comes to pass when stewardly care is corrupted or ignored. Dickerson and Evans examine Tolkien's major works as well as his lesser-known stories and essays, comparing his writing to that of the most important naturalists of the past century. A vital contribution to environmental literature and an essential addition to Tolkien scholarship, Ents, Elves, and Eriador offers both Tolkien fans and environmentalists an understanding of Middle-earth that has profound implications for environmental stewardship in the present and the future of our own world.

The Surprising Imagination of C. S. Lewis

The Surprising Imagination of C. S. Lewis PDF Author: Jerry Root
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1426795114
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
Narnia, Perelandra—places of wonder and longing. The White Witch, Screwtape—personifications of evil. Aslan—a portrait of the divine. Like Turkish Delight, some of C.S. Lewis’s writing surprises and whets our appetite for more. But some of his works bite and nip at our heels. What enabled C.S. Lewis to create such vivid characters and compelling plots? Perhaps it was simply that C.S. Lewis had an unsurpassed imagination. Or perhaps he had a knack for finding the right metaphor or analogy that awakened readers’ imaginations in new ways. But whatever his gifts, no one can deny that C.S. Lewis had a remarkable career, producing many books in eighteen different literary genres, including: apologetics, autobiography, educational philosophy, fairy stories, science fiction, and literary criticism. And while he had and still has critics, Lewis' works continue to find devoted readers. The purpose of this book is to introduce C.S. Lewis through the prism of imagination. For Lewis, imagination is both a means and an end. And because he used his own imagination well and often, he is a practiced guide for those of us who desire to reach beyond our grasp. Each chapter highlights Lewis’s major works and then shows how Lewis uses imagination to captivate readers. While many have read books by C.S. Lewis, not many readers understand his power to give new slants on the things we think we know. More than a genius, Lewis disciplined his imagination, harnessing its creativity in service of helping others believe more deeply. “Truly fresh, rhetorically astute works about C. S. Lewis are rare, but this provocative new volume by Jerry Root and Mark Neal emerges at just the right time to reinvigorate Lewis scholarship beyond the clichés we continue to repeat to each other. The Surprising Imagination of C. S. Lewis delivers just that salvo, an ingenious, empathetic, lavishly informed elucidation of Lewis’s understanding of the life of the imagination.” —Bruce L. Edwards, Professor Emeritus of English and Africana Studies, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH “Our grasp of ‘imagination’ is such a pale and paltry thing; Neal and Root offer a much-needed corrective by illustrating Lewis’s robust use of the word. The happy result is a more accurate and nuanced reading of Lewis. But there is more: through their careful work, we are graced with a rich, new vocabulary to discern and describe the many uses of creative imagination all around us.” —Diana Pavlac Glyer, Professor of English at Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, author of The Company They Keep: C .S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community “This fabulous book on Lewis’s imagination will delight readers new to Lewis and those who, like the authors, have been reading him for decades. It shimmers with the joy of exploration and discovery. The Surprising Imagination of C. S. Lewis is a reliable and inspiring guide not only to Lewis but to a treasure trove of imaginative books that fired Lewis’s own imagination. In Robert Frost’s delightful phrase, this book is the occasion for a ‘fresh think.’” —Wayne Martindale, Emeritus Professor of English, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL “Jerry Root and Mark Neal make excellent use of Lewis's literary criticism of other authors to show how he employed different varieties of imagination in his own works. The result is a good book about Lewis and an even better one on the capacity of imagination to enrich each of our lives every day.” —Mark Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN “For nearly four decades I have been reading books and articles in the field of Lewis studies. This volume is one of the most original and fascinating books on Lewis to appear in a long time.” —Lyle W. Dorsett, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, AL

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal PDF Author: Bruce R. Johnson
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description


Animals in the Writings of C. S. Lewis

Animals in the Writings of C. S. Lewis PDF Author: Michael J. Gilmour
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1137552980
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 229

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Book Description
This book examines C. S. Lewis’s writings about animals, and the theological bases of his opposition to vivisection and other cruelties. It argues Genesis is central to many of these ethical musings and the book’s organization reflects this. It treats in turn Lewis’s creative approaches to the Garden of Eden, humanity’s “dominion” over the earth, and the loss of paradise with all the catastrophic consequences for animals it presaged. The book closes looking at Lewis’s vision of a more inclusive community. Though he left no comprehensive summary of his ideas, the Narnia adventures and science fiction trilogy, scattered poems and his popular theology inspire affection and sympathy for the nonhuman. This study challenges scholars to reassess Lewis as not only a literary critic and children’s author but also an animal theologian of consequence, though there is much here for all fans of Mr. Bultitude and Reepicheep to explore.

The Mythic Dimension

The Mythic Dimension PDF Author: Joseph Campbell
Publisher: New World Library
ISBN: 1577315944
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 365

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Book Description
These 12 eclectic essays explore the topic for which Campbell was best known: myth and its fascinating context within the human imagination in the arts, literature, and culture, as well as in everyday life.

Complete Works of C.S. Lewis - The Chronicles Of Narnia (Complete Collection), The Space Trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters and others

Complete Works of C.S. Lewis - The Chronicles Of Narnia (Complete Collection), The Space Trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters and others PDF Author: C. S. Lewis
Publisher: Strelbytskyy Multimedia Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 5494

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Book Description
Clive Staples Lewis, better known as C.S. Lewis, was a respected academic, writer, and speaker. While he might be best known for his works of fantasy, especially the Chronicles of Narnia and Space Trilogy series, he also wrote many books on Christian apologetics, including Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Problem of Pain. While Lewis was a lecturer at Oxford, he became close friends with fellow lecturer J.R.R. Tolkien, future author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Both authors participated in an informal writing group, The Inklings, where they critiqued and debated each other’s texts and ideas. His works have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe stands out as his most popular fantasy work. Initially, the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia, though chronologically the second by order, it tells of the adventures of children who magically arrive in a magical country called Narnia. In Narnia, magic comes as no surprise, animals both speak and act, and good strives against evil. Lewis weaves Christian themes throughout the Chronicles of Narnia in a manner that is both accessible and picturesque for readers young and old. Attentive readers will also spot elements of Roman and Greek mythology as well as British and Irish folklore. The Chronicles Of Narnia. Complete Collection: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Prince Caspian The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader The Silver Chair The Horse And His Boy The Magician’S Nephew The Last Battle The Space Trilogy Out Of The Silent Planet Perelandra Or, Voyage To Venus That Hideous Strength Other Fiction The Pilgrim’S Regress The Screwtape Letters The Great Divorce Till We Have Faces Short Stories The Poetry Collections Spirits In Bondage Dymer The Complete Poetry The Non-Fiction The Problem Of Pain On Stories An Essay A Preface To Paradise Lost Broadcast Talks The Abolition Of Man Beyond Personality George Macdonald: An Anthology Miracles Hamlet: The Prince Or The Poem? Mary Neylan Preface To Essays Presented To Charles Williams Arthurian Torso Williams And The Arthuriad Transposition And Other Addresses Mere Christianity Reflections On The Psalms Studies In Words The Four Loves A Grief Observed An Experiment In Criticism They Asked For A Paper: Papers And Addresses The Discarded Image Letters To Malcolm: Chiefly On Prayer It All Began With A Picture… The Autobiography

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal PDF Author: Grayson Carter
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1610973240
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 233

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Book Description
Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal, established by the Arizona C. S. Lewis Society in 2007, is the only peer-reviewed journal devoted to the study of C. S. Lewis and his writings published anywhere in the world. It exists to promote literary, theological, historical, biographical, philosophical, bibliographical and cultural interest (broadly defined) in Lewis and his writings. The journal includes articles, review essays, book reviews, film reviews and play reviews, bibliographical material, poetry, interviews, editorials, and announcements of Lewis-related conferences, events and publications. Its readership is aimed at academic scholars from a wide variety of disciplines, as well as learned non-scholars and Lewis enthusiasts. At this time, Sehnsucht is published once a year.

The Hobbit and Philosophy

The Hobbit and Philosophy PDF Author: Gregory Bassham
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118233891
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
A philosophical exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved classic—just in time for the December 2012 release of Peter Jackson's new film adaptation, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is one of the best-loved fantasy books of all time and the enchanting "prequel" to The Lord of the Rings. With the help of some of history's great philosophers, this book ponders a host of deep questions raised in this timeless tale, such as: Are adventures simply "nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things" that "make you late for dinner," or are they exciting and potentially life-changing events? What duties do friends have to one another? Should mercy be extended even to those who deserve to die? Gives you new insights into The Hobbit's central characters, including Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Gollum, and Thorin and their exploits, from the Shire through Mirkwood to the Lonely Mountain Explores key questions about The Hobbit's story and themes, including: Was the Arkenstone really Bilbo's to give? How should Smaug's treasure have been distributed? Did Thorin leave his "beautiful golden harp" at Bag-End when he headed out into the Wild? (If so, how much could we get for that on eBay?) Draws on the insights of some of the world's deepest thinkers, from Confucius, Plato, and Aristotle to Immanuel Kant, William Blake, and contemporary American philosopher Thomas Nagel From the happy halls of Elrond's Last Homely House to Gollum's "slimy island of rock," this is a must read for longtime Tolkien fans as well as those discovering Bilbo Baggins and his adventures "there and back again" for the first time.