COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS Lewis and Tolkien are both considered part of the children’s literary canon because their novels relate to the reader by taking them on a hero’s journey where they learn formative skills needed to complete their journey and face off against the evil in the world. To be considered part of the children’s literary canon, we believe that a book series must also display a hero’s archetype that draws the reader in, while also showing the reader the difference between good and evil and giving them skills to overcome the evils in their lives. Lewis does this by having Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy all be crowned Kings and Queens at the end of the novel, each known for a different skill or attribute they learn on their hero’s journey. Valiance, justice, gentleness, and magnificent are the qualities that define the Pevensie children and their journeys to becoming Kings and Queens of Narnia. These qualities transcend the novels by forcing the reader to look inwards at their own defining qualities and see what about themselves would make them a King or Queen of Narnia. Likewise, Tolkien takes his readers on a hero’s journey to defeat evil, ensuring the good comes out on top. The educational …show more content…
Harry Potter is similar to The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, both of which are considered in the children’s literary canon, because all three stories follow the lives of a hero who much go on a journey to save the world from the forces of evil. Since Harry Potter follows in the same framework as literature that is already in the canon and also expands that framework to more deeply consider the evils of the world as everyday threats, it should be considered the newest member of the children’s literary
Phil Sullivan, explains, “The. The mythic story of the questing hero is a metaphor of the inward journey to self-knowledge, that. nebulous goal of almost all education”. Interpreting this way, one is to believe all. wanders for a cause, and that cause is ultimately education.
C.S. Lewis left more in this world than his writings. He inspired and will inspire many people with his demonstration of God’s forgiving love. His ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ have been made into a major motion picture today and the books have sold more than 100 million copies (Imbornoni). Even though it’s been almost forty-seven years since his death, people continue to enjoy C.S. Lewis’ works.
“I am almost inclined to set it up as a canon that a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story.” C.S. Lewis ' quote brings about some interesting question. What makes a classic? How can we test fantasy literature to see if it is, or can be a classic for all ages? Two important factors to consider in these questions are how good and evil are depicted and explained to the audience. Is the villain evil for evils sake? Or does the villain believe he is in the right under bad circumstances? We must also consider how the author uses narrative voice to tell their story to the audience. Does the author talk down to the readers? Or do they keep their voice light and playful? Looking at the course readings from the
Harry Potter is now a global brand worth of an estimated $15 billion dollars, and the last four Harry Potter books have consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history. The series, totalling 4,195 pages, has been translated, in whole or in part, into 65 languages, ("Seventh Harry Potter Expected to Succeed”). Imagine a school in a castle filled with moving staircases, a sport played on flying broomsticks, an evil wizard intent on domination, an ordinary boy who’s the hero of a whole world he doesn’t know, (About the Series). This is the story that comes to life in the marvelous Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Voldemort, the dark wizard, attempts to kill baby Harry in order to prevent a prophecy. He fails and ends
The Hobbit shows J.R.R. Tolkien’s belief in the ancient heroic tales of the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian epics. He asserts that a being goes through many adventures with the help of friends who believe that anything can happen. Tolkien reveals how bravery and courage make ordinary individuals succeed at ordinary tasks.
Lewis did not intend for The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe to attempt to strike at moral standpoints. Lewis stated in an interview, “’I don’t like stories to have a moral: certainly not because I think children dislike a moral. Rather because I feel sure that the question: ‘What do modern children need?’ will not lead you to a good moral”’ (Sadler). However, his use of the innocence of children evokes the essence of purity and good. This purity conflicts with the cruelty and scorn displayed through the White Witches actions, resulting in her becoming an evil figure. The archetype of good vs. evil that writers use throughout literature has proven to be a successful means of striking intrigue in an audience. This combined with the magical setting employed by the mysterious Narnia allows Lewis’ work to be so interesting to readers through decades and generations.
Throughout C. S. Lewis’ book series, Narnia, he uses his diverse characters to embody different real-world people and issues. Lewis utilizes his exceptional writing skills to put his characters through certain situations that reflect real-world issues. By doing this Lewis indirectly helped his readers to better understand the world around them.
The hero’s journey is essential to common literature. Sharon Black’s daughter, Sandra, said she “needs Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, and Harry Potter because she needs to be- lieve and to share her belief that the hero can emerge victorious, no matter how oppressive the uncharted darkness may be. …needs Joseph Campbell to tell her that the hero is indeed “God’s son”” (Black, 245)
I believe a retention of knowledge, as well as the love for a book (whether as an adult or child) is partly linked to the quality of words and imagination utilized in the author's tales. C. S. Lewis is a wonderful example of an author whose work extends to reach beyond the level of children, and brings into view the scenery of Narnia as an expression of life. His storytelling style brought the lands and people of the chronicles intothe view of my mind's eye as a child, and in the same way let my imagination interact with the story. Now I am an adult, and I have come to realize that the symbolism and parallels in the Chronicles of Narnia, which I may have overlooked with my child's mind, are presently real to me.
J.R.R. Tolkien Research Paper As many have grown up during this generation, they have been dazzled by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien as well as the artistic interpretation of this trilogy by Peter Jackson. This movement started when Tolkien created The Hobbit and then later the Lord of the Rings trilogy in the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. However, there are those who have criticized both the books and the cinema for being sexist and/or racist. Tolkien is not sexist because he develops his female characters by revealing their individualism and dynamic features, and is also not a racist because much of the criticism comes from Peter Jackson’s interpretations and because racism is harshly looked upon more in this generation than it was back in the 1940’s.
Harry Potter should not be banned from school libraries. Taking it from schools would not stop students from reading it. Even though it was not at the school. It would be at the public library. They also could barrow it from a field of family members or friends. Finally, they could just go online and read or buy it.
Since the first segment of the series was released in 1997, Harry Potter has been challenged by churches and parents due to the practicing of magic by children found within the books. The books have been removed from school shelves, discouraged by churches, and censored by parents. It is claimed that Harry Potter is devilish, satanic, and encourages children to practice the occult, damaging their religious views (LaFond). Therefore, many parents keep their children from reading the book series. Yet, Harry Potter has been such a positive influence on my so many lives. Evident through the movies, theme parks, stores, and much more, J.K. Rowling’s series has been an overwhelming success for many reasons (“Because it’s his…”). In order to encourage
Ever since J.K. Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, children and adults have read and loved the series. It has gained such popularity that all of the books have been made into major motion pictures, and a Harry Potter attraction has been opened in Universal Studios, Florida. Though the readers love Rowling’s intricate and exciting story lines, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest controversy is the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil actions, these theories should not be taken so seriously.
Fiction has always been used as a way to relay different types of messages throughout time. In many cases authors use fiction to make political commentary, use stories to bring out the major flaws that society has, as well as a way to spread different types of beliefs or ideals. C.S. Lewis’s used his work, “The Chronicles of Narnia”, to reiterate the messages of the Bible to those who might have gotten lost during their lifetime. Though his whole series was full of connections the book that have the most prevalent connections are The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In both there are places that are very similar to and very different books in the Bible. Taking into context when Lewis wrote this series is extremely important to see what some of his motivations might have been. These stories were started soon after World War II had ended. These stories were a way to teach the next generation some of the morals that the Bible was teaching. By creating these fantastical stories Lewis was able to make connections to help bridge the learning gap between the two generations. Also by using children as a target audience Lewis was able to remind adults as well, instead of being ignored because of the recent war. Lewis was able to address these lessons and morals in a way that both taught the children the way of the Bible, as well as to put a new spin on old tales so that adults were able to come back to religion, after losing some faith during the brutal war.
The Narnia Chronicles have already established themselves as timeless works of literature. They appeal to both the atheists and the God-fearing, to both the uneducated and to scholars; to children and adults. An understanding of the Biblical allegory in these books is not essential to their appreciation. A critical analysis of these works, however, does allow the reader to more fully appreciate Lewis' unique gift to simplify complex narratives and craft beautiful children's fantasies. This, in turn, allows the reader to gain both a deeper understanding of Lewis as a skilled creative writer, and a deeper satisfaction of his art. To be able to appreciate C.S. Lewis as such an artisan can only add to one's enjoyment of his works.