Could I get some SUB with that TEXT?

[layla]

I finished my Narnia re-read last night. I hadn't read the series in probably over 15 years (since I was pretty young, at any rate). It was interesting to compare my reactions *then* to my reactions *now*. I was completely unaware as a kid of the allegorical elements of the books, which now seem awfully ham-handed -- subtext is supposed to be, you know, a little bit *hidden*, normally. Some of them didn't quite live up to my glowing childhood memories ... I adored the heck out of VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER as a kid, but on the re-read, it just didn't quite live up to my adult expectations, maybe because the kids didn't really solve any of their own problems ... it was one of the worst books for the "deus ex machina" lion showing up every time they're in trouble. On the other hand, THE HORSE AND HIS BOY (my other childhood favorite) was every bit as exciting as I remembered.

Will probably go see the movie next week sometime.

Comments

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Dawn Treader was my very favorite (rather liked The Last Battle too as I recall) but like you, haven't read them in years, am very curious myself to try them again. It's odd about the allegory - I remember reading them when I was younger and having a very strong sense that there was something else going on that I was missing, but I didn't understand what symbolism really was. And yet my Narnia phase corresponded closely with my Biblical phase, so I suspect on a subconscious level I was getting it (though perhaps not the way Lewis intended, if proselytizing was his goal; I loved the Bible and Narnia with the exact same passion and interest that I had for Greek mythology...)

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure what (if anything) Lewis hoped to accomplish with the allegory, since most people I know who read the books as kids didn't "get" the symbolism of it until they were older. As proselytizing goes, it doesn't seem to be very effective. On the other hand, the books may have simply been his own way of coming to terms with that particular religious journey -- and the Christian religious elements are only one (though the strongest) religious tradition that appears in the books, as well.