Saturday, December 10, 2005

Books: The Lion, The Witch And The Allegory.

With the big screen debut of C.S. Lewis' wonderful The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe comes a new HarperCollins single volume edition of the entire Chronicles of Narnia that is (bonus!) available for the low, low price of $9.96 from WallyWorld. I'd always loved these books, but the only volume I had retained over the years was The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, so going back to read the others after a twenty-year hiatus made for an extremely enjoyable Friday.

I note that there is actually debate in the MSM as to whether the story is an allegory or not. I think it points out that some critics are a very special kind of dense to even wonder about it. Of course it's an allegory, but it's a gentle, well-written, charming allegory, and if even a mean old atheist like myself can enjoy it, then I think some others can lighten the hell up and do likewise; any dolt should be able to tell the difference between Good Christians and Bad JeezoNazis, and on which side of the line these sweet children's tales fall.

Incidentally, there is no truth to the rumor that I am writing a retrospective on the Bill Clinton / Hillary Clinton / Monica Lewinsky scandal entitled The Lyin', The Bitch And The Wardrobe.



(Sorry, I just love that last gag and have been dying to figure out a way to work it into a post. Sue me.)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

[quote]Incidentally, there is no truth to the rumor that I am writing a retrospective on the Bill Clinton/Hillary Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal entitled The Lyin', The Bitch And The Wardrobe.[/quote]

"If you build it - they will buy it"

Let this book title slip to MSM, we could have a party watching all the folks stand in line for a book signing at our respective Mega Book Stores.

*smirk*

Anonymous said...

Tam ~

Your post reminds me of what Dorothy Sayers (another favorite author!) said about allegory:

"It does not do to judge any literary form by its sufferings at the hands of devout persons intent on edification."

As for the movie, I'm afraid to see it. I like the book too well.

pax

Greg Bell said...

Jeezonazi...classic!