This is for comic relief. There was a "Lord of the Rings" that was made in either 1978 or 1980. Anyway, this is a song called "Frodo of the Nine Fingers," and I thought that you might enjoy it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW_ocZLaRdI
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Horray for Fairy-Stories!
I rather enjoyed the supplemental reading to Tolkien. I think it was my first semester here that Mrs. Fobes talked about the “willing suspension of disbelief.” I don’t honestly remember what we were talking about, but I fell in love with the phrase then. Honestly, if you think about it, there are so many ridiculous movies and books in the world that, in order to believe them, one has to say “okay. I know this isn’t real, but for the sake of not doing anything overly school-related, I’ll pretend like this could happen.” Well, Tolkien apparently does not like this phrase. After reading his take on what it really means to will yourself to believe something, I think I like his perspective better.
He is talking about how children are willing to believe something for the sake of believing it. Instead of putting on the “willing suspension of disbelief,” Tolkien says that “what really happens is that the story-maker proves a successful ‘sub-creator’” because he “makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter” (36) In this secondary world, orange grass is acceptable or a Hobbit can really exist and he can destroy a ring that a giant eyeball has been searching for for years.
A second thing that I liked was that fairy-stories are good for kids because it allows their imaginations to grow (and Chesterton did say that those with imaginations are not the mad men). Tolkien makes a point of saying that fairy-stories are good for adults, too, because they “offer also, in a peculiar degree or mode, these things: Fantasy, Recovery, Consolation, all things of which children have, as a rule, less need than older people” (44). Yes, most older people do need to escape from their lives sometimes, and yes, most older people (myself included) do enjoy a happy ending. There are times when it would be great to escape from death, but death allows us to see what is truly important in our lives. We don’t usually value things until we don’t have them anymore, and I don’t really think that the Hobbits knew what they meant to each other until they are separated forever. At the end of “Return of the King,” Frodo decides to go with Bilbo to the Grey Havens. Sam does not want him to go but Frodo explains that “when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them” (Tolkien 338). He says this because, though he may not necessarily want to leave his friends, he has done all that he can to assure that they have a happy ending even though he does not get one. What he does get, though, is seemingly eternal life. Because we never hear of his death, only that he is leaving forever, he gets eternal life in the imaginations of most who read of his journeys. I think that Tolkien wanted to include that fairy-stories include consolation because we are consoled that Frodo gets to be a hero in his own little story. It’s nice to know that, in the secondary world, at least, people get the endings that they deserve.
He is talking about how children are willing to believe something for the sake of believing it. Instead of putting on the “willing suspension of disbelief,” Tolkien says that “what really happens is that the story-maker proves a successful ‘sub-creator’” because he “makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter” (36) In this secondary world, orange grass is acceptable or a Hobbit can really exist and he can destroy a ring that a giant eyeball has been searching for for years.
A second thing that I liked was that fairy-stories are good for kids because it allows their imaginations to grow (and Chesterton did say that those with imaginations are not the mad men). Tolkien makes a point of saying that fairy-stories are good for adults, too, because they “offer also, in a peculiar degree or mode, these things: Fantasy, Recovery, Consolation, all things of which children have, as a rule, less need than older people” (44). Yes, most older people do need to escape from their lives sometimes, and yes, most older people (myself included) do enjoy a happy ending. There are times when it would be great to escape from death, but death allows us to see what is truly important in our lives. We don’t usually value things until we don’t have them anymore, and I don’t really think that the Hobbits knew what they meant to each other until they are separated forever. At the end of “Return of the King,” Frodo decides to go with Bilbo to the Grey Havens. Sam does not want him to go but Frodo explains that “when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them” (Tolkien 338). He says this because, though he may not necessarily want to leave his friends, he has done all that he can to assure that they have a happy ending even though he does not get one. What he does get, though, is seemingly eternal life. Because we never hear of his death, only that he is leaving forever, he gets eternal life in the imaginations of most who read of his journeys. I think that Tolkien wanted to include that fairy-stories include consolation because we are consoled that Frodo gets to be a hero in his own little story. It’s nice to know that, in the secondary world, at least, people get the endings that they deserve.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Influence of Chesterton
On C.S. Lewis: Chesterton's The Everlasting Man, an apologetic book, played a key role in the conversion of C.S. Lewis. Lewis wrote in Suprised by Joy "Then I read Chesterton's Everlasting Man and for the first time saw the whole Christian outline of history set out in a form that seemed to me to make sense . . . I already thought Chesterton the most sensible man alive 'apart from his Christianity'. Now, I veritably believe, I thought that Christianity itself was very sensible 'apart from its Christianity.'"
On Tolkien: Tolkien talks about Chesterton's influence on his formulation and conception of nature, supernature, and mythology.
On Mohandas Gandhi: In 1909 Mohandas Gandhi read one of Chesterton's news columns and was deeply affected by it, translated it into Gujarati, and wrote a Hind Swaraj based on it that gave a shape to Indian national self-determination.
On Martin Luther King, Jr.: Often quoted or paraphrased many authors, one often being Chesterton.
On Alfred Hitchcock: He read"A Defence of Penny Dreadfuls" and "A Defence of Detective stories" as an adolescent which would later provide him with ideas for the formation of his own style and vision when he was an apprentice filmmaker.
On Ernest Hemingway: In his short story "The Three-Day Blow" featured characters talking about how they wished that they could meet Chesterton, wishing he was there with them now.
And there are many, many more that can be found at http://augustine.livejournal.com/7853.html where I found most of the information.
On Tolkien: Tolkien talks about Chesterton's influence on his formulation and conception of nature, supernature, and mythology.
On Mohandas Gandhi: In 1909 Mohandas Gandhi read one of Chesterton's news columns and was deeply affected by it, translated it into Gujarati, and wrote a Hind Swaraj based on it that gave a shape to Indian national self-determination.
On Martin Luther King, Jr.: Often quoted or paraphrased many authors, one often being Chesterton.
On Alfred Hitchcock: He read"A Defence of Penny Dreadfuls" and "A Defence of Detective stories" as an adolescent which would later provide him with ideas for the formation of his own style and vision when he was an apprentice filmmaker.
On Ernest Hemingway: In his short story "The Three-Day Blow" featured characters talking about how they wished that they could meet Chesterton, wishing he was there with them now.
And there are many, many more that can be found at http://augustine.livejournal.com/7853.html where I found most of the information.
Perfection
When considering Perelandra, you notice a change in the actions of Ransom. In a perfect world, Ransom doesn't seem to do the things he would normally do on Earth, which happens to be sinful things, or things which might destroy the innocence if done on Perelandra. So really my question is, are the actions of Ransom changed because he is surrounded by perfection in turn making him perfect for the time, or is it just the Eldil, maybe even Maleldil, giving him perfection in order that he not ruin the perfection of Perelandra. For example, the fruit. He tastes this amazing fruit, but for some reason does not think it would be right for him to have another one just so he could taste it again. On earth he would have, here he does not. And another is that he has no sexual desire for the lady, even though she is naked and is the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Is this because there is no sin, therefore he does not sin, or is it because he is being intentionally held back from sinning in order that Perelandra might be preserved from sin?
Taking On or Trading
"...when Christ or St. Paul, or whoever said bear, or whatever he Aramaically said instead of bear, he meant something much more like carrying a parcel instead of someone else. To bear a burden is precisely to carry it instead of." - Stanhope: Descent Into Hell, ch. 6.
"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - Paul the Apostle: Galatians 6:2
Stanhope talks about literally taking on someone else's burden, in this case, a fear. My question with this is in bearing Pauline's burden, or yoke, was she completely free, or did they trade yokes?
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Jesus Christ: Matthew 11:29-31
It seems that in taking on the yoke of Jesus that we traded ours for his. We took on the yoke of His lightness and easiness, and He took on our sinful yoke.
So maybe this is stretching something, but it's just a question to think about. When bearing one another's burden, is it one person bearing another person's burden so that they have none, or is it two people, or more, bearing each other's burden, so as to take the specific pressure off of that person, even though a burden is still being carried, just a different one? And does the burden seem less for you in knowing that you are relieving your brother of that burden?
"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - Paul the Apostle: Galatians 6:2
Stanhope talks about literally taking on someone else's burden, in this case, a fear. My question with this is in bearing Pauline's burden, or yoke, was she completely free, or did they trade yokes?
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Jesus Christ: Matthew 11:29-31
It seems that in taking on the yoke of Jesus that we traded ours for his. We took on the yoke of His lightness and easiness, and He took on our sinful yoke.
So maybe this is stretching something, but it's just a question to think about. When bearing one another's burden, is it one person bearing another person's burden so that they have none, or is it two people, or more, bearing each other's burden, so as to take the specific pressure off of that person, even though a burden is still being carried, just a different one? And does the burden seem less for you in knowing that you are relieving your brother of that burden?
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The Un-man Unveiled
The first appearance of the Un-man is slightly disconcerting. Weston’s monologue, occasionally interrupted by Ransom’s well conceived disagreeings, reached its peak when he proclaimed himself one with the universe. At this point Weston became the Un-man. Weston began to struggle for control and the Un-man won the battle by taking over Weston’s weakened defenses. The first act of the Un-man was to undo Weston. The man no longer posses control over his own body, or even over his own mind. The Un-man was his undoing
Another instance in which the Un-man undoes the natural order of creation is seen in chapter nine. Ransom awakes to find a line of dead or dieing frog-like creatures strewn upon the ground. Upon seeing this Ransom thinks, “It would have been better, or so he thought at that moment, for the whole universe never to have existed than for this one thing to have happened” (94). The Un-man has now begun to undo not only human life but creation as well. As Satan gained mastery over Eve, creation fell around her. So now the Un-man, attempting to dethrone the Queen, is also attempting to destroy her kingdom. The animals under her protection have been placed in danger by the Un-man’s presence, and she is unaware of the danger. Only Ransom, who has seen this type of destruction upon Thulcandra, can stop the fall of another civilization, and as the Un-man sits upon the mound of bodies, Ransom decides to guard against the threat that has been brought upon Perelandra.
The battle for the future begins with rest. A warrior must have the energy to fight, and energy is gained by sleep. If Ransom has a hope to win this battle, he must rest. However, evil never sleeps, and the Un-man is evil. The Un-man attempts to weaken our Warrior and undo Ransom before he has a chance to fight. By keeping Ransom awake, the Un-man is undoing Ransom’s humanhood. No sleep will defeat a man. So, tired and desperate, Ransom comes to the realization that Spiritual Warfare is not only a mental fight, but it is also a physical battle that be won with strength of might. Ransom begins to box with the evil that is attempting to destroy this Utopian existence. It takes all of Ransom’s strength and energy, but in the end, he stands victorious over the incinerated body which once belonged to Edward Rolles Weston.
Ransom’s fight with the Un-man is Lewis’ attempt to emphasize that World War Two was not the only physical battle that the soldiers and humans of the era had to fight. In order for us to defeat Satan, we must physically defeat him. Gaining energy from our rest and standing upon the promises of God, we take the battle to Satan. We may be beaten and bruised in the end, but ultimately, Satan has already been flung into the Lake of Fire, just as the Un-man was flung into the volcano.
Another instance in which the Un-man undoes the natural order of creation is seen in chapter nine. Ransom awakes to find a line of dead or dieing frog-like creatures strewn upon the ground. Upon seeing this Ransom thinks, “It would have been better, or so he thought at that moment, for the whole universe never to have existed than for this one thing to have happened” (94). The Un-man has now begun to undo not only human life but creation as well. As Satan gained mastery over Eve, creation fell around her. So now the Un-man, attempting to dethrone the Queen, is also attempting to destroy her kingdom. The animals under her protection have been placed in danger by the Un-man’s presence, and she is unaware of the danger. Only Ransom, who has seen this type of destruction upon Thulcandra, can stop the fall of another civilization, and as the Un-man sits upon the mound of bodies, Ransom decides to guard against the threat that has been brought upon Perelandra.
The battle for the future begins with rest. A warrior must have the energy to fight, and energy is gained by sleep. If Ransom has a hope to win this battle, he must rest. However, evil never sleeps, and the Un-man is evil. The Un-man attempts to weaken our Warrior and undo Ransom before he has a chance to fight. By keeping Ransom awake, the Un-man is undoing Ransom’s humanhood. No sleep will defeat a man. So, tired and desperate, Ransom comes to the realization that Spiritual Warfare is not only a mental fight, but it is also a physical battle that be won with strength of might. Ransom begins to box with the evil that is attempting to destroy this Utopian existence. It takes all of Ransom’s strength and energy, but in the end, he stands victorious over the incinerated body which once belonged to Edward Rolles Weston.
Ransom’s fight with the Un-man is Lewis’ attempt to emphasize that World War Two was not the only physical battle that the soldiers and humans of the era had to fight. In order for us to defeat Satan, we must physically defeat him. Gaining energy from our rest and standing upon the promises of God, we take the battle to Satan. We may be beaten and bruised in the end, but ultimately, Satan has already been flung into the Lake of Fire, just as the Un-man was flung into the volcano.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
I was reading C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce, and something he wrote really connected for me with Williams' Descent into Hell. In The Great Divorce, a busload of people, including Lewis, ride from Hell to Heaven. They get out and look around, trying to decide if they want to stay there or return to Hell. They all meet someone from their lives on Earth who tries to persuade them to choose Heaven. Everything that is beautiful and good in Heaven, though, is painful to the people from Hell--the grass hurts their feet, the light is too bright, etc. Lewis meets George MacDonald in Heaven, and as they watch one man refuse his wife's pleas to choose love and Heaven, Lewis asks why the woman cannot go into Hell to save her husband. MacDonald explains that the tremendous good of Heaven, contained in the woman, could not fit into Hell, and neither could she ever make herself small enough to enter Hell. MacDonald says, "For a damned soul is shrunk, shut up in itself. Good beats upon the damned incessantly as sound waves beat on the ears of the deaf, but they cannot receive it. Their fists are clenched, their teeth are clenched, their eyes fast shut. First they will not, in the end they cannot, open their hands for gifts, or their mouth for food, or their eyes to see."
Still, these people are not unreachable. "Only the Greatest of all can make Himself small enough to enter Hell. For the higher a thing is, the lower it can descend...only One has descended into Hell." This passage really helped me to understand what was playing out in the Williams' novel. As the souls of the characters, especially Wentworth, turn in upon themselves, they are incapable of truly loving or connecting with other humans, just as the man in Heaven is incapable of accepting his wife's love and forgiveness. There is only one, the Greatest, who is able to descend low enough to reach this kind of person. In Williams, that person is Stanhope, and Williams goes one step further in that his "greatest" character is able to give that ability to others who are willing. Still, both for Williams and Lewis, the soul always chooses its damnation. The MacDonald in The Great Divorce says, "There is no spirit in prison to Whom He did not preach."
Still, these people are not unreachable. "Only the Greatest of all can make Himself small enough to enter Hell. For the higher a thing is, the lower it can descend...only One has descended into Hell." This passage really helped me to understand what was playing out in the Williams' novel. As the souls of the characters, especially Wentworth, turn in upon themselves, they are incapable of truly loving or connecting with other humans, just as the man in Heaven is incapable of accepting his wife's love and forgiveness. There is only one, the Greatest, who is able to descend low enough to reach this kind of person. In Williams, that person is Stanhope, and Williams goes one step further in that his "greatest" character is able to give that ability to others who are willing. Still, both for Williams and Lewis, the soul always chooses its damnation. The MacDonald in The Great Divorce says, "There is no spirit in prison to Whom He did not preach."
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