We actually continued our discussion of Narnia as we worked into a discussion of Tolkien and Lewis and The Lord of the Rings. We also continued to talk about the functions of fantasy. Doug noted that Tolkien said the fantasy speaks to our heart's desire. By reading fantasy, we can see what people were yearning for during a certain era. In The Rings we see a yearning for being connected to nature. Tolkien also expressed, in a lecture at St. Andrew's College, the hope that fantasy would lead to a fuller understanding of Christianity. He suggested that it worked as a foreshadowing of a richer and fuller life with God; evil is conquered and there is the hope of the resurrection.
Tolkien especially wrote of the splendors of the universe. The Elves, for example, led by Galdriel, blend into their natural landscape.
In "The Lion, The Witch..." Lewis had the same goal. Here is an example. When all the children arrive in Narnia, they find Mr. Tumnus's home ruined and Mr. Tumnus arrested. A bird, however, leads them to the home of of the beaver family. The beaver hut is an ideal home with a deep familiarity and speaks to our wanting to be taken care of. Our seeking an afterlife also speaks to our yearning for home. The "Fairy Stories," as he called them, offer us consolation.
The questions that came up were: Did these writers (Lewis and Tolkien) set out to write Christian fantasy or did it emerge from the writing? How do the two world wars figure into Tolkien's writing?
At this point I had to leave the session to vest for 10:15 service, so I'm hoping that someone can fill in the gaps.
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