Observations III, Narnia, Prince Caspian, Lord of Rings and What it Means...Or, rather, what we can learn.

This is part of the series Observations Part I, II, III

Just watched for second time, Prince Caspian, Narnia series with my daughter. I love the movies Narnia, and sad to say, it appears Disney is dumping the third movie in series.

I do have the book and began reading it, its not the first I've read of C.S. Lewis's works, nor will be the last. I've enjoyed reading C.S. Lewis's "Screwtape Letters" though, I shall have to read it again as its been years and I've not remembered as much as I would have preferred to remember.

Anyway, so I'm browsing the internet looking for some comparisons in symbolisms and lol, I find the most oddest debates,

some who are extremists in their anti-Christian beliefs are furious that the movie/books Narnia have anything to do with Christian symbolism, which, if they had any knowledge of who C.S. Lewis was they would know, that Yes, he was Christian,

just not a narrow minded one.

These types of people I deplore just as much as I deplore the fundies because in their narrow mindedness/HATRED of Christianity they treat the faith as if its some leper disease, which, I suppose what irritates me about those types is that nine out of ten they've never READ the Bible,

they judge out of prejudices. Which, mind you, I can understand WHERE those prejudices come from, because lets face it, there are a lot of Christians [professing] that well, are just down right hateful and narrow.

But, before we stop there, I then found other sites, Christian sites that accuse Lewis of introducing and luring children into the occult, comparing the books to the actual Bible and to me, they are just as FANATICAL as the ones opposed to the books/movie or any connotation of symbolism of Christ and the Bible.

Then, to top that off, there is a fanatical viewpoint by eco-feminist writer that the Narnia demonizes women and eco-feminists,

like

WHATEVER,

I mean, geesh....

finding fault with every book, which, btw, in Lewis's own words, was a book, that wasn't intended to be religious, but a story for his Goddaughter Lucy, which, his beliefs sort of crept in but it wasn't like, he sat out to do this preaching thing with the books,

the beliefs AND, what I'm going to discuss here, the situation of the world in his era, merged together.

Same as they did with Tolkien.

I have read the Bible, and yes, the symbolisms are there, but they aren't like 100% to the 't' as far as what is Biblical...

there are also Pagan symbolisms and yes, POLITICAL ones,

where some of these people see the White Witch as Satan or as women witches [WICCA] is absolutely beyond me,

just because there are similar character or certain traits doesn't mean that is 100% bonified representation. And thats just it when using symbolisms, in art,

they can represent more than just one thing.

Its up to the artist to merge or represent what they want to reveal or share and it could even be a paradox if they so choose to. Thats what is interesting about art,

it could mean one thing to one person and another to another, it becomes subjective. I can't say how many potraits or paintings I have taken meaning from then I read what the artist intended and its like way, way off,

Frida Kahlo's works is one that comes to mind, what she intended or meant and what I see are very different. Thats o.k., though,

because you see, we SEE things differently. What annoys me however is when people get FANATICAL AND FASCIST about films or books or artworks. Sure, some things are like, quite clear in meaning,

but when symbolisms and allagories are used, there is room for debate, but then, thats good isn't it? To discuss, to debate, its far better than being closed off.

But, to close this, I shall write some observations as I read the book Narnia [the entire volumes] and Lord of Rings [as I will be reading that one next] with, well,

what I get from it,

and, while I see a lot of interpretations online in regards to whether or not Lewis intended to use Christian symbolisms or not,

I find it interesting, how there is little discussion of the Political symbolisms in the story of Narnia.

Because I see more political/philosophical symbolisms and even yes, dialectics [though of the spiritual kind] in the stories as much as I do faith based ones. I see Narnia as representing Spiritual Warfare that if you know the Bible, goes on, the princes and principalities that war...

I do see a lot of that symbolism though its not like, total but its there, but its mixed with other symbolisms with of course, fantasy,

but I see far more questions about power, fascism, the temptation to side in with evil to fight evil, how evil consumes, the question as to whether or not evil is necessary to fight evil or what could be deemed that way,

so many say, the White Witch represented Satan, all the debate about winter with no Christmas, etc.,

which, yes I could see that, but I thought it represented so much more about the ideologies that were being fought during WWII, between National Socialism, Communism and Fascism,

even in the book, one volume goes into the issue of slavery, and just skimming through it, I could see the moral and social questions of Capitalism.

The loss of freedom and how life is killed slowly, snuffed out when living under a harsh lifeless environment, that Winter,

most of all, Narnia to me represents choices. The choices we make, in how to live in this world, how to react, what to believe in, etc. Yes it is about faith,

but I think, its more than just faith.

And what I find interesting is that Lewis grew up in a very fundamentalist stoic home [fact] where when his mother died of cancer he was taught not to show grief,

the perfect martyr, suffering was our place, as some fundies demand...that LEGALISM,

and then he turned away and it wouldn't be for years when he came back to the faith but not the same faith in the same meaning of the word,

but, coming back to GRACE. I respect one who finds or comes to faith by faith and love, can relate to that,

the compassion and yes, love.

Religion offers exactly what that White Witch represents, whether its religion of politics [philosophies, ideologies that demand total obedience and self-sacrifice and bowing to some man-or woman made god/despot], or a religion even based around Christ for that matter, that has turned legalistic and abuses power and oppresses people.

That to me, is far more what the White Witch [and it could have been a White Warlock or a Purple Frog for all that matters], represents and yes, it could represent Satan, evil,

but too, Hitler.

In the Prince Caspian, I thought the bringing back [temptation] of the White Witch represented the world's [free] choice and I'm sure not an easy one, to work with Stalin to fight Hitler,

that to me came across very strong...and sure enough, Europe paid and paid dearly for that decision...but, would Hitler have been defeated otherwise?

Good topic for debate there, and in fact, the Trostkiest's and the Stalinists still debate the political necessity of that today.

Anyway...more to come on this later, as for the rest, sorry my writing is so poor at this time [not that I've ever professed to be a writer, I am NOT btw],

pretty much just thinking outloud on a lot of things or just having my say. My work is keeping me so busy that I just havent' had the time to really put out concerted effort into this blog.

till later,

Natasha