Our discussion questions are listed below:
C. S. Lewis- On Stories and Other
Essays On Literature
1 On
Stories - On page five C. S. Lewis gives an example of a book to film
adaptation that he said ruined the story for him. What are some book to film
adaptations that you dislike, perhaps ruined the film for you? Are there some
portrayals that you liked better than those parts in the book?
2 The Novels of Charles Williams- On page
22 C. S. Lewis says of Williams, “He is writing that sort of book in which we
begin by saying ‘Let us suppose that this everyday world were, at some point
invaded by the marvelous. Let us , in fact suppose a violation of frontier.’
I’ve never read Williams, what other books do you think fit this criteria, do
some of Lewis’ works fit this description.
3 On Three ways of Writing for Children-
on page 41 C. S. Lewis writes this of asking the question ,what moral should I
give this story? It is better not to ask the question at all. Let the pictures
tell you there own moral. For the moral inherent in them will rise from
whatever spiritual roots you have succeeded in striking during the whole course
of your life. Do you think this is why there is such beauty and flow in Lewis’
works and Tolkien’s and some others because it is not forced but comes welling
up from the heart?
4 Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What’s
to Be Said - On page 47 C. S. Lewis writes this of what he calls stealing
past watchful dragons. I saw how stories of this kind could steal past a
certain inhibition… Have you ever dealt
with frozen feelings. How did stories help you steal past watchful dragons?
Life, as in bad things happening can freeze feelings and the stories and
characters in the stories help us to see and feel, have you experienced this?
5 It All Began With A Picture… If you are
writing do you get pictures? Is it the weaving together that is hard?
6 On Science Fiction - I feel like the
best Science fiction is a fairy tale, a story that embodies the marvelous and
the supernatural C. S. Lewis’ space trilogy does this very well. I like The
Time Machine but it does not. Star Wars does embodies the marvelous the
supernatural also. Does Science Fiction without this element of goodness, the
supernatural, or like in Lewis’ Space Trilogy God, seem cold and fatalistic to
you?
7 The Hobbit - On page 82 C. S. Lewis
writes For it must be understood that this
is a children’s book only in the sense that the first of many readings can be
undertaken in the nursery. How many
times have you read The Hobbit? Does the most meaningful parts change for you
over time?
8 The Lord of the Rings- on page 87 C. S.
Lewis writes of persons who say The Lord of the Rings is to black and white.
What do you think of Lewis’ rebuttal of this? This relates to the first
question, What did you think of the film adaptations? The Hobbit films?
9 What was
your favorite essay or part of an essay and why?
SCHEDULE:
August 14th C.S.
Lewis On Stories and Other Essays On Literature with Hannah as our Discussion Leader
September 11th Jane Austen Persuasion
Stephen will be our Discussion Leader
October 9th G.K. Chesterton The
Everlasting Man Iain will be our discussion leader for this wonderful book so important in C.S. Lewis's conversion.
November 13th C.S. Lewis Till We Have
Faces: A Myth Retold Elizabeth our Discussion Leader. December
11th or some other date TBD Our Party to plan the New Year Stephen Has
Volunteered to Host.
