CS Lewis Society meeting, April
9, 2015 Leader Peggy Printz
Discussion on
When
I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson
Intro: This book was first mentioned last year in the context of
discussing one of Lewis’ essays. An attendee was reading this book of
essays and commented that they seemed as if they could have been written by
Lewis. Having read and loved her fiction, I was happy to suggest this
book for our group. My assumption that she had been influenced by Lewis has not
been confirmed, but it is clear that both have been deeply influenced by the
same sources (classical literature and the Bible) and they have had many
similar passions and interests.
Marilynne
Robinson grew up in Idaho, where she “looked to Galilee for meaning and to
Spokane for orthodonture.” She now lives in Iowa and teaches as the
renowned Iowa writer’s workshop. She has been writer-in-residence,
visiting professor, and/or speaker at numerous schools including the University
of Kent, Yale, Amherst and Oxford. She
has received many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Gilead and the
Orange Prize for Fiction (a British award) for Home.
In these
essays, Robinson champions Christianity, the Old Testament, Moses, old American
hymns, Charles Finney, Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, liberal education, and
real science (that which keeps an open mind, a sense of wonder and a sense of
mystery.) She takes on Richard Dawkins and other of the “new atheists” ,
the current polarized and charged political and social climate in America,
“tight-fisted Christians”, the continued dumbing-down of American education
that focuses on preparing drones for the work force at the expense of the kind
of liberal education that helped guide our founding fathers.
Questions:
1.
Obviously, Marilynne Robinson has many strongly held opinions.
Which of her arguments are most persuasive? least persuasive?
Are some you thought-provoking but not persuasive?
2.
Do you have a favorite essay in this collection? A favorite
quote? Least favorite essay?
3.
Can you imagine a conversation between Robinson and Lewis and/or
any of the other Inklings?
4.
Robinson has said that Christianity’s noisiest critics have not
done their homework. What do you think she means by this?
5.
If you also read any of Robinson’s fiction, how do they compare?
(stylistically, thematically, etc.)
