August 14th Is "On Stories and Other Essays On Literature" with Hannah Leading

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.