Interpreting fiction - Revision history

Mxmsj: Text replacement - "â€”" to " — "

2022-12-10T09:35:08Z

Text replacement - "â€”" to " — "

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	* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]		* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]
	:: Moreover, if the reader is at all attuned to the real magic of Tolkien's work, his imagination will be less preoccupied with such things as the wizardry of Gandalf than with, for example, the elusive grace and poetry of the Elves; the earthy austerity and hardiness of the Dwarves; the ineffable stateliness, the sheer antiquity of the Ents; the battle-hardened majesty of Aragorn; the playful, fathomless mystery of Tom Bombadil; and, perhaps most of all, the Hobbits themselves, with their quiet and humble ways, their unassuming, humorous, gregarious, homebody, pipe-smoking, meal-loving, comfort-seeking, Shire-dwelling hearts, and, hidden just beneath the surface, their unguessed depths and disreputable capacity for heroism. Here is the true center of gravity in Tolkien's Middle-earth: ''not the world of magic, but the magic of the world.''		:: Moreover, if the reader is at all attuned to the real magic of Tolkien's work, his imagination will be less preoccupied with such things as the wizardry of Gandalf than with, for example, the elusive grace and poetry of the Elves; the earthy austerity and hardiness of the Dwarves; the ineffable stateliness, the sheer antiquity of the Ents; the battle-hardened majesty of Aragorn; the playful, fathomless mystery of Tom Bombadil; and, perhaps most of all, the Hobbits themselves, with their quiet and humble ways, their unassuming, humorous, gregarious, homebody, pipe-smoking, meal-loving, comfort-seeking, Shire-dwelling hearts, and, hidden just beneath the surface, their unguessed depths and disreputable capacity for heroism. Here is the true center of gravity in Tolkien's Middle-earth: ''not the world of magic, but the magic of the world.''
	:: Yet reading Harry Potter by itself ~~â€”~~ or rather, reading Harry Potter as part of a well-rounded reading program including well-chosen books that might include the works of Tolkien and Lewis, the adventure stories of Howard Pyle, the fantasy of Lloyd Alexander, the frontier stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the apocalyptic fiction of Michael O'Brien, the fairy-stories of George MacDonald, or the detective tales of Encyclopedia Brown (and, later, Sherlock Holmes) ~~â€”~~ a child whose reading has this kind of breadth and depth is unlikely to be negatively influenced by having read the Harry Potter books.		:: Yet reading Harry Potter by itself — or rather, reading Harry Potter as part of a well-rounded reading program including well-chosen books that might include the works of Tolkien and Lewis, the adventure stories of Howard Pyle, the fantasy of Lloyd Alexander, the frontier stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the apocalyptic fiction of Michael O'Brien, the fairy-stories of George MacDonald, or the detective tales of Encyclopedia Brown (and, later, Sherlock Holmes) — a child whose reading has this kind of breadth and depth is unlikely to be negatively influenced by having read the Harry Potter books.

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2022-12-10T09:20:36Z

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	::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]		::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]
	* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]		* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]
	:: Moreover, if the reader is at all attuned to the real magic of ~~Tolkienâ€™s~~ work, his imagination will be less preoccupied with such things as the wizardry of Gandalf than with, for example, the elusive grace and poetry of the Elves; the earthy austerity and hardiness of the Dwarves; the ineffable stateliness, the sheer antiquity of the Ents; the battle-hardened majesty of Aragorn; the playful, fathomless mystery of Tom Bombadil; and, perhaps most of all, the Hobbits themselves, with their quiet and humble ways, their unassuming, humorous, gregarious, homebody, pipe-smoking, meal-loving, comfort-seeking, Shire-dwelling hearts, and, hidden just beneath the surface, their unguessed depths and disreputable capacity for heroism. Here is the true center of gravity in ~~Tolkienâ€™s~~ Middle-earth: ''not the world of magic, but the magic of the world.''		:: Moreover, if the reader is at all attuned to the real magic of Tolkien's work, his imagination will be less preoccupied with such things as the wizardry of Gandalf than with, for example, the elusive grace and poetry of the Elves; the earthy austerity and hardiness of the Dwarves; the ineffable stateliness, the sheer antiquity of the Ents; the battle-hardened majesty of Aragorn; the playful, fathomless mystery of Tom Bombadil; and, perhaps most of all, the Hobbits themselves, with their quiet and humble ways, their unassuming, humorous, gregarious, homebody, pipe-smoking, meal-loving, comfort-seeking, Shire-dwelling hearts, and, hidden just beneath the surface, their unguessed depths and disreputable capacity for heroism. Here is the true center of gravity in Tolkien's Middle-earth: ''not the world of magic, but the magic of the world.''
	:: Yet reading Harry Potter by itself â€” or rather, reading Harry Potter as part of a well-rounded reading program including well-chosen books that might include the works of Tolkien and Lewis, the adventure stories of Howard Pyle, the fantasy of Lloyd Alexander, the frontier stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the apocalyptic fiction of Michael ~~Oâ€™Brien~~, the fairy-stories of George MacDonald, or the detective tales of Encyclopedia Brown (and, later, Sherlock Holmes) â€” a child whose reading has this kind of breadth and depth is unlikely to be negatively influenced by having read the Harry Potter books.		:: Yet reading Harry Potter by itself â€” or rather, reading Harry Potter as part of a well-rounded reading program including well-chosen books that might include the works of Tolkien and Lewis, the adventure stories of Howard Pyle, the fantasy of Lloyd Alexander, the frontier stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the apocalyptic fiction of Michael O'Brien, the fairy-stories of George MacDonald, or the detective tales of Encyclopedia Brown (and, later, Sherlock Holmes) â€” a child whose reading has this kind of breadth and depth is unlikely to be negatively influenced by having read the Harry Potter books.

Mxmsj: /* Fiction expresses conviction */

2016-11-28T13:23:13Z

Fiction expresses conviction

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	** Brown's hatred of Catholicism is palpable in his books; so, too, with the movies made by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks.		** Brown's hatred of Catholicism is palpable in his books; so, too, with the movies made by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks.
	* '''''The stories reveal and teach a worldview.'''''		* '''''The stories reveal and teach a worldview.'''''
	* A story need not be true to be true.		* A story need not be true to be true. There can be a little truth in a lie.
	* A story need not be non-fiction to be false.		* A story need not be non-fiction to be false.

	The ''Lord of the Rings'' and the ''Harry Potter'' books are fiction. But Tolkien's world is completely consistent with Catholic monotheism and praises the virtues that the Church honors in her saints. Rowling's magical world is divorced from monotheism and advocates a very stunted and inadequate form of conscience.		The ''Lord of the Rings'' and the ''Harry Potter'' books are fiction. But Tolkien's world is completely consistent with Catholic monotheism and praises the virtues that the Church honors in her saints. Rowling's magical world is divorced from monotheism and advocates a very stunted and inadequate form of conscience.

Mxmsj: /* The power of the imagination */

2014-09-21T15:43:17Z

The power of the imagination

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	Every action we take answers the question, "Who do you think you are?"		Every action we take answers the question, "Who do you think you are?"

	'''''The one who conquers the imagination ~~controls~~ the whole ~~man~~.'''''		'''''The one who conquers the imagination conquers the whole person.'''''

	== Fiction expresses conviction ==		== Fiction expresses conviction ==

Mxmsj: /* "Poetic license" */

2014-05-30T16:38:20Z

"Poetic license"

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	"Poetic license" also allows authors to express things in non-technical language that, if pressed too far by a literal-minded reader, would not make any sense at all. "Let the dead bury the dead" is nonsense, because, by definition, dead people ''can't'' bury other corpses; but a technically accurate expression of Jesus' meaning doesn't have the same effect as the poetic paradox: "Let those who are dead to the call of the King stay home and bury the bodies of the dead."		"Poetic license" also allows authors to express things in non-technical language that, if pressed too far by a literal-minded reader, would not make any sense at all. "Let the dead bury the dead" is nonsense, because, by definition, dead people ''can't'' bury other corpses; but a technically accurate expression of Jesus' meaning doesn't have the same effect as the poetic paradox: "Let those who are dead to the call of the King stay home and bury the bodies of the dead."

	If I'm going to be critical of Dan Brown for being a bad writer, inventing his own physics to suit the needs of his story, distorting history, throwing mud, then I have to be equally critical of bad Christian writers as in "I Am Gabriel," who make up photogenic maladies (death of the baby at birth, mother's consequent sterility, death and resurrection of the teenager, death of the doctor, blind girl). ~~Artifical~~ characters who are pushovers, like the Sheriff with the angel.		If I'm going to be critical of Dan Brown for being a bad writer, inventing his own physics to suit the needs of his story, distorting history, throwing mud, then I have to be equally critical of bad Christian writers as in "I Am Gabriel," who make up photogenic maladies (death of the baby at birth, mother's consequent sterility, death and resurrection of the teenager, death of the doctor, blind girl). Artificial characters who are pushovers, like the Sheriff with the angel.

	The Dan Brown defense: "It's just fiction. I can make up anything I want."		The Dan Brown defense: "It's just fiction. I can make up anything I want."

Mxmsj: /* "Poetic license" */

2014-05-30T16:38:02Z

"Poetic license"

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	The Dan Brown defense: "It's just fiction. I can make up anything I want."		The Dan Brown defense: "It's just fiction. I can make up anything I want."

			My response: "I am a reader. I can evaluate the choices you have made as an author. You have the right to make things up; I have the right to dislike your story."

	== The uses of fiction in theology ==		== The uses of fiction in theology ==

Mxmsj: /* Links */

2014-05-25T17:13:19Z

Links

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	::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]		::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]
	* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]		* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]
			:: Moreover, if the reader is at all attuned to the real magic of Tolkienâ€™s work, his imagination will be less preoccupied with such things as the wizardry of Gandalf than with, for example, the elusive grace and poetry of the Elves; the earthy austerity and hardiness of the Dwarves; the ineffable stateliness, the sheer antiquity of the Ents; the battle-hardened majesty of Aragorn; the playful, fathomless mystery of Tom Bombadil; and, perhaps most of all, the Hobbits themselves, with their quiet and humble ways, their unassuming, humorous, gregarious, homebody, pipe-smoking, meal-loving, comfort-seeking, Shire-dwelling hearts, and, hidden just beneath the surface, their unguessed depths and disreputable capacity for heroism. Here is the true center of gravity in Tolkienâ€™s Middle-earth: ''not the world of magic, but the magic of the world.''
			:: Yet reading Harry Potter by itself â€” or rather, reading Harry Potter as part of a well-rounded reading program including well-chosen books that might include the works of Tolkien and Lewis, the adventure stories of Howard Pyle, the fantasy of Lloyd Alexander, the frontier stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the apocalyptic fiction of Michael Oâ€™Brien, the fairy-stories of George MacDonald, or the detective tales of Encyclopedia Brown (and, later, Sherlock Holmes) â€” a child whose reading has this kind of breadth and depth is unlikely to be negatively influenced by having read the Harry Potter books.

Mxmsj: /* Links */

2014-05-25T16:29:10Z

Links

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:29, 25 May 2014
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	* J. R. R. Tolkien: ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings.''		* J. R. R. Tolkien: ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings.''
	::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]		::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]
	* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]		* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf: An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]

Mxmsj: /* Links */

2014-05-25T16:28:45Z

Links

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	* J. R. R. Tolkien: ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings.''		* J. R. R. Tolkien: ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings.''
	::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]		::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]
	* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "~~Magic~~."]		* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "An in-depth analysis of the literary use of magic in the works of J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis."]

Mxmsj: /* Links */

2014-05-25T16:28:12Z

Links

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:28, 25 May 2014
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	* J. R. R. Tolkien: ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings.''		* J. R. R. Tolkien: ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings.''
	::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]		::* [http://radio.mymiddle-earth.net/ "Middle-earth Network Radio."]
	* Stephen Greydanus, [[http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Magic."]		* Stephen Greydanus, [http://decentfilms.com/articles/magic "Magic."]