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carolb

posted on Dec 09, 2005 - 01:55 PM

OK, so I let the ball drop on the "Fr. Arseny" book... I do hope to return to it. But now that it's the season for the Chronicles of Narnia with the new movie out today, I figured there might be some renewed interest in discussing the book (and/or movie).

So, dig out the book - it's a quick read or re-read.

I thought it would be easiest if we discussed our favorite parts of the book. I'll post more tonight!

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geomekhaiel

posted on Dec 09, 2005 - 02:22 PM

Hi Carol,

I read the book a couple of years ago...its ok just a little too weird... My favorite part is where in the end of the story they go back to the mansion and find that they have become kids again. That was kinda weird because it was just getting to be good book in which good beat evil and children were raining as good rulers over the land but then they became kinds again when they went back out of the closet. That ending kinda messed up the entire book.

George Mekhaiel

...sorry if i spoiled it a little for those who haven't watched it haha

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michaelg

posted on Dec 09, 2005 - 07:56 PM

I was watching CNN and they were saying it is a Christian movie. The author, C.S. Lewis is a well known Christian writer and this book is a symbol of the battle between good and evil.

CNN tried to interview Disney and they said the following: They wanted the movie to do well in the box office just as Passion of the Christ did. They only way they felt they could do that is to attract the Christian audience while maintaining the 'fanstasy' audience.

Just a little FYI.

God Bless
guirguis

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geomekhaiel

posted on Dec 09, 2005 - 09:19 PM

From michaelg: The author, C.S. Lewis is a well known Christian writer

no doubt! C.S. Lewis has written SOOOOOO many books! It's really amazing!

George Mekhaiel

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carolb

posted on Dec 11, 2005 - 01:13 AM

OK, I have many favorite parts to the book, the LW&W (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).

Major spoilers for those who have not yet read the book - be forewarned.

One of my favorite themes is how Aslan (the Lion, representing Christ in CS Lewis' allegory) cares for his "family" as he calls the children, and wants to set them upon thrones to rule over the world he created. It reminds me of how amazing God's love is for us - He not only wants to restore us from our fallen state of sin, but He also wants to elevate us, to truly be called His "sons and daughters". He wants us to become princes and princesses of His eternal Kingdom and seat us upon thrones of His righteousness - the book helps to illustrate this point.

Thoughts on the movie (again, spoiler if you have not yet seen it...):

It was good; mostly true to the book. It seemed to focus a little too much on the action scenes (what can you expect from Hollywood?) and less on developing Aslan. The thing that bothered me most was the brazenness of the Witch - in the book, she cowers at the mere mention of Aslan's name. In the movie, she taunts him and speaks with boldness in his face. (In the allegory, she represents the evil one, who would also cower in the presence of God, would flee from the sign of the Cross.)

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PeterA

posted on Dec 11, 2005 - 01:13 AM

hey guys i just viewed the film today and i must say that it was wonderful and just as i remembered it from when i was a kid reading the book...

the book and film believe it or not can help a non-believer understand christianity ever better...

in the film theres is a Lion called Aslan and he is supposed to be the savior of the whole world...(*jesus christ)

he is refered to as the king of Narnia or the whole world ..just as jesus is refered to as the king of kings....

C.S lewis uses a lion i believe because Jesus is refered to as the "Lion of the tribe of Judah"

the lion Aslan in the film makes a sacrifice in which he puts his life in place of a malfactor and a betrayer...though Aslan himself held no sins or flaws of his own...and clearly did not have to put his life instead of the malfactor's....

the lion aslan ressurects from the dead jus as christ has...because there was a law in the land in which if a sinless being is sacrificed in place of a sinner's...then all things must return to normal and even death is reversed...

the stone table in which he was sacrificed on was broken in half after his ressurection...just as the temples and synygoges were during christ's death on the cross...

the child lucy in the film was the only one able to enter at the begining through the closet into the mysteriuos world of narnia...though her siblings tried and were not able to...

this plays on what jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

because of lucy's innocence and belief that there was another world other then their own..she was granted this passage to narnia first...

until the others humbled their hearts..and started to believe they were then able to go in....

this film is wonderful and C.S. lewis is regarded by many to be the best Christian writter of the 20th century...

some gret books that he has written are (mere christianity)..and (the screwtape letters)...in which 2 fictional demons are writting to each other on how to tempt humans...

screwtape letters is a must read...it was like C.S lewis had an insight into how a demon's mind works...

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ion

posted on Dec 11, 2005 - 05:53 AM

I liked the film too, I thought it was excellent. It is a little bit corny in some parts, which I think would throw someone off, who wasn't already seeking to find the beauty in it...but nevertheless it is a blessing to have on screen.

I especially liked the part, when the professor asks the children why they don't believe in Lucy, when she speaks about Narnia....something like..."Well, is Lucy usually telling fables?", and Peter replies, "no, she's always telling the truth"...and then the professor asks the same about Edmund, and Peter replies that he is not very trustworthy.

This illustrates very nicely, how sometimes the truth, is not about seeing, but about believing, especially when someone who you can trust, and respect tells you this unbelievable thing, it poses a challenge that is not easy to cast off, and really sheds light on the beauty of trust.

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egydave

posted on Dec 11, 2005 - 09:54 PM

hey guyz,
i read this book a few years ago as well,and saw the movie and i will never forget it. C.S. Lewis writes an incredible story bout how its always winter but never christmas. Well i dont really like this book because i am not really the type of person bout these weird fiction novels. i prefer a nice stroy bout a mystery or i nice family, that lived happily ever after. I also like how carol pointed out aslan, as christ. that really caught my eye, because how he defends his "children". I have a really tricky question. that is for those who saw the movie. Remeber the guy at the end that was the owner of this mansion. Was he aslan. I dont really mean literally aslan, but since they all entered the wardrobe maybe he had something to do with that. Just curios. If n e 1 noes n e thing, let me noe.
Thanx
Dave
P.S. Great topic carol.

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