songs
I started reading Lewis to my children some time ago. I have been reading MacDonald to them for less than a year. Growing up, I despised reading, and probably read only 4-5 books total. It wasn't until I started reading to my children that I found I love to read. I am taking the same journey through literature that my children are taking. Obviously my mind is more capable of understanding abstract thought, but I have found that children understand more than we give them credit.
Lewis wrote in his preface to George MacDonald: An Anthology, "I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him."
As I read MacDonald to my children, I see Lewis in most ever word I read. More correctly stated, I see MacDonald in my every memory of The Chronicles of Narnia.
The second book I read by MacDonald was At the Back of North Wind. I learned what a great writed MacDonald was from this book. He gives great depth into who God is in the simplest description. I really did not put two and two together until I read The Princess and the Goblin.
MacDonald speaks of songs in a beautiful manner. He provides the most beautiful circumstance with the most majestic song. Only later the song is forgotten. From that time forward various events occur that shed a memory of the song, but the words are always out of reach. This provides the elation of the original circumstance.
As I was saying... the non-traditionalist's open with The Magician's Nephew, and so will I (not because I am a non-traditionalist, but because it serves my point). What is the very first thing we find in Narnia? (insert jeopardy think music) That's right... a song. I now understand that this song was inspired by MacDonald. I enjoyed Aslan's song heard by Polly, but it does not compare to the songs heard by Diamond or Curdie. Lewis never returns to the comfort Polly has from the song. Perhaps this is because this was one of the last stories written.
Lewis wrote in his preface to George MacDonald: An Anthology, "I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him."
As I read MacDonald to my children, I see Lewis in most ever word I read. More correctly stated, I see MacDonald in my every memory of The Chronicles of Narnia.
The second book I read by MacDonald was At the Back of North Wind. I learned what a great writed MacDonald was from this book. He gives great depth into who God is in the simplest description. I really did not put two and two together until I read The Princess and the Goblin.
MacDonald speaks of songs in a beautiful manner. He provides the most beautiful circumstance with the most majestic song. Only later the song is forgotten. From that time forward various events occur that shed a memory of the song, but the words are always out of reach. This provides the elation of the original circumstance.
As I was saying... the non-traditionalist's open with The Magician's Nephew, and so will I (not because I am a non-traditionalist, but because it serves my point). What is the very first thing we find in Narnia? (insert jeopardy think music) That's right... a song. I now understand that this song was inspired by MacDonald. I enjoyed Aslan's song heard by Polly, but it does not compare to the songs heard by Diamond or Curdie. Lewis never returns to the comfort Polly has from the song. Perhaps this is because this was one of the last stories written.
posted by Shane Bradley at Wednesday, February 06, 2008
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