C.S.Lewis

1. C.S.Lewis

2. C. S. Lewis • Novelist • Essayist • Nonfiction • Short Story • Poet • Children’s writer • Critic

3. Biography • Clive Staples Lewis born in Belfast, Ireland to Mr. Albert Lewis • Served in France during World War I • Attended Oxford University, then stayed on as a Fellow at Magdalen College from 1925 to 1954 • In 1954 Lewis became a professor of medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge • In 1956 Lewis married American poet Joy Davidmon, who, 4 years later, died of cancer.

4. His Works • Lewis was an advocate for Christianity, explaining and defending the religion in such studies as Mere Christianity (1952). • Out of the Silent Planet (1938), Perelandra (1944), and That Hideous Strength (1946) in the Space Trilogy- where Dr. Ransom is kidnapped and transported to the distant planet Malacandra • The Screwtape Letters (1940)-

5. Literary Criticism of C.S.Lewis • Lewis wrote Non-Fiction, Fiction, and Poetry • Literature style falls into category of Poetry, Myth, and Science Fiction • Being an atheist, and converting to Christianity was reflected in two of his works: The Space Trilogy, and Chronicles of Narnia • Lewis stressed author’s intent as a theory of criticism rather than the reader’s prejudices and personal views. • Lewis desired to reach a wide audience in his works, young and old, even if it came at a price of negativity toward new works.

6. Space Trilogy • Trilogy based on “Scientism” - the methods, mental attitude, doctrines, or modes of expression characteristic or held to be characteristic of scientists • Lewis's use of language has also been praised in this series. Kath Filmer was impressed by Lewis's use of figurative, symbolic and metaphorical language: "Lewis's images and metaphors depict the immanence of God, the reality of human corruption, and the cosmic battle between good and evil" (219) • Lewis used science as a cohesive element in the third installment of the saga and "that places the novel in the tradition of hard science fiction"(Lowenberg 235) • Lewis's writings have been quite incorrectly viewed by some as anti-science. • Faye Ann Crowell clearly recognized the truth of the matter in stating: that it was not science which Lewis was attacking, but certain ideas held by people usually not scientists."

7. Space Trilogy • The main character of the science fiction trilogy, the hero Elwin Ransom, is a theist who embraces the values of pity, kindness, honesty, and respect for individuals.  • In ironic contrast, the villain Professor Weston in the first two novels is a brilliant physicist who believes there are no absolute truths. • An important subject in these novels based on the main character is Philology • Commonly defined as the study of literature that includes or may include grammar, criticism, literary history, language history, systems of writing, and anything else that is relevant to literature. • Thomas Lessl believed philology is much more influenced by science than is literature. • Lewis included the study of Philology in his this Trilogy by making the main character a professor in the subject.

8. The Chronicles of Narnia • The most famous and positively received series of seven novels by Lewis • Target audience is children and young adults • Series wrote in a style that is like and unlike allegory • Allegory is a figurative mode of representation conveying a meaning other than the literal. (Normally Fiction) • The greatest mark of criticism for the series is a new volume of essays by twenty-five critics, Revisiting Narnia: Fantasy, Myth and Religion in C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles (BenBella Books, 2005) • These writers, including authors of fantasy fiction, scholars from different disciplines, ministers and priests, a “liberal feminist agnostic,” and an animal rights’ advocate, disagree widely and blessedly

9. The Chronicles of Narnia • Based on Christianity and Fantasy, presents visions of a glorified or beneficent "Nature.“ • Good and Evil are apparent in the novels • Lewis wanted to draw people to Christ by creating a world in which the gratification of natural desires leads to a desire for the "Ultimate Good.“ • Most criticism on the series comes from Atheists, such as Philip Pullman • Alan Jacobs sums up this prejudice of the novels with "Those who dislike Christianity itself can be far more harsh“ • Lewis wanted to express his own beliefs of Christianity in the novels after converting from Atheism himself • The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe the first in this series was into a full lenghth movie by Disney pictures and Walden Media.

10. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

11. Famous Quotes • “A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” • “A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading.” • “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” • “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” • “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

12. The End Final Project for World Literature for Mrs. G Credits Power Point Created by: Robert Byers Josh Beerbower Anthony Bocchine Special Thanks to: YouTube Disney/Walden Media Productions