Some other sort of world

   

     "In 2008 the London publishers Harper Collins invited Diane Simpson, a professional graphologist, to examine some specimens of the handwriting of C.S. Lewis. Simpson had no idea whom she was investigating. She found the 'small, neat script' suggestive of someone who was 'guarded and careful' with sharp critical faculties. Simpson also noticed something else. 'I wonder whether he has a garden shed of sorts (or some other sort of world) in which to disappear when he chooses.' Simpson was absolutely right. Lewis did indeed have 'some other sort of world' into which he would disappear - an imagined world we now know as Narnia."

    From C. S. Lewis: A Life by Alister McGrath.

    Friday the 22nd. of November 2013 is the 50th. anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis; on Saturday the 23rd. I shall be attending a very special commemorative event which I hope to write about here. Meanwhile, though, I'll give you a little more food for thought in the shape of the succeeding passage from Alister McGrath's biography, for while there was of course a great deal more to Lewis than 'just' his authorship of The Chronicles of Narnia, I find the following very interesting:

    "Let us pause at this point. Narnia is an imaginative, not an imaginary, world. Lewis was quite clear that a distinction had to be drawn between these ideas. The 'imaginary' is something that has been falsely imagined, having no counterpart in reality. Lewis regards such an invented reality as opening the way to delusion. The 'imaginative' is something produced by the human mind as it tries to respond to something greater than itself, struggling to find images adequate to the reality. The more imaginative a mythology, the greater its ability to 'communicate more Reality to us'. For Lewis, the imaginative is to be seen as a legitimate and positive use of the human imagination, challenging the limits of reason and opening the door to a deeper apprehension of reality."

Comments

[LizF]

I very much look forward to reading your post on the commemorative event.
When I was growing up C.S Lewis was one of the best read writers in my home - while I was absorbed in the Narnia books (I have lost count as to how many times I have read them - some more than others), my father was a great admirer of his more theological works like The Screwtape Letters and I know that he found a great deal of spiritual food for thought in them.
The McGrath book looks like a must read.

[Cornflower]

Yes, it's a very well-researched, well-argued book, and makes me want to re-visit Narnia and read some of his other works.

[Annabel]

This book sounds interesting - added to my wishlist! I can't wait to hear what you're doing for the 23rd...

[Cornflower]

I've just finished the book, Annabel, and I've thoroughly enjoyed it and would strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Lewis.
Looking forward to Saturday's event!