I have attempted before to describe my remarkable experience of learning Latin and how it revolutionized my perspective on language-learning. All this was due to the way I was taught: submersion in the language itself. No toe-dipping---complete submersion, head and all. The book I was taught from was Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina. Lingua Latina uses … Continue reading The Rubicon of Language-Learning
Tag: C.S. Lewis
Rediscovering Reality
In his review of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis contemplates how stories assist in the rediscovery of reality. He says, The value of myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores them to the rich significance which has been hidden by “the veil of familiarity.” The child … Continue reading Rediscovering Reality
The Unexpected Value of Rereading the Iliad
My first reading experience with Homer’s Iliad was the equivalent of hauling a boulder along a gravel track by a piece of string. I was unused to the weight of classical literature and my mind was exhausted by the long-winded descriptions and detail, excessive slaughter, and exasperating characters. I found great comfort in the thought … Continue reading The Unexpected Value of Rereading the Iliad
More on the Influence of Freedom on Character in The Horse and His Boy
I wrote last week about the influence freedom has on the Narnians’ actions toward their fellow men (and animals). However, what I did not have time to write about was how this freedom influences their attitudes as well. If one reads enough C.S. Lewis, it becomes clear that the Narnians are Lewis’s interpretation of a … Continue reading More on the Influence of Freedom on Character in The Horse and His Boy
The Influence of Freedom on Character in The Horse and His Boy
In The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis portrays the Narnians as being honourable, gracious, and genuine people. This is especially evident in The Horse and His Boy owing to its Calormen setting. The customs and culture of Calormen are placed beside those of Narnia; and the Narnians are seen from the perspective of Calormenes, or … Continue reading The Influence of Freedom on Character in The Horse and His Boy
Lake-town & Narrowhaven: Monetary Gain and Unbelief
In some ways, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien differ greatly in their approach to stories. However, in many other aspects the two share very similar ideas. One example is in their depictions of the towns of Narrowhaven in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Lake-town in The Hobbit. The leaders of both towns are … Continue reading Lake-town & Narrowhaven: Monetary Gain and Unbelief
Concerning Means vs. Ends
During January I was engaged in an elephant stampede through the works of C.S. Lewis: Surprised by Joy, “The Inner Ring,” “The Weight of Glory,” The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and, most recently, The Great Divorce. Reading so much Lewis consecutively forces one to notice parallel themes throughout his writing, particularly the theme of redirecting … Continue reading Concerning Means vs. Ends
The Story of Stories
In our elated rampage through the tales of this world, it is crucial that we do not forget the Story: the Story of stories, the Tale from with all tales tend. This is a concept which I fully intend to bring up often throughout the life of this blog, but for the moment, let us … Continue reading The Story of Stories
A Particle of Truth Spoken by Lord Henry Wotton
Lord Henry Wotton is one of the chief characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde. He is a young aristocrat who seeks to bring himself attention by an apparent careless attitude and wit. His flippant tongue drips with hedonic philosophy which he dolls out for the purpose of sensation alone. However, amongst … Continue reading A Particle of Truth Spoken by Lord Henry Wotton
“What the Bird Said Early in the Year,” by C.S. Lewis (Advent 2020, Week 4)
I heard in Addison’s Walk a bird sing clear: / This year the summer will come true. This year. This year. / Winds will not strip the blossom from the apple trees / This year, nor want of rain destroy the peas...
Remembered Lore 