C. S. Lewis and J.K Rowling are two very popular authors that are acknowledged worldwide as great scholars and creative thinkers. They have written several books that appeal not only to children, but people of all ages. Lewis has been widely acclaimed for his fictional work, The Chronicles of Narnia and Rowling’s for her Harry Potter Series. Though Lewis and Rowling have two completely different writing styles and create their own unique storylines and characters, they tend to overlap on ideas and themes, such as creating a secondary world and incorporating the use of magic. Through characters such as, Petunia Dursley, Hermione Granger, Susan, Lucy and Edmund in Lewis,’ The Chronicles of Narnia and Rowling’s, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s …show more content…
She is too young to take on the roles of a traditional housewife. She is instead, seen to be gradually developing into the category of “women.” When Hermione is first introduced in the text, she is portrayed as annoying and very smart. The minute she meets Harry and Ron on the train, she asks them several questions, such as where they will be living then confidently leaves telling them that they “better change” as she “expect[s] that [they] be there soon’” (Rowling 113). Instead of being shy and innocent like most young girls, she is strong and very independent. She defies female stereotypes and is not afraid to speak her mind or act when necessary. It is the same with the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia, as she says to the dwarf, “do as you’re told. Tie the hands of the human creature” (Lewis 119). In the White Witch’s kingdom, the rules are reversed, as she controls the dwarf and in a sense “owns” Edmund. Women in Lewis’ stories are generally expected to submit to their role as wives or else give up their own femininity in order to partake in the more “masculine” tasks, such as battle. The White Witch challenges what it means to be a woman and does not fall under the category of “man” or “woman” and because of this, she is viewed as an outsider. Overall, both novels prove that there are consequences to defying societal gender norms, as Hermione is friendless and disliked by her peers and the White Witch ends up being killed by
C.S Lewis is the author of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Warrdrobe. Lewis was born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. He was born Clive Staples Lewis to Flora August Hamilton Lewis and Albert J. Lewis. Lewis’s mother passed away when he was on ten years old. After his mother died he went on to get his pre-college education at boarding schools and he also received help from a tutor. Lewis served in World War I with the English Army, but unfortunately was sent home when he was wounded. Lewis was a graduate of Oxford University with a focus on classic philosophy and literature. As a child, he was disappointed with the Christian faith, but when he became older he found himself embracing Christianity. During World War II, he gave popular radio broadcasts on Christianity and they won many converts. Lewis’ speeches were collected in Mere Christianity. In the year of 1954, C.S. Lewis joined the staff of Cambridge University as a literature professor. He met an English teacher by the name of Joy Gresham and in 1956 they married each other and became a happily married family. The two were joyful during their marriage; unfortunately in 1960, the wife became ill with cancer died. Lewis began publishing his works in the mid- 1920s. Lewis started to publish The Chronicles of Narnia during the 1950s. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first in the seven book series to be released. This was the story of four siblings who discovered a wardrobe with a magical land in the back of it (“Clives…”). In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lewis describes Aslan, Edmund, and Lucy.
C.S. Lewis left more in this world than his writings. He inspired and will inspire many people with his demonstration of God’s forgiving love. His ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ have been made into a major motion picture today and the books have sold more than 100 million copies (Imbornoni). Even though it’s been almost forty-seven years since his death, people continue to enjoy C.S. Lewis’ works.
On the other hand, Hermione’s character blossoms beautifully. It is agreeable that her character does not match with one’s typical mythic hero and does she not completely follow the “hero’s journey” that defines a hero. Hermione’s origin is nothing special; she is seen growing up in a very loving and supportive family. This is completely opposite to Harry’s tragic childhood. Although, she isn’t magically gifted like Harry, who can command a broomstick to land in the palm of his hand at ease, Hermione has an unwavering desire and commitment to learn, hence the reason why she is so ridiculously smart. At first, Hermione is depicted as outcast for she is a muggle-born, she did not have a wizard as father or a witch as mother, meaning her parents were absolutely average human beings. Thus, she found comfort in books as she is also depicted as a nerd with a
Even though she is not presented as a good figure, she is indeed an independent and active character. The tale of “Hansel and Gretel” presents several powerful human figures, the problem is that “powerful, bad, older women appear to outnumber powerful,good ones. A certain number of these are also not fully human; they are fairies, witches, trolls, or Ogressess” (Lieberman, 397). The witch herself is another important figure that can be read through a feminist approach. Even though she is the villain of the story, she is presented as a person who has supremacy over others.
C. S. Lewis, the acclaimed author of The Chronicles of Narnia series, Mere Christianity, and The
Belcher, C. and Stephenson, B. H. (2011). Teaching Harry Potter: The Power of Imagination in
Ever since J.K. Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, children and adults have read and loved the series. It has gained such popularity that all of the books have been made into major motion pictures, and a Harry Potter attraction has been opened in Universal Studios, Florida. Though the readers love Rowling’s intricate and exciting story lines, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest controversy is the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil actions, these theories should not be taken so seriously.
Few authors have been able to demonstrate the incredible scope of different genres that Clive Staples Lewis, better known as C.S. Lewis, wrote in his career. Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind upon hearing his name is the mythical land of Narnia. Narnia is the fictional world that the widely popular series “The Chronicles of Narnia” takes place in. This series, enjoyed by adults and children alike, hosts talking animals, a God-like lion, an ice queen bearing many similarities to the Devil, and many other things. This series, like most of Lewis’ other works, is essentially a metaphor for the story of the Gospel as well as lessons for living a Christian life. In much of his writing, Lewis made an excellent and relatable argument for Christianity by his ability to write captivating stories relating to many aspects of Christian life.
...egory, challenged the reader with complex themes and employed a plethora of mythical creatures is the reason for the success of the series. However, another reason for the popularity of the books has not yet been mentioned. Their acclaim comes from the way they illustrate the real world through Aslan. “It is as if Aslan offers a mirror in which we see ourselves as we really are. Or a light which reveals what we are really like, no matter how uncomfortable this may be” (McGrath). Lewis magically surpassed the barrier between fantasy and reality so that the reader finds parts of himself reflected in the books. The enchantment of Narnia leaps off the pages so that the morals and characters remain with the reader long after the book has closed. Somehow, Narnia is as tangible as planet earth in the mind of the reader. That is the true charm of The Chronicles of Narnia.
C.S. Lewis created a story of a fictional world called Narnia that was inside of a wardrobe. There were four siblings who found this world, once inside they saw numerous creatures like witches and centaurs that were symbols for something bigger. C. S. Lewis uses Christian symbolism in The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe through the characters of Aslan, Edmund, and the White Witch.
Harry Potter is a fascinating tale of sorcerers, wands, broomsticks, dragons, and magic. The story begins with a young boy named Harry Potter who lives at number four Privit Drive, Surray, England. His journey begins after the death of his parents at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry learns of his past and his future as a wizard from Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He travels to Hogwarts where he learns spells and enchantments, makes new friends, finds enemies, and discovers fantastic secretes. J.K. Rowling weaves a web of impeccable storytelling with this critically acclaimed novel. In the tale of Harry Potter imagery, symbolism, and motif take central focus.
Creator of the most famous and best loved character in contemporary fiction, J.K Rowling is also the author of her own escape from a depressing existence on the verge of destitution. On the one hand, there is J.K Rowling who wrote the ‘Harry Potter’ novels, ‘The Casual Vacancy’ and ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’; the literary phenomenon of the nineties and present day. On the other, there is Joanne Rowling (the ‘J.K’ was her agent’s marketing notch), a dreamy, rather shy, but passionate woman whose brilliance in translating her dreams into prose changed her life. In January 1994, she was broke and jobless, struggling to bring up a young child in a small rented flat in Edinburgh. Just six years later, with her first book transformed into a major Hollywood film, she was reportedly worth £65 million (Smith 2001).
The Narnia Chronicles have already established themselves as timeless works of literature. They appeal to both the atheists and the God-fearing, to both the uneducated and to scholars; to children and adults. An understanding of the Biblical allegory in these books is not essential to their appreciation. A critical analysis of these works, however, does allow the reader to more fully appreciate Lewis' unique gift to simplify complex narratives and craft beautiful children's fantasies. This, in turn, allows the reader to gain both a deeper understanding of Lewis as a skilled creative writer, and a deeper satisfaction of his art. To be able to appreciate C.S. Lewis as such an artisan can only add to one's enjoyment of his works.
A Literary Analysis of the Themes of Identity and Self-Realization in the Fantasy World of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling is a very prominent and noteworthy woman. She has influenced people’s lives all around the world, by writing the Harry Potter series of seven books. Rowling has given millions of dollars to charities and she has helped people all over the world enjoy reading. With her major philanthropic efforts of giving to charity or her brilliantly crafted novels, J.K. Rowling is the Dumbledore of the muggle world.