Ryan Gibson's Assigned readings Blog

(Good and Evil) Narnia Post I

Edmund from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe finds himself falling for the evil forces residing in Narnia and is faced with the dilemma of not only correcting his mistake but of also regaining the trust of his companions. While from the reader's standpoint it is easy to tell that he had fallen astray from the good, Edmund makes a claim in chapter 6 that puts this notion of which side is Good or Evil to the test. Edmund says, "If it comes to that, which is the right side? How do we know that the fauns are in the right and the Queen (yes, I know we've been told she's a witch) is in the wrong? We don't really know anything about either."(60). Edmund makes a valid point in that they are new to this land and things might not be as simple as they appear. This muddled concept of evil vs good reflects how the real worlds issues are complicated and never cut and dry.

(Power of Forgiveness) Narnia Post II

C.S Lewis depicts forgiveness as a strong virtue within his work, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, through the kind and sweet actions of the youngest character Lucy. While Lucy is a little girl lost in a mystical realm she shows the power of conviction as she doesn't let small hindrances get her down. Two friends of Lucy, Edmund and the Faun mr. Tumnus, both end up causing turmoil between their relationship from potential betrayal to and unwillingness to believe. Despite this Lucy shows them forgiveness and the transgressions simply fell to the past and they went along with their journey. C.S Lewis depicts this saintly act of forgiveness though a young child showing how easy it is to forgive and let go of the burdens of past mistakes.

(Temptation) Space trilogy I

In That Hideous Strength, our main protagonist Mark is pitted in a rough situation where a natural drive to climb in the ranks effects his judgement on actually deciding on which ladder he he should be climbing.In other words whether the temptation is actually worth the end results. On page 130, we find Mark questioning himself after easily giving consent to something he knew to be wrong.  This temptation to doing what will make one more seemingly successful by selling out  morals on the issues, is a common problem in our capitalist centric world. Temptation by its very nature is easy to fall into, and by being over exaggerated in this novel through witnessing a truly evil corporation, I can begin to look at my own life's small temptations and be attentive to my decision and the consequences involved.

(Stoicism/ acceptance) Space trilogy II

“Terrible follies came into his mind. He would fail to obey the Voice, but it would be all

right because he would repent later on, when he was back on Earth. He would lose his nerve as

St. Peter had done, and be, like St. Peter, forgiven.” ( 147). This quotation from the book Perelandra, grabbed my attention as it shows Ransom dealing with inner conflict and accepting  his imperfection with the belief in his own redemption. Instead of dwelling in ones failure this shows how the belief in being forgiven can inspire one to achieve later on. 

(Nature of Reality) Till we have faces I

"For all I can tell, the only difference [between reality and a dream] is that what many see we call a real thing, and what only one sees we call a dream. But things that many see may have no taste or moment in them at all, and things that are shown only to one may be spears and water-spouts of truth from the very depth of truth" (p. 277). This quote is from Orual as she begins to question what makes thing real or an illusion. She gets to a good point in that we each individually perceive truth and while one may judge it as illusion does not make it so. Vice versa illusions don't gain reality through belief alone, but this fundamental search for truth and an understanding of the nature of our reality is what keeps life interesting and a constant mystery filled with miracles.

(relationship between the divine and man) Till we have faces II

This next quote is also from Orual during her time with the Gods and it helps explain humanity as seen by the Divine and our role within the natural system. Orual states, "I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. Till the word can be dug out of us, why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?" (p. 294). According to Orual most of humanity isn't even ready to speak with the Divine much less have a serious in depth conversation. It is only after Orual's transformation from feeling ugly and depressed to gaining a new face. This also helps reference the power of religion and faith as tools that can be used to kill this ego of the self and be reborn with a new clean face for God.