"When at last she was free to come back to Edmund she found him standing on his feet and not only healed of his wounds but looking better than she had seen him look - oh, for ages; in fact ever since his first term at that horrid school which was where he had begun to go wrong."
A little piece of C.S. Lewis coming out there . . . :)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
A Humbling Experience
I have been humbled, once again, by my Christ. I just finished reading Chapter 14 and suddenly I can't read any farther, can't do anything except get to the computer and write, if only to lift the sudden weight that is pressing on my chest. I had a feeling of what was to come after Chapter 13. The picture at the top of Chapter 14 confirmed that feeling, but it wasn't until I read the chapter that it hit me. Hard.
This connection is going to be obvious to all of you, but for some reason this is the connection that has struck the hardest, left the biggest impact out of all that I have read so far, and so this is what I want to write about.
Aslan gave his life for Edmund. All through the second half (of what I have read so far) I have had negative feelings about Edmund. How he was so easily turned against his own family. I guess since I have a strong connection with my family, I could never imagine doing what Edmund did. And yet at the same time I realize that the White Witch (the tempest) knew Edmund's weaknesses and used charisma to change him, change his thoughts, change his feelings.
I was glad when I read about Edmund's reconciliation with his siblings, yet I felt inexplicably angry at him for causing Aslan's death. Lewis made it so easy to picture everything that was going on, picture every creature, that it was hard for me to read about his death, to picture his mane being shaved and the creatures beating him and mocking him.
And so I am humbled. Because, through this visual, I am taken back to when my Christ died for me. For my sins. I can almost imagine what it would have been like to witness the mockery and rejection. The passage in Chapter 14 about the walk to the Stone Table was incredibly hard for me to read.
And so this brings me to this weight that seems to be anchored to my chest. Because now I can more fully understand exactly what happened on that day long ago. And while I feel a deeper love and appreciation, I also feel guilt - strong guilt - because I am Edmund. I once read a quote that "Christ died for us so that he wouldn't have to live eternally without us." What amazing love! And how undeserving am I?! I am awed by what my God did for me before I was even created. I didn't expect to have such strong feelings about something I read in a book written for children.
I'm not sure if this will make sense to any of you. I tend to ramble when I have a lot of thoughts that I need to get down all at once, and in all probability, this is a revision of what I originally wrote, as I go back and try to make things clearer. But this chapter really hit home for me, and I wanted to try and share those thoughts with all of you. Because maybe someone else is thinking the same, or maybe someone will be impacted like I was. I don't know. Thank you for allowing me to ramble.
This connection is going to be obvious to all of you, but for some reason this is the connection that has struck the hardest, left the biggest impact out of all that I have read so far, and so this is what I want to write about.
Aslan gave his life for Edmund. All through the second half (of what I have read so far) I have had negative feelings about Edmund. How he was so easily turned against his own family. I guess since I have a strong connection with my family, I could never imagine doing what Edmund did. And yet at the same time I realize that the White Witch (the tempest) knew Edmund's weaknesses and used charisma to change him, change his thoughts, change his feelings.
I was glad when I read about Edmund's reconciliation with his siblings, yet I felt inexplicably angry at him for causing Aslan's death. Lewis made it so easy to picture everything that was going on, picture every creature, that it was hard for me to read about his death, to picture his mane being shaved and the creatures beating him and mocking him.
And so I am humbled. Because, through this visual, I am taken back to when my Christ died for me. For my sins. I can almost imagine what it would have been like to witness the mockery and rejection. The passage in Chapter 14 about the walk to the Stone Table was incredibly hard for me to read.
And so this brings me to this weight that seems to be anchored to my chest. Because now I can more fully understand exactly what happened on that day long ago. And while I feel a deeper love and appreciation, I also feel guilt - strong guilt - because I am Edmund. I once read a quote that "Christ died for us so that he wouldn't have to live eternally without us." What amazing love! And how undeserving am I?! I am awed by what my God did for me before I was even created. I didn't expect to have such strong feelings about something I read in a book written for children.
I'm not sure if this will make sense to any of you. I tend to ramble when I have a lot of thoughts that I need to get down all at once, and in all probability, this is a revision of what I originally wrote, as I go back and try to make things clearer. But this chapter really hit home for me, and I wanted to try and share those thoughts with all of you. Because maybe someone else is thinking the same, or maybe someone will be impacted like I was. I don't know. Thank you for allowing me to ramble.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Yay! We're in a blog!
Hello everyone. As promised, Jack Attack is me, Taylor Mugge.
This is my very first blogging experience so I am very excited.
This is my very first blogging experience so I am very excited.
Hey, guys!
Just letting all of you know: Eorlinga7 means Cody Raak...I felt as though my handle should pay homage to Tolkein, somehow, so there you go.
The Deep Magic
Has this line ever aroused your curiousity? When Aslan says that line, something inside me jumps. I came across a verse in the Bible that I think is directly related to this line and I believe it might have been the source of Lewis' inspiration.
The verse is...
1 Corinthians 2:7-8
No, we speak of God's "secret wisdom"(the "Deep Magic"), a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it(The White Witch), for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory (Jesus/Aslan).
Aslan knew what the deep magic was...he was there when it was written (like Jesus). The Witch didnt understand what Aslan was doing or else she wouldnt have killed him on the stone table.
I think you get my point. I just thought it was amazing and it was great to see such a passage in the Bible. Believe it or not. In my opinion it Narnia is very relatable to the Bible.
Something else that caught my eye was the condition of the natural world of Narnia and the condition of our natural world. Narnia was under a spell. It was always winter. The natural cycle of weather was stopped as a result of the Jadis being in power. Many things in our own world have changed as a result of Lucifer's fall and his reign on earth.
Again. The point is easily seen but I thought it was neat!
Jordan Keckler
The verse is...
1 Corinthians 2:7-8
No, we speak of God's "secret wisdom"(the "Deep Magic"), a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it(The White Witch), for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory (Jesus/Aslan).
Aslan knew what the deep magic was...he was there when it was written (like Jesus). The Witch didnt understand what Aslan was doing or else she wouldnt have killed him on the stone table.
I think you get my point. I just thought it was amazing and it was great to see such a passage in the Bible. Believe it or not. In my opinion it Narnia is very relatable to the Bible.
Something else that caught my eye was the condition of the natural world of Narnia and the condition of our natural world. Narnia was under a spell. It was always winter. The natural cycle of weather was stopped as a result of the Jadis being in power. Many things in our own world have changed as a result of Lucifer's fall and his reign on earth.
Again. The point is easily seen but I thought it was neat!
Jordan Keckler
First Contact: Edmund's Questionable Impressionability
As I read the first half of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, the differences between Lucy and Edmund's native voyages into Narnia inspired some interesting thoughts about the two young characters. Edmund and Lucy's separate conceptions of Narnian affairs are both influenced by their first Narnian verbal encounters. Through varied methods - moments of personal sadness and confession versus bribes of Turkish Delight - Mr. Tumnus and the White Witch convince Lucy and Edmund respectively that they are in the right. To the reader, Mr. Tumnus is decidedly good, but Edmund's conversation with the wintry Queen is more complicated. The White Witch undoubtedly molds Edmund's considerations of the two parties in conflict, and because of his initial conversation with the Witch, Edmund is more likely to understand and agree with her later requests. Both Edmund and Lucy undoubtedly believe that they have met the good factions of Narnia.
Contrary to my initial thought, these first meetings do not merely speak of the impressionability of children - although one could draw many conclusions about Lewis's beliefs about young people. Lucy and Edmund are both suited to agree with their spontaneous ambassadors: Lucy is caring and truthful; Edmund leans towards spite, greed, and selfishness. Thus, I don't think Edmund's encounter with the White Witch is an example of his palpable morality. He was simply influenced by a character of similar sentiment. Instead of illustrating the potential corruptibility of a child's mind, I believe this passage speaks more strongly when read as allegorical: demonic forces probably choose more susceptible targets in which to work their evil.
What do you think? Would the Witch have found young Lucy as easily manipulatable? What about Peter and Susan? How does an ambassador change the way you look at a new and foreign experience?
Contrary to my initial thought, these first meetings do not merely speak of the impressionability of children - although one could draw many conclusions about Lewis's beliefs about young people. Lucy and Edmund are both suited to agree with their spontaneous ambassadors: Lucy is caring and truthful; Edmund leans towards spite, greed, and selfishness. Thus, I don't think Edmund's encounter with the White Witch is an example of his palpable morality. He was simply influenced by a character of similar sentiment. Instead of illustrating the potential corruptibility of a child's mind, I believe this passage speaks more strongly when read as allegorical: demonic forces probably choose more susceptible targets in which to work their evil.
What do you think? Would the Witch have found young Lucy as easily manipulatable? What about Peter and Susan? How does an ambassador change the way you look at a new and foreign experience?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Getting started...
If you're reading this, I've managed to invite folks to join the blog. Our numbers should grow as people accept their invitations. Please let me know if you have any questions or problems!
You can start posting any time. Remember, I expect you each to post a paragraph length reflection every two weeks, but you can post other stuff--links, questions, thoughts, etc.--whenever you want.
Also, please think of keeping up with the blog as one of your responsibilities as a student in this class, especially since your colleagues in this project will appreciate your attention and your response to what they've said.
You can start posting any time. Remember, I expect you each to post a paragraph length reflection every two weeks, but you can post other stuff--links, questions, thoughts, etc.--whenever you want.
Also, please think of keeping up with the blog as one of your responsibilities as a student in this class, especially since your colleagues in this project will appreciate your attention and your response to what they've said.
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