His dark materials (Chronicles of Narnia)

The Guardian ^ | 12/3/05

[Valin]

The latest children's favourite to be given the Hollywood treatment, CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia has been dismissed as sexist, racist, Christian propaganda. Alison Lurie on the fairytale that has divided children and adults alike

Most enormously successful children's books, like Harry Potter, become successful films within a few years of their publication. But there is one odd exception: CS Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has taken 55 years to reach the screen. Or maybe it is not so odd. On first reading, this story and the six other Chronicles of Narnia that followed it seem simple, entertaining and non-controversial; but they have turned some readers into passionate fans, and made others very angry. Children, too, seem to either love the books or strongly dislike them.

[VOA]

His dark materials

C.S. Lewis' "dark materials"??
I'd say that was in "A Grief Observed" and "The Great Divorce".
(apologies if I've bungled those titles...long time since I've read them.)

[GoforBroke]

Anyone mention the Screwtape letters?

[MarineMomJ]

Let's not forget "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis.

Fabulous read!!

[mozrock]

This is a putrid article

And I personally can't wait to see the movie(s)! Loved these books as a kid!

[Paved Paradise]

I know. I'm hoping all the talk and publicity about the CON movie will generate new interest in his other works, including Screwtape. I want to re-read it.

[j_k_l]

"Lewis has also been charged with racism as a result of his portrait of the Calormenes in The Horse and His Boy. Calormene, a desert country far to the south of Narnia, strongly suggests the Near East: its people are dark-skinned, wear turbans and carry scimitars. Their diet is heavy on oil, rice, onions and garlic. They are cruel to animals and worship a four-armed god with a vulture's head called Tash who demands human sacrifice. Like Tash, the rulers of Calormene are autocratic, corrupt, treacherous and brutal. Slavery is common, and women cannot read or write or choose whom they will marry."

Anyone watch the news lately?

[Chi-townChief]

I thought the first book was pretty good but declined from there. And Lewis' "Space Trilogy", Perelandra, I could never get into despite the great title of the third Book, "That Hideous Strength."

[BipolarBob]

Yeah I watch the news. Noone worships a four-armed god with a vulture's head called Tash that I know of. If only he had said a moon god.

[AnAmericanMother]

Other critics, with whom I have considerable sympathy, have seen the Chronicles of Narnia as anti-feminist. Pullman, for instance, has called the books "monumentally disparaging of girls and women". In Narnia, girls almost always come second to boys. They have fewer adventures, and none, like Shasta (The Horse and His Boy) or Caspian (Prince Caspian) has a book named after her. There is no such thing as a good and strong supernatural female figure in Narnia: the principal representation of virtuous supernatural power is male, while the principal representation of evil power is the White Witch.

Obviously hasn't read the books. The Star's Daughter is a good and strong supernatural female. Also, how about Aravis Tarkheena for "having adventures"? Or Polly? Or Jill in The Last Battle?

Just another reviewer blowing smoke about books without having read them.

[AnAmericanMother]

Why do you think there are crescents all over the place in Calormene? IIRC, the Tisroc's turban ("may he live forever . . . not!") has a crescent smack dab in the middle of it.

[domenad]

When I saw the preview, I got wood.

God forbid (pardon the pun) a filmmaker were to espouse his Christian views in a film. Put some rags on their heads and change Aslan to Allahslan and you would hear no complaints.

[kpp_kpp]

this is a complaint against the book?

sounds to me like he hit the nail right on the head.

[maestro]

Yep!

....from another thread....

Posted by maestro to F15Eagle

On News/Activism ^ 12/04/2005 3:59:19 PM PST · 11 of 39 ^

...Lewis'.....'Narnia'....is the GNOSTIC 'good-evil' kingdoms (light/darkness) nonsense,...with 'OBL-as the Lion'....

This anti-real-Jesus-LAMB.....gnostic nonsense to deceive millions....

It is NOT christian,....but it is REALLY.....Pro-Islamic!

Jesus is coming to RAPTURE the Church,.....NOT the kingdom!!!!

Romans 10:17

[absolootezer0]

The latest children's favourite to be given the Hollywood treatment, CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia has been dismissed as sexist, racist, Christian propaganda.

GOOD! if msm doesn't like, i'm sure i'll love it!

[Psycho_Bunny]

English She-Twit With A Pen Alert

[wideawake]

Are those your silly comments, or someone else's?

[ikka]

Recently, the immensely gifted and equally popular British writer Philip Pullman, author of the trilogy His Dark Materials who has described himself as both an agnostic and an atheist, has condemned the Narnia books as religious propaganda.

This appears later in the article.

Note: Pullman can in no way be said to be as gifted as CS Lewis. Nor can he be said to be "equally popular" in comparison to an author that has been selling books for the last 50 years.

[zerosix]

"Sexist, racist Christian propaganda"?

That review makes this a "must see" movie in my book.