Tag Archives: fantasy

What Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress Teaches us about English and Education

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

One of my first posts on A Pilgrim in Narnia was the confession that I had not really ever read John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). I’m pretty sure I had pretended to read it. I had played the … Continue reading →

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Be Careful What You Read… C.S. Lewis’ Literary Encounter with George MacDonald

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

Perhaps one of C.S. Lewis’ more famous—or infamous—quotations is this: “A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading” (Surprised by Joy, 182). Hidden in this 20th century tweet is the idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My Secret Hierarchy of Writing

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

             I have, I must admit, a sort of strange, secret hierarchy of writing. I don’t mean to. I believe the essence of good writing is not popularity or an elusive sense of the high brow. If I can put … Continue reading →

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Khazâd Part I: Aulë

Posted on January 26, 2013 by

Reblogged from jubilare: And now I will begin to explain my take on J. R. R. Tolkien’s Dwarves, or the Khazâd, as they call themselves. It has taken me this long to gather my thoughts, dig up my evidence and … Continue reading →

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Cosmo’s Story Within a Story by George MacDonald

Posted on January 15, 2013 by

I am not certain why—perhaps because of my years watching Itchy and Scratchy on The Simpsons—but I have always been attracted to the Story Within a Story technique. I’ve never been a fan of flashbacks, but film has recently taken … Continue reading →

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Little Rooms with Windows that Don’t Open; or, When We are Old Enough Again

Posted on January 9, 2013 by

I tell my student often enough to read the fore-matter in their textbooks. “That’s where the good stuff is,” I argue. “That’s where the author shares his or her vision for writing.” Now, I suspect that students rarely heed my … Continue reading →

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Do I Pass David J. Parker’s “Fantasy Novelist’s Exam”?

Posted on December 10, 2012 by

I follow There and Draft Again: A Fellowship of Fantasy Writers. As is clear by their title, they are writers who draw from stream of fantasy literature that Tolkien and a few of his friends carved out of the rocky … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

A Peak Around the Corner: My NaNoWriMo Reflections

Posted on December 3, 2012 by

It has been a difficult month since I first posted my Prewriting for NaNoWriMo and launched the challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 Days. I find autumn hard, the dying light, our world plunging into darkness. While most people … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Reflections, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Wormwood Reborn? A Screwtapian Look at The Gates by John Connolly (Hell Series Part 1)

Posted on November 22, 2012 by

One of the great perks as a university teacher is that I am constantly in conversation with students about good books. While this occasionally gets me into conversations about Twilight (which I read with great effort) and Hunger Games (which … Continue reading →

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The Difference Between Pressure & Discipline: Reflection upon my 100th Post

Posted on November 19, 2012 by

Reaching the somewhat artificial but still satisfying pinnacle of 100 Posts on A Pilgrim in Narnia has set me into a reflective mood. I began this project just over a year ago as a way to draw together my thoughts … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments