Tag Archives: literary criticism

Where Do We Find Meaning When We Read? A Spectrum of Discovery in Storytelling

Posted on September 25, 2024 by

Where is the meaning found in the art of reading? Is it in the text itself–some magic of language or mystery of persuasion in the telling of a tale? Or do readers carry meaning in their own curiosity and willingness … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged allegory, Animal Farm, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, C.S. Lewis, Canada Reads, George Orwell, His Dark Materials, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, lion the witch and the wardrobe, literary criticism, Literary Theory, Narnia, Philip Pullman, Reading | 6 Comments

A Thing of Forms Unknown: Thoughts on C.S. Lewis and Horror with Chris Calderon

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Within a longer project on C.S. Lewis and the Ransom Cycle, I have outlined a chapter focussing on some instinctive horror elements in Lewis’ science fiction. I have written up the close readings for the piece, but am missing one … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Classical Mythology, Forms of Things Unknown, Horror, literary criticism, myth, Of Other Worlds, Ray Bradbury, Roger Lancelyn Green, Science Fiction, The Dark Tower, The Outer Limits | 9 Comments

Tolkien’s “I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size)” in Context: A Note on Books and Their Authors (#hobbitday)

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I don’t know that there is any more famous J.R.R. Tolkien quote than his claim to, in fact, be a hobbit. It’s really quite a delightful statement and worth quoting more fully: I am in fact a Hobbit (in all … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes | Tagged Charles Williams, Franz Kafka, Harry Potter, Hobbit Day, I.A. Richards, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, literary criticism, literature, Lord of the Rings, new criticism, practical criticism, Stephen King, The Hobbit, Ursula K. LeGuin | 27 Comments

1,000,000 Hits on A Pilgrim in Narnia!

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

A Pilgrim in Narnia has just now had its 1,000,000th hit! A million page views is right, according to WordPress analytics. After passing our 9th Anniversary last month, after 1,057 posts (this is number 1,058), this little sandbox of literary … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged Blogging, C.S. Lewis, Christian spirituality, Inklings, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, literary criticism, spiritual theology, stats, Vampire Fiction, Wordpress Stats | 23 Comments

An Essential Reading List from C.S. Lewis: An Experiment on An Experiment in Criticism (Throwback Thursday)

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

At A Pilgrim in Narnia we have an occasional feature called “Throwback Thursday.” This is where I find a blog post from the past–raiding either my own blog-hoard or someone else’s–and throw it back out into the digital world. … Continue reading →