C.S. Lewis

I admire this man so much, more than any other author I've wrote about thus far. His incredible imagination, his beautiful books of Christianity, and his remarkable faith make me love Lewis like a favourite uncle. All who knew him spoke of his kindness, humour, and intelligence. I hope you'll share my deep admiration for the great C.S. Lewis.

     Early Life

Clive Staples Lewis was born on November 29, 1898 in Belfast, Ireland. At the age of four he insisted that everyone would call him Jack, for what little boy would want the name Clive Staples? His parents had difficulty displaying emotion, both to their sons (Jack had an older brother, Warren) and to each other. The result was that Jack was raised by his nurse Lizzie, in which he would go on to write could "discover no flaw" and was filled with "nothing but kindness, gaiety, and good sense". It was Lizzie who told him of magic and opened his mind to the world of witches, leprechauns, and fairies. Jack and Warren were great friends and spent hours exploring their home and the yards surrounding. Though his parents were loveless, Jack certainly did not grow up without love in his home.

     Writing Career

Like so many of our authors, Jack loved to read. Books would console him through the absence of his brother (away at boarding school) and the death of his mother when he was only ten years old. Jack studied Greek and Latin Literature at Oxford and stayed on to become a Fellow and a Tutor (meaning he was a sort of professor). He began writing both fiction and non-fiction after his life-changing conversion to Christianity. His first novel was The Pilgrim's Regress (1933), which was about his experience withPilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Other than his world-famous The Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis is most remembered for his non-fiction, which is adored and admired, especially within Christian community. His famous Mere Christianity, An Allegory of Love, The Four Loves, and his autobiography Surprised By Joy still touch and teach many. But as I said, it was the adventures in the world of Aslan are his best-loved works.

Christianity in the style of the famous

     The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

As children, Warren and Jack would play in an attic in their home. It was there that Jack created a world called Boxen where there were magical creatures and animals could talk. This is believed by many to be the beginnings of Narnia. While his girlfriend (with which he was not on very good terms) was hospitalized, Jack felt he must write a fairy tale addressed to children or he might "burst". This is what led him to write his iconic series.

During WWII, Jack had three schoolgirls who

were evacuated from the city come and live with him. They inspired him to write a story about children in their same perdiciment. He knew he wanted to do a story about two girls and two boys, but their names would go through some changes before he settled on Pete, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.

Of course, much of the story's theme and plot was influenced by Jack's faith. The allusions to God and Jesus' sacrifice with the death of Aslan is quite clear. This was important for Jack, as he felt the message was meant to be heard by the very young and the very old in a way they might see and relate to differently.

The book was published in 1950 and would be followed by six other novels about Narnia and the people who travel there. This is arguably one of the most famous series ever written, and it has inspired countless children and adults alike.

C.S. Lewis, or Jack as he preferred to be called, is an inspiring figure to me. I don't know why, but he feels like a kind old uncle to me, and I'm pretty protective of him. I can't wait to read more of his works such as his autobiography, for I think his life and conversion was just fascinating. I hope you've learned to love Jack and that you'll read more from this amazing author.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_C._S._Lewis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion,_the_Witch_and_the_Wardrobe

Davenport, John. C.S. Lewis. Chelsea House Publishers: Philadelphia, 2004