EDITOR'S NOTE: In June 2004 I began a new venture as managing editor of both Northfield News and Faribault Daily News. This column originally appeared in the Northfield News on Dec. 16, 2005.
Don't tell Charles Taliaferro that fairy tales and fantasy worlds are for children. The St. Olaf professor of philosophy certainly would beg to differ. Coinciding with the release of the Hollywood mega-hit "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," Taliaferro recently had a new essay, which he co-authored, published in a philosophy book dedicated to all topics Narnia. And, in a sense, you could say that Taliaferro has built a career on researching and writing about fantasy worlds ... from C.S. Lewis' Narnia to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth. It's impossible for anyone who's literate to miss the theological themes that run through some of the recent fantasy films that have taken Hollywood by storm, but Taliaferro says that there is a lot more value to the work of Lewis, Tolkien and even more recently, J.K. Rowling, who penned the successful Harry Potter books. "It's useful without being juvenile," he said. Take for instance the Narnia movie, being it's the most recent box office smash hit. Movie-goers, or readers, can easily see how C.S. Lewis' Christian beliefs shaped the Narnia books, but Taliaferro argues that even in the secular world, the series -- as does a lot of other fantasy work -- instills wonderful values in whomever consumes them. He said although some criticize such work as "escape literature," the fantasy genre enables a creator to explore meaningful questions about the real world in a fantastic way. "I think that it's not to be understood as escape literature in the ordinary sense of the word," he said. "(In fantasy work) you have played out in an alternative world the fight between good and evil. It does so under fantastic terms." For instance, the children in the "Chronicles of Narnia" escape from the tragedy and the fear of Germany's bombing of London which is taking place in their real world through the wardrobe into a magical world in which there also is an intense struggle between good and evil taking place. However, in the battle for Narnia, even though there are mystical beings who are killed and there are lifelike consequences in the battle, the reader -- or movie viewer -- experiences them differently. Taliaferro says because the story is played out in a fantasy world, Lewis is able to write about some very real issues and deliver important messages easier than writing about the battle between good and evil forces played out in World War II. Lewis' fantasy world, therefore, ironically allows him more freedom to discuss real-world problems. Taliaferro adds that even those who practice religion in more general terms can find value in stories such as Narnia. Even though the story nicely dovetails into the teachings of Christianity, he said the themes also apply to spirituality in general. "(The Narnia books) point one toward thinking of the world as a wondrous place versus a secular place," he said. "You can read them as a secular parent and not even notice how it dovetails into Christian life and practice. But for any parent thinking about their children's spirituality, this is a good resource." Also, Taliaferro says, for those not looking for a lesson from the pulpit, fantasy books, such as the "Chronicles of Narnia," even succeed in teaching children just basic moral principles: "Friendship is good; bullying is bad; betrayal is bad." Taliaferro says that fantasy and fairy tales ultimately are not just a creative exercise to fuel children's imaginations. There are useful applications for people in all stages of life. In fact, he stumbled upon the world of fantasy literature in his 20s, a difficult personal time in his life. "The fairy tales gave me worlds far richer than I ever found on LSD," he said. "The Narnian world and the world of Tolkien were extraordinary life-affirming." Taliaferro's Narnia essay appears in "The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy: The Lion, the Witch and the Worldview," published by Open Court Publishing Company. He co-wrote the essay with Rachel Traughber, a St. Olaf student who graduated last year. Titled "The Atonement in Narnia," Taliaferro said the essay is about comparing the Christian story of Atonement to the Narnia books. For more information about the book, go to www.opencourtbooks.com. However, it should be noted the book was not published in cooperation with the Lewis' book series or the Hollywood movie. -- Devlyn Brooks is the managing editor of the Northfield News.
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