Loren Eaton writes, “We love Aslan breaking endless winter’s chill grip on Narnia and Aragorn being crowned King Elessar and Christ the Bridegroom triumphing over that serpent of old. Yet in appreciating these good tales, we’ve largely ignored what Frye calls ‘the story of winter,’ those narratives that slide from bliss into torment.”
On Story Warren, he is writing about tales of winter and the virtues of exposing children to downbeat stories. It reminds me of the beautiful animated movie, The Secret of Kells, and how my girls didn’t like it. It also makes me wonder what we would have gotten if Lewis had written of the story in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as a trilogy–longer, deeper, and probably darker because winter would have lasted for two books at least.
What did the girls not like about it?
It was too scary for them. They prefer light and fluffy stories. Another example is Toy Story 3. They say now that they’ve always hated the Toy Story movies, but I don’t remember hearing that before they saw–in the theater no less–the third movie. Somehow, I think the third one tainted their view of all of them. It was too traumatic for them.
Thanks for the link, Phil! I hope you enjoy the follow ups, too.
Hm. I may try it on the boy, then.
The movie is darker than normal for cartoons. The bad guys are more like forces of evil, and there is a darker evil beyond them in the forest. The story has the good guys overrun by villains who kill and pillage without remorse, so it’s not a light story, but I think it’s a good story. Maybe it’s not for under 10 year olds.
Grade A stuff. I’m unqeustinoalby in your debt.