It’s time for another literary cagefight!
Two books are barely visible in the cloud of dust and smoke that swirls around them. The crowd roars with excitement. Then, as the dust clears, they roar with indignation. Should these books even be facing each other?
In one corner, we have The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis,
and in the other, we have The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkein.
I had a few doubts about this pairing myself, Earl, but let’s take a look at their similarities first. Both are high fantasy, and are often both enjoyed by the same people. I am a great personal friend of both of them. In fact, their trainers, Tolkein and Lewis, were friends, and wrote in the same club, the Inklings. This match is going to be hard to call, Earl. They are both allegorical, though Narnia is more obvious in this respect, and Tolkein was rather inconsistent in his acknowledgement of the allegorical nature of his work. While they do often share readership, Narnia tends to be thought of as more of a children’s classic, and Rings is read by more adults. However, as Lewis himself said,
“A children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story.”
Therefore, I don’t think the fact that Lewis’ fighter today is thought of as a children’s story should change how we make the odds today, Earl. Also, it seems to me that Narnia tends to have more Christian readership, while Rings, though also a Christian allegory, is read by a wider-believing range of people.
Both were written around the same time period. The last Narnia book came out in 1954, and the last Rings came out in 1955.
One of my biggest hangups on this pairing, Earl, is that Rings has such a wider scope than Narnia, it’s almost unfair. Rings is longer, and also has a great team: The Hobbit, Silmarillion, and History of Middle Earth. Narnia, to my knowledge, has none of that. He’s all by himself.
BUT THERE’S THE BELL.
Both of these guys are seasoned fighters, Earl, and they’re in no hurry. Most books rush together, trying to get the first punch, but not these two. They know what they’re about.
I’ve never seen either of these two books fight before, Earl. This is most interesting. Rings‘s style is extremely sophisticated, advanced, even, but it’s elegant. There’s no flashiness or wasted movement.
On the other hand, Narnia appears to be a little outgunned, but he’s not bothered by it. He’s got no flash to his movements either, and while he’s less advanced than Rings, he appears to be taking it well. He’s dogged. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Dang, Earl, this really doesn’t even seem like a cagefight. It’s more of a dance. Or, I know! It’s like a bullfight. It’s that slow-fast, slow-fast, methodical bunch of movements and feints. That’s what this is, Earl; a bullfight. I just haven’t yet determined who’s the matador and who’s the bull.
The clock is really running out, Earl; they might call it a draw. I almost hope it happens, Earl, this is such a hard race to call. On the one hand, Rings, to me, is the modern definition of high fantasy, and when he starts talking, I get into it. I can quote what he’s said with the best of them, and I’m well aquainted with all the members of his team. But on the other hand, since they’re both Christian allegories, and Christianity, if you’re doing it right, is humble, Narnia, by its very humility, is made greater. To use an example from Narnia itself, Puddleglum the marsh wiggle is an ugly, unattractive, utterly un-heroic character. He’s even depressing at points. Yet if he didn’t make use of one of his most humble qualities (his tough, webbed feet), and stomp out the enchanted fire in The Silver Chair, all would have been lost. He rather corresponds to Samwise Gamgee. Both are humble, unassuming characters who are rather drug around on adventures, and come out showing their true colors, bright and clear.
Ah, there’s the other bell. I’m really quite relieved, Earl, that they called it a draw. I know that would never work in the betting windows, but I make the rules, so I’m relieved. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had to declare one the winner.
Oh, look at this. They’ve shaken hands and bowed. True gentlemen, worthy to be read by anyone, at any age.
The Adventure Continues 