Narnia thoughts; also thoughts on books read as children vs. as adults

[valis2]

I enjoyed it, absolutely. I have not read the book in many years and couldn't recall much of it going into it, but that turned out not to matter. It proceeded at a steady pace, and I thought that the actors did a brilliant job, especially the four children who are the main characters. Lucy was terrific. They all were.

There were thoughts I had, like I remembered a scene where Edmund is in the castle of the White Witch and she sends him into a room filled with Turkish Delight, and he eats and eats, but perhaps I'm making that up, because it wasn't in the movie. I really thought it was, though, because I remember it so vividly, and how wonderful it sounded. Finding out that it was enchanted, and that it would only ever cause one to want more of it...it was profoundly affecting. I remember thinking that no matter what happened there would be times where Edmund would crave it, even though he could never have it again.

Reading a book as a child is such a different experience than reading it as an adult. As a child I would be totally immersed in the story, and I would experience it almost without barriers, so to speak. It would come alive for me in a completely different way than it does now.

I'm not saying that I can't get into books now. I'm just saying that the connection is not as strong. As an adult I am not only reading the story, but I am aware that I am reading the story. I am aware of the author's background, the reviews I've read of the story, the possible biases of the author/reviewers, and I'm looking for more than just a straight reading of the story. I'm looking for other levels as well. Levels of meaning, of symbolism, of allusions to other works. As a child I was simply reading it, submerging myself within the world, but as an adult, there is this distinct awareness that accompanies you into all but the best of books. There is a layer separating you that is difficult to pierce.

So seeing the movie now was an emotional experience. It's a little like looking at oneself from the distance of years, and seeing something that once filled you with wonder. I was close to tears many times during the movie, and not just because of the Big Tearful Moments, but because of little ones. Seeing Mr. Tumnus was like seeing a very old and dear friend. The wonder of the wardrobe was...it's hard to put a finger on it. It's as if you now have the pony you always wanted when you were six. It is an empty satisfaction, somehow. The heart sees it, and there is a feeling of awe and joy, but at the same time, the mind is working, thinking and knowing and reminding you of all the years between you, and that a pony is not something that will make you complete any longer.

I don't think I will need to see it again. It is primarily a simplistic story, with none of the trappings that intrigue me as a fannish adult. I find I have no desire to linger in Narnia any longer. Yes, there are definitely levels to it, I completely understand. I know if I spent time analyzing it I would see many interesting things. But I just don't want to let my mind map it all out, cut it to bits, and reassemble it, I think. I would like it to stay as Narnia in my mind, with a room in the White Witch's castle full of Turkish Delight.

Comments

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yes, I enjoyed it very much. I don't think I'll see it again, but it was definitely worth it!

I must say that Aslan's death in the book devastated me as a child, and it was so much less devastating in the movie. I'm not certain why, but I think it was because there is that elusive inner monologue that movies cannot do as well as books.