Undertones Of Christianity In The Works Of C. S. Lewis And J. K. Rowling: An Analytical Study

Swati Sharma, Aditi Dev

Abstract


J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis are two most prominent authors of Children's literature. The books have captivated a large number of readers—both children and adults—even though they were not initially intended to be exclusively fantasy. C.S. Lewis's genius in The Chronicles of Narnia was his ability to skillfully combine traditional Christian themes and images with mythological symbols and his storyline elements. Lewis created Narnia, a fantasy world that rivals Middle Earth and Earthsea by J. R. R. Tolkien and Ursula K. Le Guin by combining timeless elements of a fairy tale, medievalism, and Christian allegory. However, Lewis's series is more than just a fairy tale for kids. Each of its seven books has a deeper meaning, teaches children about Christian morality and beliefs, and it features numerous characters who represent a variety of Christian believers at various points along their path to a relationship with God.

 Regardless of how this is accomplished, the genre ought to be identified as fantasy written by a Christian and intended to promote Christian ideals. Christian fantasy fiction makes an effort to incorporate recognizable Christian ideals into the supernatural plot elements of fantasy. Lewis intended to inspire interest in Christianity in a different way than he had been exposed to Christianity and faith by combining fairy tales, legend, and mythological elements of fantasy. We discover that Lewis and Rowling both imply their Christian perspectives throughout their series when we use Christianity to interpret some of the elements in both series. While the differences convey the unique beliefs of the authors, the similarities hint at the Christian nucleus concept. In these comparisons, Lewis appears to be a conformist Christian, whereas Rowling is more moderate than Lewis. She presents her Christian argument in a manner that is more composed and reserved.


Keywords


Christianity, Religion, Biblical allusions, The Chronicles of Narnia series, Harry Potter series, Fantasy Literature, Children’s Literature

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