An Introduction to Books and the Inklings

 

 

     I want to make a statement about the current state of affairs in this country: we are rapidly becoming an illiterate people. Study after study shows this. You may be wondering, "What in the world does illiteracy have to do with the visual arts." This question only amplifies my point. Take for example the many pictures that we see in DMA 101. Has it occurred to you that those were inspired by literature, namely the Bible. Literature and the visual arts have walked hand-in-hand for centuries. But now we regard books as dusty, boring things that will cause are brains to melt, and instead go back to watching movies like Saw V, that will indeed make your brain melt. This is not only unfortunate, but unhealthy artistically. Great books are just as much (and in my opinion more so) suspenseful, interesting, and entertaining, as well as educating/maturing, than movies. Yet we would prefer to look at our phones and ipods instead. This is a problem artisctically in a similar manner to what we learned concerning Lewis and the image of the faun, and may give you an idea or image that you wish to make a story. I myself would prefer to adapt books to movies, rather than using original screenplays, since books give you many images to work with at the start. A good book will also help you to understand storytelling just like a good painting or movie. And there is significantly more resources in terms of books than their are in terms of movies, since books have been around for much longer. So I encourage all those who wish to be storytellers to be avid readers as well, as I think it will greatly contribute to learning how to tell a story.

     Now some may say, "But I can't find books that are interesting." I don't care who you are, there is a book somewhere that you will enjoy. Try looking, rather than assuming. Use the internet to look up classics in your favorite genre. I will offer a few personal favorites to get you started.

     I would humbly suggest that if you want something well-written yet with a modern sensibility, look up books by the Inklings. This is the group that included J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as C.S. Lewis. My favorite piece of literature (other than the Bible) is The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. But the book that I would recommend to a person getting into reading is Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, as it is much smaller. This is that rare piece of art that is not only beautifully fiction, but beautifully Christian. It is a masterpiece in terms of writing, plot, and relevance. I highly recommend that all Christians should read it not only so that they can understand true Christianity, but also true to truly understand themselves, which is perhaps one of the main things true art is really about.