Warning: This Book May Contain Some Christianity; TTFN

[rj_anderson]

I was interested to see Betsy Bird's comments on her Fuse #8 blog today about a new graphic novel called Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword (warning: autoplay video at source). Among other things, the novel includes lots of information about Orthodox Judaism, which caused Betsy to comment:Think about children’s fantasy novels and religion for a

Comments

[dichroic]

Where religion is an integral part: Rebecca Brammer's YA book The Year of Plenty. I know Rebecca from an LM Montgomery discussion list, so I know she's a devout CHristian. So are her characters, not too surprising since the book (first of a series) is based on her grandmother's childhood. What lets me, as a non-Christian, enjoy the book is that the religion is a large and essential part of the characters' lives and upbringing, but never preached at the reader.

[rj_anderson]

Thanks for that rec! It sounds like an interesting book.

So that raises another question in my mind: where would you say the dividing line is between representing a religion as part of the characters' lives and thinking in a non-preachy way, and coming across as preachy? Do you think the dividing line is different for different people, or is there an objective measurement for this kind of thing?

[dichroic]

It's absolutely different for different people. Learning that the Narnia books were intended as allegory didn't really change my reaction to the books: for some people it does (which way generally depends on their own views and their tolerance for stories with a moral

[jryson]

It's where the preachy point is what determines the outcome of the story. He wins because he is a, frex, Baptist.

Or the antagonist loses because he doesn't obey the moral teachings of the writer.

Or one or more characters keep repeating a point over and over.

It gets interesting when the character actually struggles with the rightness of what she's doing.

.

[anonymous]

I've read both Faery Rebels and Wayfarer

[rj_anderson]

Thanks for your insights, Shel, and for the recommendations.

I've read Despereaux and can't say that it struck me as a Christian allegory at all, so that's interesting to me. And I hadn't known about Locomotion -- that makes me want to pick up some Woodson and check it out.

The movie struck me as the opposite

[cytowolf]

The movie had the classic hallmarks of a story that can lead people away from Christianity. Rebellion against authority is good. Parents don't know what's best. You're more enlightened than everyone else. You'll be validated in the end.

[mary_j_59]

I do tend to see Wayfarer as being of the first type, but then I am not sure that I fully understand the distinction between the first type and the second. For example, it isn't clear to me how Christianity is "the whole point" of A Wrinkle in Time, which shows no one practicing any faith and never even mentions God. I mean yes, certainly there is a strong Christian ethos in the book, but I would have thought it was presented in a way that made it pretty ecumenical.

But here's the other thing: won't a sincere Jew - or Christian, or Muslim, or member of the Native American Church, or whatever - who is setting off on a quest to become a heroine just naturally express her values through her actions? That's why I can't really see a clear distinction between type one and type two.

Just my two cents.

[mary_j_59]

Sorry - I guess I mean the first type (the "religion" is the whole point of the books) and the fourth (it's there in the characters' background).

BTW, I also think the distinctions, in general, are not as clear cut as all that. If you are making up the religion but dealing with ethical/moral issues in your story, your own beliefs, whatever they are, are likely to shine through. This is what Tolkien does in LOTR - admittedly not a children's book, but certainly beloved by many teens.

[hooton]

for those of you who've read Wayfarer, do you think it falls into the first category (religion is the entire point), or the fourth (it's part of the worldbuilding, but not the main story)?(I'm going to have to go by the UK titles so apologies). In Knife, the religion is part of the worldbuilding and I really enjoyed the Great Gardener metaphor and the way it's worked in