A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
I have read the Aeneid through more often than I have read any long poem.
Interpretation
C. S. Lewis emphasizes the value of engaging with literary works that resonate deeply with the reader.
In this quote, C. S. Lewis reflects on the profound impact that the epic poem 'The Aeneid' has had on him. He suggests that the strength and depth of this work have compelled him to revisit it more times than any other lengthy poem, implying that some literary pieces offer an unparalleled experience that invites repeated exploration and contemplation.
In practice
During a literature class on epic poetry, I would quote C. S. Lewis to emphasize the importance of re-reading impactful works.
A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.
Our society accepts the book as a given, but the act of reading -- once considered useful and important, as well as potentially dangerous and subversive -- is now condescendingly accepted as a pastime, a slow pastime that lacks efficiency and does not contribute to the common good.
We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate.
Let us take our children seriously! Everything else follows from this... only the best is good enough for a child.
When you look at human rights, look at gender, and the rights of girls for education in the world - that are crucial issues - some are saying 'Oh, these are western values.' But these are really universal values.
I do understand people when they say that you destroy the magic of childhood if you encourage too much skeptical questioning.
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