Lego Bricks and Apologetics: Imagination, Art, and Sub-Creation, Part 3

Note: If you want to see the spiffed up version of this article, visit 1517 and check it out, along with all the other goodies they have over there.

Part 3

Now that we’ve covered a fair amount of ground on the imagination and Tolkien’s idea of Sub-Creation, in this final installment we’ll put all the pieces together in order to form a valuable tool for tender-minded apologetics.

So, what do imagination, Lego bricks, and Sub-Creation have to do with apologetics?

At first thought, the most natural place for apologists to run to would be the idea of teleology. There is a purpose, an end or goal, to the use of building toys such as Lego bricks: there is both creative imaginative play as well as instructions and design. One can see the Lego watch sitting on display and discern that there must have been a Lego watch-maker. These kinds of apologetic methods are useful tools in the apologetic task. But I think there is more to be said about imagination, sub-creation, and apologetics. Once again, Tolkien’s writing provides a valuable insight.

One of the geniuses of Tolkien’s writing is his unparalleled ability to point out the extraordinary in the ordinary. Hobbits are a perfect example of this. Tolkien is able to achieve this by means of three facets of good fantasy story telling: Recovery, Escape, and Consolation.

Briefly put, Recovery is regaining a proper view of the world we live in. The potency of the written word helped Tolkien to regain a proper view of the world. In other words, literature (art) helped him to understand reality. Escapist is often the charge critics lay at the feet of those who read fantasy. Tolkien, however, saw Escape as a benefit. Why should a man who is unjustly imprisoned not want to be set free? Good fairy stories, Tolkien says, provide us with a view beyond the noise of this world, the hunger, poverty, illness, and death. They give us a glimpse of freedom. This is where Lewis and Tolkien agreed immensely, that good stories pointed them to the true story of the Gospel. Lewis’s “stabs of joy” were similar to the escape Tolkien describes. Finally, Consolation is the happy ending, or as Tolkien called it, the eucatastrophe, a good catastrophe. This was the sudden turn of events in the story, like when Gandalf reappears in Mirkwood or the Eagles rescue Frodo and Samwise from Mt. Doom.

Through his storytelling, Tolkien gives us glimpses of the Primary World within his secondary, sub-created world of Middle-Earth. The connection is found in the eucatastrophe. Tolkien found similar elements of fantasy and storytelling in the true story and historical events of the Gospel. Here is how he worded it in his essay. And I quote him at length here.

Probably every writer making a secondary world, a fantasy, every sub-creator, wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details) are derived from Reality, or are flowing into it…The peculiar quality of the ‘joy’ in successful fantasy can be thus explained as a sudden glimpse of underlying reality or truth. It is not only a consolation for the sorrow of this world, but a satisfaction, and an answer to the question, ‘Is it true?’

…The Gospels contain…a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy stories. The birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man’s history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. It has pre-eminently the inner consistency of reality. There is no tale ever told that men would rather find is true, and none which so many skeptical men have accepted as true on its own merits. For the art of it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary Art, that is, of Creation. To reject it leads either to sadness or wrath.

It is not difficult to imagine the peculiar excitement and joy that one would feel, if any specially beautiful fairy story were found to be “primarily” true, its narrative to be history…the joy would have been exactly that same quality, if not the same degree, as the joy which the “turn” in a fairy story gives: such has the very taste of primary truth.  It looks forward (or backward) to the Great Eucatastrophe.  The Christian joy, the Gloria, is of the same kind; but it is pre-eminently (infinitely, if our capacity were not finite) high and joyous.  Art has been verified.  God is the Lord, of angels, and of men – and of elves.  Legend and History have met and fused.[5]

Tolkien summarizes well the connection between his own writing, sub-creating, and the Scriptures, the overlap between his own imaginative literary world, and the historical events that happen in the Primary World in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

This is the defense of imaginative apologetics: to capture the mind, but also the heart. To testify to the truth, but also to demonstrate that it is meaningful. To teach and to delight. To give us objective hope and consolation, as well as a joy that each person can call their own as we do when we sing good hymns such as “God’s own child, I gladly say it, I am baptized into Christ.”

In other words, simply because the Gospel is a true story does not mean it cannot also be told beautifully. The imagination is a gift from God that can and should be used in service to the Gospel. Tolkien and Lewis also understood that imagination and Sub-Creation are servants, hand-maidens to the Gospel story. One can certainly see it in their writings. Certainly, The Chronicles of Narnia is more overt at “stealing past watchful dragons.” But Tolkien is a master at the art of imagination and sub-creation nonetheless. And he uses it in service to what he called “Primary Art” or the “Primary World.”

What Lewis and Tolkien, and others have done in the fantasy genre, and in literature on the whole, could be done elsewhere by others. Part of their success comes, of course, from their own imagination and creativity. Thankfully, their writing is contagious. When reading their works the reader’s imagination and creativity is awakened and set free as well. Those who desire to be good storytellers and good apologists of the faith should spend time reading and surrounding themselves with good books by good writers. One good story leads to another.

That’s what I was doing as a little boy playing in my room with Lego bricks. I was sub-creating. I was doing what Tolkien had done with words in the form of interlocking plastic bricks. It wasn’t, of course, the same degree or quality, but I was using the same ingredients: Imagination and Art.

Pieces led to imagination. Imagination led to building. Building led to storytelling. You see, children don’t simply build stuff and let it sit around to gather dust. No, when children build they are sub-creators. Their work is full of imagination and art. (I love watching our three-year old daughter Zoe doing this. It’s fascinating and delightful). Along with their creations, they develop a story. In fact they’ll tell you the story too, even if you’re not particularly interested in hearing it at the time. (Talk about a good lesson in evangelism and apologetics!).

This is what children do, they build and then create a story about the train, or castle, or ship they’ve just built. This is what the young boy, Finn, did in The Lego Movie. And in the process, he unlocked not just his father’s imagination, but the viewers’ as well. But there’s more to this movie than excellent Lego graphics and artistic, in other words, imaginative storytelling. The Lego Movie had everything a good story should have: heroes and villains; a world that was in trouble and in need of rescue; a damsel and a people in distress and looking for hope and freedom; and a sacrifice that points to a greater story – to the Great Sacrifice of the one who’s name is also Truth. There was also a great resolution at the end, the happy ending that we all long for.

 SPOILER ALERT!!! As it turns out, the entire movie was a sub-created world born of the mind of Finn, the young boy behind all the imagination in the movie. One of his sub-created characters in his story was Emmet, the non-descript construction worker. In an act of sacrifice, Emmet saved the world from Lord Business (played brilliantly by Will Ferrell), and even managed to free his imagination as well. As I mentioned earlier, that makes Emmet the Christ figure of this movie. But this is just one movie. There are countless other examples: Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Disney’s The Jungle Book, and I could go on.

Why do all these stories seem to sound the same? Why do we keep hearing and reading similar themes in movies, books, and drama? How is it that even secular stories like The Lego Movie and countless others give us fragments of the Greatest Story ever told? Because these stories are in some way, shape, or form stealing from the one great true story, the Gospel. They're intentionally or unintentionally doing what Tolkien said about good stories; they're writing about Recovery, Escape, and Consolation. They're giving us glimpses of the great eucatastrophe, Christ’s death and resurrection.

Superman. Batman the Dark Knight. Neo in the Matrix. Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan. Harry Potter’s defeat of Voldemort. Gandalf’s battle with the Balrog. Frodo and Samwise’s sacrifice to destroy the ring of power. Spock in Star Trek Two. Obi wan Kenobi’s death to save Luke. The list could go on. But the point is all the same. They're all stealing from the one great story. It sure makes for a good story, and an even better one since it is true.

And here is where the apologist can operate. Here is where imagination, Sub-Creation, and yes, even things like The Lego Movie can be useful in the field of apologetics. Christians can and should use these familiar stories to show and teach the great story. We should steal back the examples of redemption, love, and sacrifice and use it to proclaim the true sacrifice, redemption, and love of Christ. We can steal past watchful dragons. Use our imagination and Sub-Creation to point to Christ’s greater salvation for all.

Imaginative apologetics is a vital part of making a defense for the reason for the hope that is within us. Not everyone resonates with a tough-minded defense of the faith. Thankfully the Christian faith reaches both our intellect and our imagination. Christianity is both true and meaningful.

Imagination, art, and sub-creation, all used to tell us a story. And aren’t these the kinds of stories we should tell our children? I think so. Imagination leads to Art; Art leads to Sub-Creation; Sub-Creation reflect or points to the Primary World, or Primary Art. Sub-Creation also leads to a story. And the story leads to an imaginative apologetic, a defense for the tender-minded.

Everyone is a storyteller. The question is what and who will the story be about? There are plenty of stories that are not worth watching or reading. But the best ones point to the one great story; the one true story that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting our trespasses against us (2 Corinthians 5:9).

This is the story we need to tell, write, script, paint, sing, and declare: Christ crucified and risen for you. The world needs more Christians engaged in imaginative apologetics, more men and women who see their work or their hobbies as Sub-Creations, secondary worlds based on the Primary World. We need more artists whose work points to the Lord who painted the heavens and framed the earth’s foundations, more writers who point their readers to Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, more characters like Aslan who bring us into a new world for a little while so that we might know the true Lion of the Tribe of Judah better in our world.

“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret…now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”[6]

C.S. Lewis

Lego Bricks and Apologetics: Imagination, Art, and Sub-Creation, Part 2

In the previous segment, we concluded with the imagination and its use in declaring and defending the Christian faith. As we will see in Tolkien’s writings, it is his adept ability at combining imagination with Sub-Creation to give his fictional world of Middle-Earth that ‘inner consistence of reality’ reality’ which points to the truth of the Gospel, the greatest story ever told. But before we can learn the benefit of and positive use of the imagination in Christian apologetics we must first ask a very important question. What do we mean by imagination?

I've always appreciated Tolkien’s definition of imagination in his essay On Fairy Stories.

The mental power of image-making is one thing, or aspect; and it should appropriately be called Imagination. The perception of the image, the grasp of its implications, and the control, which are necessary to a successful expression, may vary in vividness and strength: but this is a difference of degree in Imagination, not a difference in kind. The achievement of the expression, which gives (or seems to give) the ‘inner consistency of reality’, is indeed another thing, or aspect, needing another name: Art, the operative link between Imagination and the final result, Sub-Creation.[1]

According to Tolkien, we work with the tools and resources that are found in the Primary World. The writer uses words and images. The musician uses instruments and notation. The Sculptor uses clay or another medium. The painter uses brushes and various paints. And so on. As a Sub-Creator, Tolkien was able to capture and captivate both the imagination and art within the particular genre he is most noted for, that of fantasy. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that Tolkien was a philologist who lived up to the title. He aptly fit his own description of a Sub-Creator. “Fantasy is made out of the Primary World, but a good craftsman loves his material, and has a knowledge and feeling for clay, stone and wood which only the art of making can give.”[2] So, then, Sub-Creation, captures and releases both the imagination and art.

For Tolkien, image and imagination were two essential ingredients in a well-told fairy story, or fantasy, genres he uses interchangeably at times in his writing. The process for Tolkien went like this: Imagination leads to Art; Art leads to Sub-Creation; Sub-Creation reflect or points to the Primary World, or Primary Art. It has, that ‘inner consistence of reality’. Imagination, then, forms the images that later become words and develop into a full-fledged story. And it is within the context of the story telling where the imagination can point us toward the Christian faith.

One of the primary reasons Lewis’s and Tolkien’s writing was, and continues to be, so magnetic was their sublime ability for making enchanting, magical, and mythical (in the best sense of the word) secondary worlds reflect the Primary World. They were able to write fantasy which accurately and evocatively depicted reality. This was intentional. Tolkien wanted his stories to be told in a land and geography where ‘miles are miles’. Good fantasy, Tolkien says, is based upon reality and points back to it.

For creative Fantasy is founded upon the hard recognition that things are so in the world as it appears under the sun; on a recognition of fact, but not a slavery to it…If men really could not distinguish between frogs and men, fairy-stories about frog-kings would not have arisen.[3]

In a similar vein, Lewis repeatedly said that fantasy does not teach us to escape reality, but rather it sheds light upon reality. We see the world better having read good literature. Storytelling awakens us to the beauty of ordinary life around us, and opens our eyes to the enchantment of the everyday world we live in. Rather than dull the senses, it accentuates them.

It would be much truer to say that fairy land arouses a longing for he knows not what. It stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his reach, and far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted.[4]

In the final segment we’ll take all the pieces we’ve unpackaged and put them together in our ongoing discussion of imagination, art, and sub-creation in service of apologetics.

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[1] J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories, in Tree and Leaf. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. p. 47.

[2]  J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories, in Tree and Leaf. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. p.61.

[3] J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories, in Tree and Leaf. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. p.55.

[4] C.S. Lewis, On Three Ways of Writing for Children, in Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc. p. 29-31.

[5] J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories, in Tree and Leaf. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. p.71-73.

[6] C.S. Lewis, On Three Ways of Writing for Children, in Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc. p. 25

KFUO Lego Tribute

I wrote this up a few weeks ago for the beginning of KFUO's 90 days of celebrating 90 years of being the Messenger of Good News. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Introducing the KFUO 90th Anniversary Tribute

 

The tribute piece before you is made entirely out of Lego bricks, 1,223 pieces to be exact!

 It all began in August when KFUO Director, Rev. Rod Zwonitzer, first approached me with the idea of making a contribution out of Lego bricks for the upcoming anniversary festivities at KFUO.

 What a joy it was to have the opportunity to share one of my favorite childhood toys and hobbies with in service to the great work that KFUO continues to do as the messenger of Good News.

 

The Building Process

 

 

 Before describing each of the elements individually, let me briefly share with you the building process that began with paper and a little imagination, and finished with real Lego bricks.

 In sharing correspondence with Rev. Zwonitzer and the KFUO team we each came up with a variety of ideas: satellites and globes with headphones, lettering and the slogan for KFUO, and so forth. With my imagination in high gear, I started jotting down notes and making sketches. As you can tell from the photo, I am a much better Lego artist than I am a paper-and-pen artist. Anyhow, before long, these rough sketches turned into computer designs.

 Using a program called Lego Digital Designer (a free program from the Lego Group), I was able to create a list of pieces needed for final assembly, as well as a basic instruction manual to guide anyone who might want to build their own replica of the tribute project. Once the digital designs, the lists of pieces, and the instruction manuals were completed, I was then able to order the parts. A majority of the parts for the final build came from the Lego Pick-A-Brick website. However, a few of the more rare pieces (such as the gold on the microphone) had to be specially ordered from third party Lego retailers on EBay. After all the parts finally arrived it was time to prepare for the build. First, the pieces were sorted by color and size. Next, I used the electronic instructions from Lego Digital Design to construct the more complex components of the project. Finally, each completed component was placed onto its resting spot upon the white and black display frame before photographing and sending it off to St. Louis!

 

 

The Design Elements

 

 In order to accommodate all the fantastic ideas that we had come up with, I needed a platform for display. The lettering “KFUO.ORG” across the top ended up determining the size of the overall display frame and support system. Black and white colored bricks were chosen to highlight the contrast of the lettering as well as the other design elements once they were placed on top. The back of the display also bears the “90 YEARS” marking the occasion of the KFUO anniversary in boldness, reflecting the boldness of the Gospel proclamation. The lettering on the display also features the website as a quick reference for a visual reminder to check out the KFUO website. The smooth white surface on the bottom of the display was achieved by a technique known as Studs Not On Top (or SNOT for short). This gives it a clean look and provides a great backdrop for the other elements.

 After the backdrop was completed, the microphone was the next element to be designed. The inspiration for this micro-scale microphone came from the old, iconic KFUO mic, used by Rev. Walter Maier, the first voice of KFUO radio. The idea was to connect this important historical artifact to a tower showcasing the roots of KFUO radio and their pioneering work in proclaiming the Good News on the airwaves, and the technology used in broadcasting.

 In order to connect the microphone to the radio tower, the tower needed a platform. I constructed a simple greenway that would be the ground and landscape under the tower as well as the base for the crucifix. The platform features micro-scale trees and green grass designed to accent the radio tower.

 At first glance, the radio tower might appear to resemble every other ordinary radio transmitter. But actually, it was designed to reflect the original KFUO radio tower that still stands in operation on the grounds of Concordia Seminary St. Louis.

 

 In the foreground of the greenway, directly in front of the radio tower, stands the crucifix, giving a visual and theological focal point to the entire build. In the 90 years of its existence, the work of KFUO has been to proclaim Christ crucified and risen to all and for all. Christ crucified is the center of all we say and do in the Lutheran church, and it’s no different when it comes to Lutheran Lego projects. Despite its size and simplicity, this element was one of the most challenging to design. The balance that needed to be struck was between contrived and too abstract. For example, a Lego mini-figure on a cross would not fit with the over-all design, nor would it have displayed reverence. On the other hand, a plain cross, or one that was too stylized, would not communicate the message of Good News as clearly. So, I tried to stay with an artistic rendering of the cross while still designing a crucifix that clearly reflected our theology.

 After the challenge of the crucifix, the next biggest task was to include a globe capturing the “WORLDWIDE” slogan of Worldwide KFUO. Since Christ Jesus came into the world in order to die for the life of the world, it made sense to have a globe, pointing to the Good News that is broadcast worldwide from KFUO. In addition to the globe, we came up with the idea of having headphones and a satellite attached to it, giving a visual nod to the advance in broadcast technology over the years, as well as displaying the modern ways in which KFUO continues to be the messengers of good news in the 21st century. In other words, KFUO uses new technology, but clearly proclaims the same old, saving theology of the cross to all who tune in, no matter what technology or receiving device they're using.

 Finally, in front of the display and design elements rests a simple stand with the lettering depicting the KFUO slogan: “Worldwide KFUO.ORG. The Messenger of Good News since 1924.” These little tiles with lettering are also quite rare. However, they can be found in the Lego kit that is titled Lego Business Card Holder.

 

 

 In all the build used 1,223 pieces. And it was a ton of fun for me to design, build, and send this off for the KFUO 90th anniversary kick-off celebration. I pray that KFUO continues to be the messengers of Good News in the next 90 years as well.

 

Design Specs

 

 Background / Display Frame including lettering: 647 pieces.

 Microphone: 27 pieces.

 Radio Tower, Greenway, and Crucifix: 240 pieces.

 Globe w/ Headphones and Satellite: 236 pieces.

 Front Display Stand w/ Tiled Lettering: 73 pieces.

 Total: 1,223 pieces.

 

How Can I Build My Own?

This Lego build was designed and planned to be something that family and friends, supporters of KFUO, or anyone interested could download the building instructions and build either part or all of this display model. This would be even easier for someone who already has Lego bricks around the house. If followed, the instructions will make for a wonderful building experience and a delightful conversation piece when you’re finished. But, Lego instructions are also meant to be creative tools, allowing the builder to expand or make new creations, using different pieces, colors, or designs. My hope is that anyone who sets out to build any part of this tribute model will enjoy it as much as I have.

 

To View the Building Instructions (in HTML) click the following links below:

 ·         Background / Display Frame including lettering

·         Microphone

·         Radio Tower, Greenway, and Crucifix

·         Globe w/ Headphones and Satellite

When ordering Lego bricks for this project I used the following proprietors, though this is not an exhaustive list. Costs per piece may vary depending on the company, seller, and their location.

 

 

Follow the links below to visit the websites I used in constructing the KFUO Anniversary Build.

·         Lego Shop Pick A Brick

·         ToyPro Shop for Lego Parts, Minifigures, Sets, and Gear

·         EBay

Lego Bricks and Apologetics: Imagination, Art, and Sub-Creation, Part 1

Part 1

Fantasy remains a human right: we make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker.

J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories[1]

Every child builds. Some build castles out of wooden blocks handed down from an older sibling. Some construct forts out of blankets, chairs, and miscellaneous living room artifacts. Some erect mansions and small municipalities out of Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, or any other plaything their grandparents or parents saved for them to enjoy one day. As fun as those pastimes were, my medium of choice has always been Lego bricks.[2]

I received my first Lego bricks from family friends in Michigan when I was two years old. They gave me three five-gallon buckets full of these plastic treasures. And though I wouldn’t get my hands on them for a couple more years, when I finally did, my imagination was awakened by them, captivated by these little bricks with endless building possibilities. Those three buckets were my child-hood equivalent of stepping into a magic wardrobe or the TARDIS. Pieces led to imagination. Imagination led to building. Building led to storytelling. I spent hours in my room and around the house acting out the stories I told with my Lego sub-creations. I followed instructions. Sets were built. Sets were deconstructed. New ideas and creations were built and the cycle repeated. Whole worlds were brought into existence and complex stories formed a strong undercurrent to these creations.[3]

The import of using Legos can be seen well beyond the realm of childhood fantasy. Math teachers use Lego bricks for learning fractions. Engineers and artists use Lego bricks for architecture and design in various scales and styles. Building toys also have positive benefits in the development of a child’s fine motor skills and dexterity, as well as social interaction with other children and adults, stimulation of creativity, and play. And for the visual learners among us, there is always the multi volume The Brick Testament.

But the point here is not to extol the many uses of Lego bricks, but to highlight their importance for the imagination. This is why I enjoyed The Lego Movie so much. The entire movie was about the imagination. And without getting into too much plot detail, in the midst of adventure, humor, and a well-told story, more than one man’s imagination is unlocked or opened – I think “freed” would be the best word – by an act of sacrifice. Yes, I think there is a Christ figure in The Lego Movie. And I’ll give you a hint: this character’s name means ‘truth’.[4] Moreover, there’s a similar progression in the plot of The Lego Movie to what I experienced growing up. Pieces led to imagination. Imagination led to building. Building led to storytelling.

Before the imagination can be used in Christian apologetics the imagination must be set free. Not free to do as we please, mind you. After all, that’s not freedom; that’s anarchy and lawlessness. No, freedom to use the imagination in service to Christ. Many of the 20^th Century’s greatest authors did this. J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Dorothy Sayers are just a few that come to mind. Now, the point is not that all Christians need to become best-selling authors in order to use their imagination as an apologetic for the Christian faith. Rather, in our various vocations (or hobbies) God’s gifts of intellect and imagination are put to use to serve the neighbor and declare and defend the Gospel.

A great place to start, or whet the appetite for construction, would be to read Gene E. Veith’s book Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature, or Francis Rossow’s fantastic tome Gospel Patterns in Literature.

And in discussing the writing process, no one describes his own writing in fantasy better than Tolkien. Tolkien defined his own composition, such as we find in the pages of The Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion, as a work of Sub-Creation. That’s because he saw himself as a Sub-Creator. Human beings, Tolkien says, do not create things out of nothing. That is God’s work in creation. He alone is the Primary Artist. Man is a Sub-Creator. In his poem Mythopoeia¸ Tolkien describes this idea of Sub-Creation this way:

            Though all the crannies of the world we filled

            with elves and goblins, though we dared to build

            gods and their houses out of dark and light,

            and sow the seed of dragons, ‘twas our right

            (used or misused). The right has not decayed.

            We make still by the Law in which we’re made.[5]

 

For Tolkien, Sub-Creation is a derivative mode, or aspect, of creation. We make by the law in which we are made. Using Imagination and Sub-Creation, we’ve begun to construct a tool for the apologetic task. In this first segment we find an important first piece – a baseplate – for a tender-minded means of defense, the imagination. The next piece is to examine further Tolkien’s use of imagination and its connection to Sub-Creation. For then we will see how fantasy can clearly reflect reality.

 

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[1] J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories, in Tree and Leaf. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. p. 56.

[2] For the record, the plural of Lego is Lego Bricks, not Legos. And yes, I am that nerdy.

[3] This is similar to the way that C.S. Lewis created and developed the rich background story to Boxen which prepared the way for The Chronicles of Narnia.

[4] Emmet appears to be a variation of the name Emmeth, similar to the character in The Last Battle. Emmeth is also an English transliteration of the Hebrew word for truth.

[5]  J.R.R. Tolkien, Mythopoeia, in Tree and Leaf. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. p. 87.