THE FOLKLORISTIC BUILDING BLOCK OF LITERATURE CREATED BY CHILDREN : THE CASE OF THE LEWIS BROTHERS

Authors

  • Inez Kropidło Uniwersytet Wrocławski Wydział Filologiczny

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/LL.3.2017.004

Keywords

reflection, identity, sacred places, mental emotional map, biographical experience, cultural geography

Abstract

The article explores the phenomenon of literature written by children, and in particular
its ludic-folkloristic genesis, as exemplified by Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before
Narnia, a relatively little known work by C.S. Lewis. Relying on Jerzy Cieślikowski’s
anthropological theory of children’s creativity, the author transfers the notion of childness
beyond strictly literary categories and constructs a polarized image of Lewis as an author:
he emerges as an overmatured child and a childlike adult. The specificity of Boxen
strongly testifies to the fact that the complexity of children’s creations may in some cases
move beyond any commonly accepted standards. The analysis of this work also reveals
the immanence of children’s creative capabilities and organic dependencies between the
motifs and creative schema they use and the culture in which they grow up. Locating
Boxen within the British tradition of animal fable exemplifies these mechanisms. All this
enables finding a common ground between folklore, language and myth. First and
foremost, it reveals the naturalness of these seemingly complicated processes.

References

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Literatura Ludowa. Journal of Folklore and Popular Culture

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Published

2018-02-18

How to Cite

1.
KROPIDŁO, Inez. THE FOLKLORISTIC BUILDING BLOCK OF LITERATURE CREATED BY CHILDREN : THE CASE OF THE LEWIS BROTHERS. Literatura Ludowa. Journal of Folklore and Popular Culture. Online. 18 February 2018. No. 3, pp. 41-51. [Accessed 6 July 2025]. DOI 10.12775/LL.3.2017.004.

Issue

No. 3 (2017): Literatura Ludowa

Section

Articles

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