A sneak peek behind the scenes at Realising Imagination

Realising imagination?

The phrase Realising Imagination was coined by author, theologian and academic, CS Lewis.

As a professor of medieval literature, Lewis was fascinated with the way medieval people created or reimagined stories. His series of fantastical children's books, The Chronicles of Narnia, were his own interpretation of this realising imagination.

In The Discarded Image, the last book he completed before his death, Lewis described the medieval imagination as a realising imagination.

As blogger C Burrell comments, mediaeval authors 'took stories already in existence and re-told them, re-imagined them, gave them fresh life. The art consisted not in invention, but in the artful telling of the tale. Some are liable to think this practice was the result of a lack of imagination on their part, a dimwittedness or rigidity that prevented them from expressing themselves in new and original works. Lewis sees it otherwise.'

Lewis wrote in The Discard Image, "If you had asked Layamon or Chaucer ‘Why do you not make up a brand-new story of your own?’ I think they might have replied (in effect) ‘Surely we are not yet reduced to that?’ Spin something

out of one’s own head when the world teems with so many noble deeds, wholesome examples, pitiful tragedies, strange adventures, and merry jests which have never yet been set forth quite so well as they deserve?'"

The aim was to present a worthy story worthily.

For me, the art is in presenting your story in a manner that is worthy of your brand. It's about helping you to realise your imagination.

All content copyright 2015

Realising Imagination /
Ralph Buckingham