"Within and Without": Exploring the Mind in the Novels of George MacDonald

<p>George MacDonald‟s first published novel, Phantastes, is the story of a young man who enters and must negotiate his way through a fantasy landscape. This landscape, it is suggested, is one of the mind, and Anodos‟ journey through it one of self-exploration and discovery. The sustained metaphor of the mind as a territory to be actively explored through the medium of the physical world, furthermore, is argued to be the basis of several of MacDonald‟s novels. While for Anodos the mind is all, forming as it does the basis of the entire fantasy world of Fairy Land, in the author‟s numerous realist texts the interest emerges in more varied ways, including for example, portrayals of depression, madness, and drug (ab)use. While this significant and unifying feature of MacDonald‟s novels has been at times observed by critics with regard to some individual texts, it has not been directly confronted in terms of an inclusive study of his oeuvre. What this thesis demonstrates is firstly the overwhelming significance of the mind as a focal point for MacDonald‟s novels, as represented by six central texts: Phantastes, Adela Cathcart, Wilfrid Cumbermede, Malcolm, Donal Grant, and The Flight of the Shadow. It is suggested that such a consistent prioritising of the mind over the physical body lies in the author‟s own experience of ongoing physical illness and resulting confrontation with mortality. The mind becomes, for MacDonald, a means of negotiating the relationship between the realms of the physical and the spiritual. In Phantastes, for example, Anodos‟ physical experience (achieved through the genre of fantasy) of his own mind in Fairy Land, concludes with reference to the afterlife. The mind in this (and MacDonald‟s other novels) provides the means by which transcendence is achieved.</p>

"Within and Without": Exploring the Mind in the Novels of George MacDonald

<p>George MacDonald‟s first published novel, Phantastes, is the story of a young man who enters and must negotiate his way through a fantasy landscape. This landscape, it is suggested, is one of the mind, and Anodos‟ journey through it one of self-exploration and discovery. The sustained metaphor of the mind as a territory to be actively explored through the medium of the physical world, furthermore, is argued to be the basis of several of MacDonald‟s novels. While for Anodos the mind is all, forming as it does the basis of the entire fantasy world of Fairy Land, in the author‟s numerous realist texts the interest emerges in more varied ways, including for example, portrayals of depression, madness, and drug (ab)use. While this significant and unifying feature of MacDonald‟s novels has been at times observed by critics with regard to some individual texts, it has not been directly confronted in terms of an inclusive study of his oeuvre. What this thesis demonstrates is firstly the overwhelming significance of the mind as a focal point for MacDonald‟s novels, as represented by six central texts: Phantastes, Adela Cathcart, Wilfrid Cumbermede, Malcolm, Donal Grant, and The Flight of the Shadow. It is suggested that such a consistent prioritising of the mind over the physical body lies in the author‟s own experience of ongoing physical illness and resulting confrontation with mortality. The mind becomes, for MacDonald, a means of negotiating the relationship between the realms of the physical and the spiritual. In Phantastes, for example, Anodos‟ physical experience (achieved through the genre of fantasy) of his own mind in Fairy Land, concludes with reference to the afterlife. The mind in this (and MacDonald‟s other novels) provides the means by which transcendence is achieved.</p>

Duplicity behind Stained Glass: Childlike “Self-knowledge” and the Role of Community

The recent revelation of Jean Vanier (1928–2019) and historical cases of sexual manipulation and abuse of six women workers at L’Arche (Trosly-Breuil, France, 1970–2005) is a reminder of our human fragility. This article explores the question of how we, as people working in religion, can seek greater integration so as to avoid, as far as possible, the self-deception and duplicity that can lead to profound harm of others. Through engaging with two theologians—Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) and George MacDonald (1824–1905)—we gain insights concerning discernment of our blind spots, plus wisdom regarding ways to safeguard ourselves from duplicity. Teresa reminds us of the need to continually develop authentic “self-knowledge,” and the importance of a courageous, discerning community—both a perceptive spiritual director and honest peers who are willing to challenge leaders and speak up. MacDonald highlights the need for spiritual discernment and a “childlike” posture (rather than self-elevation to a revered “guru” status), to help us live more integrated, genuine lives. Both dialogue partners are explicitly Christocentric and emphasize the ongoing work of the Spirit, opening our eyes and ears to the reality of who we truly are, and the importance of imitating and being “in Christ,” in order to be freed from self-obsession, duplicity, and self-deception.

Metamorphosis in Fairy Tale Translation: Lingucognitive Perspective

The present article is an attempt to study and reveal linguocognitive properties of metamorphosis in line with its translation. The data analysis of this research is carried out on the fairy tale “At the Back of the North Wind” by Scottish fairy tale writer George MacDonald. Theoretical framework keenly touches upon Local translation strategies suggested by Chesterman and model of metamorphosis by Moskvichova. The article meticulously outlines the stylistic and cognitive nature of metamorphosis through which conversion of the transformative into the transformed along with compelling explication of the reasons for the change- its cause- and verb markers/predicates sum up the concept of conversion and transformation.

A figura da velha fiandeira na tessitura de caminhos na obra A Princesa e o Goblin de George Macdonald

Este artigo pretende fazer uma leitura da personagem “Velha Senhora”, da obra A princesa e o goblin, publicada pela primeira vez em 1872, por George MacDonald. Essa misteriosa figura, através de uma presença insólita na narrativa, tece caminhos para a personagem Irene, princesa que se encontra no centro de um plano de sequestro, para ser levada às entranhas das montanhas pelas criaturas chamadas “goblins”. Essa velha senhora será analisada aqui, através do imaginário da figura mítica da fiandeira. Para tal leitura ser realizada, será evocado neste trabalho o estudo “As fiandeiras” de Hughes Liborel, presente no livro Dicionário de mitos literários (2005). Como a personagem influencia de forma misteriosa os espaços e caminhos da história, além da viagem ascensional de Irene, traremos também estudos de Gaston Bachelard, Gilbert Durand e Novalis, para ilustrar a questão espacial, celestial e temporal na personagem em questão.

The role of improved housing and living environments in malaria control and elimination

Malaria risk and endemicity is often associated with the nature of human habitation and living environment. The disappearance of malaria from regions where it had been endemic for centuries, such as coastal areas of southern England, has been attributed, at least in part, to improvement in the quality of housing. Moreover, indigenous malaria transmission ceased throughout England without the necessity to eliminate the vector mosquitoes. The principles of malaria transmission, as formulated following the thinking of the pioneers of malaria epidemiology, Ronald Ross and George Macdonald, show how this may happen. Malaria ceases to be sustainable where its reproduction number, R0, the number of new cases generated on average for each existing case of malaria, falls below 1. In the terms of a Ross/Macdonald analysis the reduced contact between humans and blood-feeding mosquitoes that is achieved through housing that is secure against mosquito entry can have a powerful effect in reducing malaria R0. The island of Sri Lanka, where malaria had been endemic probably for centuries previously, has reported no indigenous cases of malaria since 2012. The disappearance of malaria from Sri Lanka followed an effective attack upon malaria transmission by the Sri Lanka Anti Malaria Campaign. The targeted and enhanced efforts of this campaign launched in 1999, drove the malaria R0 below 1 for most of the period up to 2012, leading to a nearly continuous decline in malaria cases until their extinction. The decades leading up to the launch of these efforts were ones of general improvement of living environment and notably in the quality of housing stock. Studies in the late 1980s had shown that quality of housing in a highly malarious district of Sri Lanka was a strong determinant of malaria risk. Through its effects on malaria R0, improved housing is likely to have facilitated the malaria control and cessation of indigenous malaria transmission in Sri Lanka and that it will help reduce the risk of the re-introduction of malaria to the island.