Hospitality in Tolkien, Lewis, Dick, Ellison, Kirk ...

[Extollager]

I'm developing an article about the importance of hospitality in imaginative fiction, with a secondary focus on real-life hospitality among such writers.

I see hospitality as being a key theme of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings -- I used the word theme rather than element deliberately because I think it is so important, though I'm not going to go into details here. Rivendell (about which my pen-friend Dainis Bisenieks contemplates an essay), Beorn's dwelling, Bombadil's house, Lothlorien, etc. -- these places do more than provide lodging at no charge for important characters.

The Narnian books would hardly exist without the hospitality of the old professor who gives the four children a haven in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe etc. Hospitality is very important indeed in Out of the Silent Planet, being perhaps the virtue above all others associated with the hrossa among whom Ransom sojourns (ironically, given his terrors beforehand about Martian creatures), and in That Hideous Strength (the St. Anne's household). It is also important in Till We Have Faces, when Orual gives shelter to the fugitive prince. And hospitality was extremely important in C. S. Lewis's life, from the time when he was nursing a madman in the 1920s, to his opening his home to evacuees during the war, and more.

The late Russell Kirk, noted for his ghost stories, was a paragon of hospitality -- although I didn't end up taking him up on his invitation to my wife, infant son, and self back around 1985.

I don't have much in the way of fictional examples of hospitality as a key theme in other works of fiction. I know it was important for Harlan Ellison (some of whose guests disgustingly ripped him off) and Philip K. Dick. I have the sense that it might also have figured in the life of Ursula Le Guin, although I'm not sure about that.

Other examples, thoughts?

 

[io_anonimus]

Usually all novels in which tribal or medieval societies are described have some details about hospitality. Less developed is the society more need is for this in the view of many authors. You already mentioned some and I can add Dune and Clan of the cave bears to the list and [FONT=&quot]AO, L'homme ancien (only in French as I know)[/FONT]. I don't know if the Alchemist enter in your options. From books describing modern societies hospitality I am thinking at Triptych of JM Frey.

 

[Extollager]

I can add Dune.....

That's one that's overdue for possible rereading.

I thought how hospitality hardly enters into the scene in a lot of classic fantasy, even though it is so important with Tolkien and Lewis.

That's not to say that the authors I'm about to mention are at fault in that hospitality is not important in them.

But: Peake, Dunsany, Howard, Lovecraft... hospitality doesn't figure in their works, does it?

 

[Abernovo]

A lot of supernatural fiction involves the concept of boundaries and, in particular, thresholds. Part of that is the idea of personal space, but it also has to do with duty towards guests, i.e. that it's the host's obligation to protect and sustain them. I'm not sure how hospitable the guy is himself, but it's a recurring theme in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.

I've heard that Robert Heinlein was a particularly gracious and often hospitable man, as was his wife, Ginny. Obviously that would be something to check, but it certainly featured in several of his books. Off the top of my head, Stranger, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, The Number of the Beast, Glory Road (his high fantasy attempt) and Job all have hospitality and the charity of a stranger as, at least minor, themes in them.

 

[hitmouse]

Terry Pratchett is good at this sort of thing, in that he turns the cliches on their heads whilst demonstrating genuine warmth for his characters. Lots of hospitality.
In The Light Fantastic there is a scene where the greatest warrior in the world is being hosted by a Barbarian King in his hall full of warriors. The King asks The Greatest Warrior what he thinks is the greatest most important thing in a man's life (Seeing the eagle soaring, drawing the great bow, slaying the hydra, rescuing the busty virgin etc etc). The King and his men wait with baited breath for the wisdom to come from the Great One: "A hot bath, soft toilet paper and good dentistry"

 

[Tannara Young]

In regards hospitality in Le Guin's work the scene from "A Wizard of Earthsea" when Sparrowhawk goes to stay with Vetch and his family comes to mind. Its in the end chapter called "Iffish" - in my copy pgs 157-165.

 

[io_anonimus]

That's one that's overdue for possible rereading.

I thought how hospitality hardly enters into the scene in a lot of classic fantasy, even though it is so important with Tolkien and Lewis.

That's not to say that the authors I'm about to mention are at fault in that hospitality is not important in them.

But: Peake, Dunsany, Howard, Lovecraft... hospitality doesn't figure in their works, does it?

I am not yet sure to have a proper answer. I still think that hospitality is present in many books dealing with less advanced societies. It is more present in books like LOTR where the "good" side is the main topic. The "bad" one is there only to emphasis the good. That's why Rivendel is an oasis in a dark land. Peake and even more Lovecraft are writing more about the "bad". Hospitality here can have some meaning only when you are the meal to be served.

 

[j d worthington]

I am not yet sure to have a proper answer. I still think that hospitality is present in many books dealing with less advanced societies. It is more present in books like LOTR where the "good" side is the main topic. The "bad" one is there only to emphasis the good. That's why Rivendel is an oasis in a dark land. Peake and even more Lovecraft are writing more about the "bad". Hospitality here can have some meaning only when you are the meal to be served.

Not quite. I'd say hospitality does play a part in Lovecraft, though it is often more subtle, as in his presentations of the societies of the Old Ones and the Great Race, or the ghouls, night-gaunts, and even the zoogs (to some extent) and especially cats with Carter in Dream-Quest. And often hospitality of the beneficent sort is implicit by contrast with the darker version presented in such tales as The Case of Charles Dexter Ward or "The Dreams in the Witch House", because its very conspicuous absence (or, as with Curwen and Checkley, perversion) aids in our negative impressions of these characters.

Peake has an even more nuanced take on it; e.g., Titus with Muzzlehatch, or Fuschia with Steerpike (one of the few instances we see some genuine compassion eventually emerge from Steerpike, when she is injured).

Ellison... a couple which come sharply to mind are "In Lonely Lands" (to be found in Ellison Wonderland, among others) and "Blind Lightning"; the latter of which begins with the protagonist being an intended "meal" for the Blestonian, and eventually becoming treated with a great deal more kindness, reverence, and pity. Again, other examples are there to be found, though they, too, are often more subtle.

 

[Toby Frost]

Or Lovecraft's "The Picture in the House", which seems like a pretty terrible case of hospitality gone wrong. In fact, I think it's one of Lovecraft's best bits of characterisation of a villain. There's something horribly pornographic about the mad old man, and his self-justification reminds me of some very unpleasant legal cases I've seen at work.

Peake is interesting, as there is a lot of hospitality, especially among the Prunesquallors, but it's often rather spiky and bizarre. I can think of a few moments of genuine good cheer, especially where Prunesquallor and Titus meet up. There's not much of the "ale and meat" type of hospitality, but his characters are perhaps too refined and too neurotic for an honest Viking feast!

 

[j d worthington]

Or Lovecraft's "The Picture in the House", which seems like a pretty terrible case of hospitality gone wrong. In fact, I think it's one of Lovecraft's best bits of characterisation of a villain. There's something horribly pornographic about the mad old man, and his self-justification reminds me of some very unpleasant legal cases I've seen at work.

That's a very good point. Yes, there is a very strong sort of "pornography" at work there (just as J. G. Ballard made it a point to have a strong "pornography of violence" as well as of mysogyny in The Atrocity Exhibition, to emphasize the breakdown of human-to-human interaction and the increased depersonalization of modern society). I'm not sure how comfortable HPL would feel with that label, but I'd say it fits quite nicely.

 

[Mr. Nigro]

I'm developing an article about the importance of hospitality in imaginative fiction, with a secondary focus on real-life hospitality among such writers.

I see hospitality as being a key theme of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings -- I used the word theme rather than element deliberately because I think it is so important, though I'm not going to go into details here. Rivendell (about which my pen-friend Dainis Bisenieks contemplates an essay), Beorn's dwelling, Bombadil's house, Lothlorien, etc. -- these places do more than provide lodging at no charge for important characters.

The Narnian books would hardly exist without the hospitality of the old professor who gives the four children a haven in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe etc. Hospitality is very important indeed in Out of the Silent Planet, being perhaps the virtue above all others associated with the hrossa among whom Ransom sojourns (ironically, given his terrors beforehand about Martian creatures), and in That Hideous Strength (the St. Anne's household). It is also important in Till We Have Faces, when Orual gives shelter to the fugitive prince. And hospitality was extremely important in C. S. Lewis's life, from the time when he was nursing a madman in the 1920s, to his opening his home to evacuees during the war, and more.

The late Russell Kirk, noted for his ghost stories, was a paragon of hospitality -- although I didn't end up taking him up on his invitation to my wife, infant son, and self back around 1985.

I don't have much in the way of fictional examples of hospitality as a key theme in other works of fiction. I know it was important for Harlan Ellison (some of whose guests disgustingly ripped him off) and Philip K. Dick. I have the sense that it might also have figured in the life of Ursula Le Guin, although I'm not sure about that.

Other examples, thoughts?

Hi,

Did you ever end up writing this article? It corresponds with several of my interests, specifically hospitality (as a form of "re-enchantment"), and Tolkien. If your article is available to read somewhere, I'd love to take a look at it.

Thanks

 

[Jo Zebedee]

As a sidenote on C S Lewis, Jack (as we call him here) was Northern Irish and hospitality is embedded in the culture - I was just talking about this with my mum yesterday. No one turns up for a party without a bottle, or food, or something. If a guest arrives, they'll have whatever the family is having. It's totally ingrained in the society. Don't know if that's helpful or not.

 

[Extollager]

Hi,

Did you ever end up writing this article? It corresponds with several of my interests, specifically hospitality (as a form of "re-enchantment"), and Tolkien. If your article is available to read somewhere, I'd love to take a look at it.

Thanks

Thanks for asking, and for reminding me of this thread that I let slip through my fingers; no, the article was never written. The closest I came was a keynote paper on That Hideous Strength written about 15 years ago for a retreat. Send me a private message here from Chrons if you're interested in a copy. It's a hodgepodge about 60 pages long.

Hospitality and re-enchantment sounds fascinating. I hope you will tell us more here and now, or else write up something for publication and point it out to us in due course. In the meantime, a warm welcome to Chrons!

Dale Nelson

 

[svalbard]

You may want to go right back and begin your article with Homer. Hospitality is a central theme in The Odyessy.

 

[Danny McG]

Going back to the start of this thread I've got some confusion about " hospitality in imaginative fiction" - I'm quite new to Chrons and am slowly working my
through all the forums to basically broaden my understanding of all the genres. What is a definition of imaginative fiction please ?

 

[Extollager]

I'll take a poke at your question. All fiction is imaginative, but in ordinary usage -- or at least as I use it -- "imaginative fiction" would mean something like this:

a.fantasy, including high fantasy or Tolkienian fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, etc.
b.science fiction, including science fantasy like Stars Wars and speculative fiction like 1984
c.dark fantasy, like Dracula and The Woman in Black
perhaps also d.animal fantasy like Watership Down or a lot of writing for children such as the Beatrix Potter books

The slant at Chrons is towards science fiction, but with quite a bit of interest in fantasy and dark fantasy too.

 

[Danny McG]

ok cheers. it appears imaginative fiction is more or less everything discussed over these forums. I thought it was some obscure sub genre I was missing out on. thanks again