Welcome to Episode One in our series Animals in Literature. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meaning we have found in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. How the beloved fables and literary masterpieces featuring animals who live and talk as humans do blur the lines between childhood and adulthood while holding up a mirror to all humanity. Joining me today is a returning Plunge favorite, Landon Loftin. In fact, it was Landon's essay, Literary Tributaries: Classical and Romantic Influences in The Wind in the Willows, that prompted this conversation. It was published in the Mythopoeic Society's MYTHLORE, vol. 44, no. 1. It can be found here: https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3396&context=mythlore Landon Loftin has a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Southwest Baptist University, an MA in Apologetics from Houston Christian University, and a PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University. He is the author of a plethora of academic articles on the writings of authors such as G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield. Additionally, he is co-author of What Barfield Thought: An Introduction to the Work of Owen Barfield, for which he was named co-recipient of the 2023 Award of Excellence by the Barfield Literary Estate. Connect with Landon: Book: https://tinyurl.com/5ee6hr3j Please also check out Seth Lerer's annotated edition of The Wind in the Willows: https://tinyurl.com/2pvzdrfc βΈ» π² Connect with Derek Holser: π¦ Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser π± TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser πΈ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ π Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser π New Book! Lightgliders: Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom β‘ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9
