Byron's Babbles

Yesterday, in Scarcity, I discussed my rereading of The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis. The Great Divorce is an allegory that is an incredible example of Lewis’s imagination and deep thoughts about Heaven and Hell. Interestingly, Lewis puts himself in the book as narrator of the bus trip from Hell to Heaven. For this post I want to hone in on who Lewis picked to be his spiritual guide, or “Solid People”, as they are called in the book – George MacDonald.

MacDonald had a huge effect on Lewis from age 16 when he read Phantastes so was a fitting character for Lewis to pick. Lewis later said, “Picking up a copy of Phantastes one day at a train-station bookstall, I began to read. A few hours later, I knew that I had crossed a great frontier.” Lewis also said that, MacDonald’s Phantastes “baptized his imagination.” Having read Phantastes myself, I get it – amazing!

Lewis was born toward the end of MacDonald’s life, but the two’s path’s never crossed. Yet, here is a man, George MacDonald, who had a profound impact on Lewis’s faith as well as influencing him as a writer. In The Great Divorce, the narrator says, “…I tried, trembling to tell this man all that his writings had done for me” (p. 66). This is quite the reminder that we never know who we might be influencing. Lewis, who died the year I was born, has had a profound influence on me. If I could pick a spiritual guide in heaven, it would be C. S. Lewis.

As you can imagine, in The Great Divorce the narrator is asking MacDonald many questions. I believe through his answers Lewis is trying to help us understand there will be things we don’t know the answers to and we need to be okay with that. I loved it when MacDonald said, “Ye saw the choices a bit more clearly than ye could see them on Earth: the lens was clearer. But it was still seen through the lens. Do not ask of a vision in a dream more than a vision in a dream can give” (p. 144). That last sentence is powerful and emphasizes the limitations of our understanding and perceptions, especially in spiritual contexts, but also in our hopes and dreams for the here and now. We must remember that our dreams can provide insights or reflections on deeper truths, but they are not reality itself.

As part of my Continuing Scholars Program at the Marion E. Wade Center, I am rereading for the third or fourth time The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis. The Great Divorce was inspired by Lewis’s reflections on the nature of heaven and hell, as well as his Christian beliefs regarding life after death. These reflections according to the preface came from Lewis having read William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. This book is so C. S. Lewis! He didn’t write the book to go against Blake, but to make sense of Blake’s views. At the beginning of the Preface Lewis wrote, “If I have written of their [heaven and hell] Divorce, this is not because I think myself a fit antagonist for so great a genius, nor even because I feel at all sure that I know what he meant” (p. VII). I love this because even as self-assured Lewis was he is being vulnerable with us. He is making sense of heaven hell with his readers. I like this vulnerability because it makes it okay for me at times to be able to say to myself, “I’m not sure I have a clue what he meant here.” But then I dig in and try to figure it out.

The philosophical allegory follows a bus ride from a dreary, grey town (representing hell) to a vibrant, beautiful landscape (representing heaven). As various characters disembark from the bus, they encounter people who have already made their choice to embrace or reject the divine. Through these encounters, Lewis explores themes such as free will, the nature of sin, redemption, and the human struggle with accepting divine grace.

One character in the book, Mr. Intelligent, said, “It’s scarcity that enables a society to exist.” This really intrigued me and caused me to ponder Lewis’s exploration of the themes of choice, desire, and the nature of reality in this book and others he wrote. Through Mr. Intelligent’s assertion, he seems to be highlighting the consequences of a materialistic worldview—emphasizing that an overemphasis on scarcity can lead to a disconnection from deeper spiritual truths and moral responsibilities.

Through Mr. Intelligent, Lewis introduces us to the idea that society relies on certain limitations or sacrifices to function. The notion of scarcity, in this context, suggests that when resources are limited, people must make choices and prioritize values, which can lead to the establishment of social structures, relationships, and communities.

We are invited, as readers, to reflect on our own choices and the consequences of those choices. Ultimately, Lewis was emphasizing that the path to spiritual fulfillment and joy lies in the acceptance of God’s love and truth.

Yesterday evening I had the treat of attending the Ken & Jean Hanson Lectureship with Aubrey Buster, Ph.D. – “Here be Dragons”: C.S. Lewis and the Construction of the Monstrous. It was absolutely amazing and I jotted down several points for further pondering. One of the points Dr. Buster made was that monsters are that which is contrary to order. She was suggesting that monsters represent chaos, fear, or disruption in society and the natural world. They often symbolize things that challenge our understanding of normalcy, morality, or the established social order.

C.S. Lewis often used monsters and mythical creatures in his literary works to serve various narrative functions. These figures can represent internal struggles, moral dilemmas, and the battle between good and evil. In literature and mythology, monsters can embody societal fears or serve as a reflection of the human psyche, representing the unknown or repressed aspects of ourselves. Another point Dr. Buster made was that we must see the monster correctly to respond correctly.

As I reflected this morning I caught that I had even created a bit of a monster in Dr. Buster. I found myself feeling inferior to her vast knowledge. Then I needed to see the monster I had created correctly and realize that she should be talking way over my head when it comes to apocalyptic monsters. Not something I have ever studied in depth. That’s why I was attending the lecture – to learn! I was letting my envy create a monster. I’m sure I could begin to rattle off subjects of my studies that Dr. Buster might not be up to speed on. The real monster in this story was me terrorizing myself. To be clear, Dr. Buster is incredible and not a monster!

Essentially, these monsters are figures that disrupt the harmony of life, prompting us to confront our fears and question our assumptions about what is considered “normal.” I loved the discussion of C.S. Lewis’s monsters in Narnia that invite readers to reflect on their own fears and challenges, making the journey through Narnia a metaphor for personal and spiritual growth.

For instance, the White Witch embodies tyranny and oppression, serving as a formidable antagonist who challenges the protagonists’ courage and faith. Her presence forces characters like Aslan, Peter, and Lucy to confront their fears and make difficult choices, ultimately leading to personal growth and revelation. As Dr. Buster taught us, there are no new monsters, just those developed from envy, lust, greed and power.