An initial thought on THE GREAT DIVORCE...
So, I just started reading this wonderful fantasy today, and I'm eating it up. AND I am laughing (of course, I would be) as well. Let me explain why.
There are so many common phrases and sayings that we use in everyday conversation which are in fact a commentary on heaven and hell. I believe that C.S.Lewis intentionally (very intentionally) included many of these "phrasings" in his book.
Here are a few example (JUST from the first few chapters!):
1. "'What the hell are you doing?' shouted the Intelligent Man, leaning roughly across me and pulling the window sharply up. 'Want us all to catch our death of cold?'" (17).
2. "'Oh me? i shall be met in a moment or two. I'm expected. I'm not bothering about that. But it's rather unpleasant on one's first day to have the whole place crowded out with trippers. Damn it, one's chief object in coming here at all was to avoid them!'" (22).
3. "'Don't you know me?' he shouted to the Ghost: and I found it impossible not to turn and attend. The face of the solid spirit--he was one of those that wore a robe--made me want to dance, it was so jocund, so estabilished in its youthfulness. 'Well, I'm damned," (this one's my favorite-I laughed out loud, then felt guilty) said the Ghost. 'I wouldn't have believed it. It's a fair knock-out. It isn't right, Len, you know...'" (26).
4. "I thought there'd be some damned nonsense" (30-31).
I love it! I find it clever. In incorporating these everyday expressions, C.S. Lewis in THE GREAT DIVORCE (of Heaven and Hell) is simultaneously calling into question their true meaning. Do we realize why we are saying when we "damn" it? What the Hell are we doing? ha ha
So, I just started reading this wonderful fantasy today, and I'm eating it up. AND I am laughing (of course, I would be) as well. Let me explain why.
There are so many common phrases and sayings that we use in everyday conversation which are in fact a commentary on heaven and hell. I believe that C.S.Lewis intentionally (very intentionally) included many of these "phrasings" in his book.
Here are a few example (JUST from the first few chapters!):
1. "'What the hell are you doing?' shouted the Intelligent Man, leaning roughly across me and pulling the window sharply up. 'Want us all to catch our death of cold?'" (17).
2. "'Oh me? i shall be met in a moment or two. I'm expected. I'm not bothering about that. But it's rather unpleasant on one's first day to have the whole place crowded out with trippers. Damn it, one's chief object in coming here at all was to avoid them!'" (22).
3. "'Don't you know me?' he shouted to the Ghost: and I found it impossible not to turn and attend. The face of the solid spirit--he was one of those that wore a robe--made me want to dance, it was so jocund, so estabilished in its youthfulness. 'Well, I'm damned," (this one's my favorite-I laughed out loud, then felt guilty) said the Ghost. 'I wouldn't have believed it. It's a fair knock-out. It isn't right, Len, you know...'" (26).
4. "I thought there'd be some damned nonsense" (30-31).
I love it! I find it clever. In incorporating these everyday expressions, C.S. Lewis in THE GREAT DIVORCE (of Heaven and Hell) is simultaneously calling into question their true meaning. Do we realize why we are saying when we "damn" it? What the Hell are we doing? ha ha
posted by yogeert at 1:30 PM
2 Comments:
I enjoyed the humour throughout this book, and no I don't have the slightest idea what the hell I'm doing :). I also thought the ending was great. But because no one else is supposed to be that far, I'll not spoil the ending.
I also noticed the humor and found it very interesting that even those in hell continue life as though it were the same as when they were on earth. That quote about catching their death by the cold left me laughing for a few minutes and then I had to go and tell my next door neighbor. I don't think she appreciated the humor as much as me.
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