We all took the Vanity Ghost to be just that, someone so self centered and that was the reason she was concerned with her looks. When I read it, I also thought of it in another way. What if the reason she doesn't want to be seen, is that the Solid people will really see what she looks like. Not that they don't see her, but I mean really see her, what she is made of and the things that she has done.
Possible she is more afraid of the shame of the things that she has done before and tends to cover it up through the make up and clothes. What made me think along these lines was the argument made by the Solid person.
"Don't you remember on earth - there were things too hot to touch with your finger but you could drink them all right? Shame is like that. If you will accept it - if you will drink the cup to the bottom - you will find it nourishing: but try to do anything else with it and it scalds." (61)
I looked at that as to say that she let her shame fester and build up. Now she is so concerned that people will see her, that she can no longer see the real reason behind this drive to look perfect.
What do you think?
Possible she is more afraid of the shame of the things that she has done before and tends to cover it up through the make up and clothes. What made me think along these lines was the argument made by the Solid person.
"Don't you remember on earth - there were things too hot to touch with your finger but you could drink them all right? Shame is like that. If you will accept it - if you will drink the cup to the bottom - you will find it nourishing: but try to do anything else with it and it scalds." (61)
I looked at that as to say that she let her shame fester and build up. Now she is so concerned that people will see her, that she can no longer see the real reason behind this drive to look perfect.
What do you think?
posted by Ella at 4:31 PM
2 Comments:
For me it was very reminiscent of Lewis's Letters to Malcolm where Lewis is bringing forth a possibile reason for the existence of purgatory. In his version a soul demands purgatory because it is unbearable for the soul to bring with it the darkness it posesses before the throne of God. At first I thought this was where Lewis was going with the vain ghost but it seems that the ghosts shame overpowers it. I agree that the shame became a blinding element between her and God.
Just to go a little further, Lewis also presents the counter argument in his Letters to Malcolm where he states that in God's infinite humility he might say, "It is true my son that your breath smells and your rags drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you of these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy."
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