Resumo de The Great Divorce

The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis, opens a door in which the reader may explore some of Lewis?s personal beliefs and, as he might say, ?supposals?; though a brief book review will hardly embrace the complete meaning of it, one may explore some of the basic principles from the book in Lewis?s perspective. This fictional work develops the idea of a ?refigerium,? found in Jeremy Taylor?s sermon, ?Christ?s Advent to Judgment,? and Prudentius Aurellius Clemens? ?Hymn for the Lighting of the Lamp.? Every chapter builds into an introspective story, which guides readers into thoughts of heavenly rumination. In provoking one into thoughts of heaven Lewis raises all the questions that have ever come into man?s mind about paradise. With his imagination and descriptive language Lewis begins to enthrall and invite us into this volume.

Lewis did not merely write a book for readers to come away stating that it seemed to have an interesting plot or a curious ending. He wanted to have something made: unlike many authors who only have something said. Not only did Lewis link each episode of the main character in a clear chronological or ?real life? order but also revealed a second type of design throughout the entirety of The Great Divorce to truly makes something. This second design divulges from the first. Through following the plot an author, if he has skill and understanding of language, may weave such a thread that everything, even each sentence, holds the reader?s interest and bequeaths a pleasure to the mind and soul. This ideal, of course, cannot be attained, but I believe Lewis speaks sincerely to the reader from his heart and comes close, in certain places, to accomplishing this standard. I believe Lewis yearned for his works to have no ?extra? words by remembering ?we are to give account for every idle word.?(Jeremy Taylor, ?Christ?s Advent To Judgement?) One of the most well known quotes, which embody the perfect standard comes when George MacDonald explains ?[t]here are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ?Thy will be done,? and those to whom God says, in the end, ?Thy will be done.??(72)

Through his novel Lewis cajoles, through description, imagination, and narrative, the reader into a plethora of avenues for his mind and soul to contemplate. Imagining, comparing and contrasting, and reading between the lines are essentials that the mind must employ in order to fully grasp the meaning of The Great Divorce. In receiving this work one needs to see and hear the words. One cannot read this book and throw it out the window, for with the ?real world? issues Lewis deals with one must open his eyes and examine the words. Our minds travel through MacDonald?s words of wisdom and into a perspective that impacts our beliefs and worldview. ?Any man may choose eternal death. Those who choose it will have it.?(122) What clearer message can Lewis present? After reviewing the conversations throughout The Great Divorce, one has the choice of damnation or reconciliation.

In this work Lewis forces the reader to ?get out of the way.? He pulls imagination and fantisy into a book dealing with philosophy, theology, and apologetics: with this he imbues the mind through the mythology and reality of heaven. Every stide one takes through The Great Diorce enlarges the intelectual and imaginary senses. The frolic of two ?bouncing?(38) lions or the solemnety of ?the silver table [] Time?(123) ignites our feelings into an affection for the God who recieves us, even after all our iniquities. Lewis realized that his writing could change how someone viewed death and the life after it, and he leads the reader through the ?after life? of one man (himself). Through the slow but steady transformation of Lewis?s journey after death he conducts his reader into his own transformation. With every phase of the novel one must become someone else and yet remain himself. Just as Jesus makes His ?strength [] [] perfect in [our] weakness.?(2 Corinthians 12:9) We remain the same, but God fashions our inperfections into perfection through Jesus?s blood.

At the nucleus Lewis?s work he explains his beliefs, which fall into these three main catigories: values, morality, and good versus evil. One of the most prevelent of these core ideas, which I found the most facinating, occurs in the form of good versus evil. Lewis asserts that he views good and evil as two different, and yet closely related, topics; with this he extends it by the belief that good always overcomes evil. In teaching these particular points of view Lewis stresses them over the entire novel and through many of his other works. One will notice that in The Great Divorce he uses the ghosts as examples of how good can always triumph over evil, and the ghosts have the power, through God, to overcome evil. ?Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No should that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it.?(72) Even with the logical points provided by the spirits the ghosts continued to wrap themselves into a blanket of ?self fulfillment.?

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