Avrial Turner
Mrs. Maine
British Literature
Date
Title C.S. Lewis was the leading edge of his day, and still continues to be a source of intuitive thought in the modern day even after his death. His works are unprecedented and widely known. One of Lewis’ most well known books is titled Mere Christianity in which he describes the reasons to believe in a God and what those who believe in the Christian God should act and be like. One of Lewis’ lesser known books is entitled Till We Have Faces. In this story, Orual, the oldest and ugliest sister of three, tells her story as she struggles with jealousy for her sisters, guilt of her sister’s death, and inward suffering from confidence. C.S. Lewis craftily repaints the myth of Cupid and Psyche …show more content…
Lewis shows his ideas on temperance that he writes on in Mere Christianity through plot of Till We Have Faces. The plot of Till We have Faces is complex, but one instance in particular shows Lewis’ ideas on temperance as he describes it as “going the right length and no further.” When Psyche, Orual’s beautiful and temperate youngest sister, is given to the god Cupid, Orual believes Psyche is simply being deceived. She tries to convince her sister to look upon her lover’s face as she was not allowed to. Psyche says, “I am afraid – no, I am ashamed – to disobey him.” Psyche shows temperance in knowing that she was given a rule not to look upon her god-like lover because it would destroy her. Yet Orual pushes Psyche to take a lamp with little oil and look upon his face. Orual stabs her own arm in attempt to show Psych that she will take her own life if Psyche does not agree. After stabbing her arm, Orual realizes she has gone to far “So I had won my victory and my heart was in torment. I had a terrible longing to unsay all my words and beg her forgiveness. But I held out the dagger.” “Tortured into her disobedience,” Psyche takes the oil and lamp to her nightly meeting with her lover. Ultimately, Psyche is banished and destroyed for her disobedience, and Orual carries the guilt of not remaining temperate like her sister for the remainder of her …show more content…
The definition of justice in Mere Christianity and the idea of justice that can be seen in Till We Have Faces through the injustice of the gods against Psyche and Orual. Temperance can be seen in Till We Have Faces as Lewis describes temperance in Mere Christianity through the instance of Orual pushing the boundaries given by the gods that ultimately lead Psych to her death bed. In the daily life of any person are many chances to be either just or unjust; temperate or intemperate. It is up to the person to decide whether they wish to be the gods with injustice or temperate as Psych
Mrs. Maine
British Literature
Date
Title C.S. Lewis was the leading edge of his day, and still continues to be a source of intuitive thought in the modern day even after his death. His works are unprecedented and widely known. One of Lewis’ most well known books is titled Mere Christianity in which he describes the reasons to believe in a God and what those who believe in the Christian God should act and be like. One of Lewis’ lesser known books is entitled Till We Have Faces. In this story, Orual, the oldest and ugliest sister of three, tells her story as she struggles with jealousy for her sisters, guilt of her sister’s death, and inward suffering from confidence. C.S. Lewis craftily repaints the myth of Cupid and Psyche …show more content…
Lewis shows his ideas on temperance that he writes on in Mere Christianity through plot of Till We Have Faces. The plot of Till We have Faces is complex, but one instance in particular shows Lewis’ ideas on temperance as he describes it as “going the right length and no further.” When Psyche, Orual’s beautiful and temperate youngest sister, is given to the god Cupid, Orual believes Psyche is simply being deceived. She tries to convince her sister to look upon her lover’s face as she was not allowed to. Psyche says, “I am afraid – no, I am ashamed – to disobey him.” Psyche shows temperance in knowing that she was given a rule not to look upon her god-like lover because it would destroy her. Yet Orual pushes Psyche to take a lamp with little oil and look upon his face. Orual stabs her own arm in attempt to show Psych that she will take her own life if Psyche does not agree. After stabbing her arm, Orual realizes she has gone to far “So I had won my victory and my heart was in torment. I had a terrible longing to unsay all my words and beg her forgiveness. But I held out the dagger.” “Tortured into her disobedience,” Psyche takes the oil and lamp to her nightly meeting with her lover. Ultimately, Psyche is banished and destroyed for her disobedience, and Orual carries the guilt of not remaining temperate like her sister for the remainder of her …show more content…
The definition of justice in Mere Christianity and the idea of justice that can be seen in Till We Have Faces through the injustice of the gods against Psyche and Orual. Temperance can be seen in Till We Have Faces as Lewis describes temperance in Mere Christianity through the instance of Orual pushing the boundaries given by the gods that ultimately lead Psych to her death bed. In the daily life of any person are many chances to be either just or unjust; temperate or intemperate. It is up to the person to decide whether they wish to be the gods with injustice or temperate as Psych