# Nov 22: Let's not forget CS Lewis and Aldous Huxley **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2013, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794 "2013-11-13T06:23:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/41 "2013-11-15T21:06:34Z")
Lewis is easily my favorite Christian author. I visited his birthplace (Little Lea) earlier this year. I grew up reading Narnia and the space trilogy. I find _That Hideous Strength_ and _The Great Divorce_ to be my favorites and I try to read TGD every few years. > [@Malacandra](#): > > The Calormene to whom **BrainGlutton** refers is Emeth, and it all goes down much as BG says: Emeth thinks that Tash must be great and holy and so utterly worthy of admiration that it is worth dying a thousand deaths simply to look on him face to face for a moment. As soon as he sees Aslan however he realizes that he was mistaken in not offering his worship to Him, and he is too honest to try to pretend that he has worshipped anyone but Tash. A point to add to Malacandra’s defense: Emeth is “saved” (if you will) not because he believes in Aslan but because he believed in Tash! This was such a radical statement (and Lewis’ biggest influence on me). > [@For You](#): > > The characters that are evil are always recognizable as such. Wolves, ogres, hags, giants, the nasties are consistently typecast in a way that encourages young readers to feel that you can visually identify who is most likely to be bad. Most non-predatory woodland animals are either good or may have been deceived or beguiled into serving the needs of a bad person. We’ll gloss over the facts that the White Witch was very white and very beautiful and that Aslan is a predator. In fiction the dichotomy between good and evil is largely like this. For example in LOTR the good guys are elves, hobbits, men, etc. while the bad guys are ugly orcs or trolls. In fairy tales the witch is often an ugly hag. Flip through early comic books and you’ll be able to differentiate the good from bad just by appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/42 "2013-11-15T22:14:04Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Lewis is easily my favorite Christian author. I visited his birthplace (Little Lea) earlier this year. I grew up reading Narnia and the space trilogy. I find _That Hideous Strength_ and _The Great Divorce_ to be my favorites and I try to read TGD every few years. Oh indeed, 🆒 > [@Deeg](#): > > A point to add to Malacandra’s defense: Emeth is “saved” (if you will) not because he believes in Aslan but because he believed in Tash! This was such a radical statement (and Lewis’ biggest influence on me). Yes. But the qualities Emeth believed to reside in Tash were actually those inherent to Aslan (and he realized his error the moment he saw Aslan); he believed in truth-speaking, courage, obedience - all the positive qualities which his culture possessed. And when he saw Peter he stated that it would be a privilege to know him as either a noble friend or a noble enemy. You might call him a “righteous pagan”; had he known Tash for the monster he was, it is highly unlikely Emeth would have worshipped him. 🙂 (The best you can say about Tash is that he finds his nominal worshippers’ lack of faith disturbing…) ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/43 "2013-11-16T00:03:49Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I don’t think Lewis’s depictions of or attitudes toward women are one of his strong points—but see _Till We Have Faces_, the novel he wrote with the help/influence of his wife Joy, whom he married late in life. I’m so glad you mentioned _Till We Have Faces_! Discussions of Lewis seem to invariably center on Narnia, _Screwtape_, _Mere Christianity_, or less commonly the Space Trilogy, but many seem to overlook _Till We Have Faces_. It’s absolutely my favorite of his works of fiction, and Queen Orual is one of my favorite characters. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/44 "2013-11-16T00:13:05Z")
If you search the Internet, you will likely find the page I found some years ago, which contended that Kennedy, Huxley and Lewis are all in Hell, due to their pagan ways. Sigh… ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/45 "2013-11-16T03:48:28Z")
Deeg writes: \> Lewis is easily my favorite Christian author. I visited his birthplace (Little Lea) \> earlier this year. Nitpick: It’s not his birthplace. His family didn’t move into that house until he was seven: > **[C. S. Lewis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis)** > > Clive Staples Lewis FBA (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge University (Magdalene College, 1954–1963). He is best known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, but he is also noted for his other works of fiction, such as The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy, and for his non-fiction Christian apol... ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/46 "2013-11-16T04:30:15Z")
Ape and Essence – 'nuff said ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/47 "2013-11-16T18:37:50Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Ape and Essence – 'nuff said Honorable Mention: _Time Must Have A Stop_ ---
**Author:** ![Tante\_Dillie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Tante\_Dillie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tante_Dillie)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/48 "2013-11-16T21:28:36Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > What about people who want to threadshit? > : Thank you, Malacandra, from the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/49 "2013-11-16T22:12:25Z")
To be fair, it’s probably time for the Huxley fans to have their turn - all I’ve read of his is _Brave New World_ and I’m more than willing to be educated a little. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/50 "2013-11-17T14:49:29Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > There is a novel called _Between Heaven and Hell_ which describes Lewis, Kennedy and Huxley all arriving in Purgatory at the same time and having a conversation about the nature of Jesus. I’ve always thought that was a fascinating premise, although I don’t know if the book is any good or not. It’s by Catholic apologist & college professor Peter Kreeft. It’s not as good as it should be. The JFK character is a straw man of “Optimistic American humanism with a touch of civic piety”, Aldous Huxley’s character fairs better as there is more philosophical depth & complexity to work with. Of course, both are bested by uber-Christian Lewis & the end implies that he is going on to Paradise, while the other two will receded to lanquish in the Grey City. I hope Kreeft might someday decide to revisit the idea with the complexity & depth it deserves & with better respect for the actual men portrayed. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/51 "2013-11-17T15:23:16Z")
Here’s the website about why Lewis, Kennedy, and Huxley should all be in hell: [http://www.homemakerscorner.com/cslewis.htm](http://www.homemakerscorner.com/cslewis.htm) FriarTed, I don’t see how one could create a good book about the three men all being together. You could do like Kreeft did and create simplified versions of all of them (indeed, perhaps ones which aren’t even close to the real people) and have them argue the cases for these arbitrarily created philosophical positions, but it would be arbitrary argument. On the other hand, you could have them be close to the real people, but then it would be no more interesting than having any random set of three people thrown together. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/52 "2013-11-18T00:49:37Z")
“Keep a strict eye on eulogistic & dyslogistic adjectives—They should diagnose (not merely blame) & distinguish (not merely praise.)” - good advice given by Lewis as tutor to future theater critic Kenneth Tynan. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/53 "2013-11-18T00:52:21Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Here’s the website about why Lewis, Kennedy, and Huxley should all be in hell: > > [C. S. Lewis - The Devil's Wisest Fool](http://www.homemakerscorner.com/cslewis.htm) Thanks (I think) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/54 "2013-11-23T18:59:29Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > I’m so glad you mentioned _Till We Have Faces_! Discussions of Lewis seem to invariably center on Narnia, _Screwtape_, _Mere Christianity_, or less commonly the Space Trilogy, but many seem to overlook _Till We Have Faces_. It’s absolutely my favorite of his works of fiction, and Queen Orual is one of my favorite characters. I can stomach the Narnia books and such well enough. It’s when Lewis gets into straightforward apologetics/homiletics that he displays what I can only call spiritual corruption. I can’t read a single chapter of _The Screwtape Letters_ without wanting to drag him out of the grave just to scream at him. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/55 "2013-11-23T20:04:14Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I _do_ think Lewis is guilty of cultural snobbery, but what Englishman isn’t? That is the cleverest thing I’ve read in a long time… …partly because I was just thinking “I gloss right over Lewis’s obvious sexism and prejudices because he was an early 20th century upper class BritTwit.” Oh, almost forgot my second-hand Lewis story. One of the profs at Beloit College (WI) in the 70s had had him as a professor, and quickly learned not to half-ass a paper. Got one back with no grade, just _ **“BALLS!”** _ scrawled across the top. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794/56 "2013-11-23T22:35:24Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > …I _do_ think Lewis is guilty of cultural snobbery, but what Englishman isn’t? Hmmph… Typical colonial attitude… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nov-22-lets-not-forget-cs-lewis-and-aldous-huxley/673794.md?page=2)