Mar. 19, 2008
Discussion: Chapters 1-4
Posted in Till We Have Faces
I have been looking forward to getting a chance to read this book for a long time. As you know, I am a big Lewis fan. I have actually read all of his fiction except for this. (I also enjoy his non-fiction, but in that area, there is still much to read)
Some of you have said that the first couple chapters were difficult, some have said they were easier than expected. Sometimes it takes a while to get used to the style and tone of a book. I often have to re-read the first couple chapters of a book to make sure that I haven’t missed anything important. It might be a good idea to skim through them again to get a better understanding of the scope of the first four chapters. I think this book is definitely worth taking a little bit more time on.
Discussion Notes
Hopefully by now we all have a pretty good idea of what each of our characters are like and what the setting of this story is. The kingdom of Glome is, to borrow the word from the book, "barren." The peasants are poor and sick, the king can't manage to produce an heir, and the whole situation just seems to be a mess. At first, Psyche seems to be some sort of bright savior, but when nothing miraculous happens, the townspeople grow disgruntled and angry.
What interests me is the very beginning of Chapter 1, when our main character (I can't figure out her name) begins her narration. It gives a small peek into what the end of the story will be like, but there's not much that we can deduce. All we know is that it sounds rather ominous. We'll just have to keep reading and find out why she wrote what she did. ;)
As the subtitle of the book explains, Till We Have Faces is "a myth retold." The classic tale of Cupid and Psyche is something that's been around for a long time (you may or may not be familiar with it). Why did Lewis choose to "re-tell" a familiar piece of literature by writing a novel?
The value of the myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores them to the rich significance that has been hidden by the veil of familiarity...By putting bread, gold, horse, apple, or the very roads into a myth, we do not retreat from reality: we rediscover it. As long as the story lingers in our minds, the real things are more themselves. ~ C.S. Lewis
Lewis believed that truth could be communicated through mythology. The truths that we encounter in everyday life is sometimes hard to see because they are "hidden by the veil of familiarity." The myth puts them in a new light and helps us to see them more clearly.
I'm looking forward to re-discovering some more truths in this book as we continue reading. ;)
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think "the Fox" was so "ashamed of loving poetry"?
2. Why didn't Psyche didn't bond as much with Redival as she did with her other half-sister?
3. Was there any quote or passage that struck you in some way? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. :)
We'll keep reading one chapter a day. I'll post another discussion on Saturday.
Until then!
Sylvia
Comments
Mar. 19, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sweetpotato
1. The couple of times he mentions it, he calls poetry "lies". Maybe he's ashamed of liking something with such exaggerative sentamentality.
2. I guess maybe it was because the main character loved Psyche. It's hard not to like someone who loves you. Redival is, well, selfish to say the least. And definitely has no concern for the well-being of Psyche.
3. Nothing yet.
I have a feeling this is going to be a hard book for me. I mean, the language hasn't really been that dense. But, I have a hard time with books that I know are supposed to say something profound. Because half the time I don't "get" the profound thing, and then it frustrates me. I experienced that when I read C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy. I kept thinking, "I know this is supposed to 'mean' something, but what?" Hopefully our discussion will help me make some sense out of this.
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Earthling
1. Fox called it "all folly". He seems to be a pretty pracitcal, logical person--he did not believe any of the legends of Gleom (although he wanted to know all about them). He said the same thing about the "special bed" that supposedly almost guaranteed the conceiving of males. My guess is he was just one of those "intellectual types" who was a bit of ashamed of beign so in touch with the emotional side of poetry!
2. I think it is mostly because Orual had to take care of Psyche---she was so bonded to her that way. Orual pretty much raised Psyche since her mother died, she took care of her, and she was clearly older when Psyche was born. If she was a young teenager, then Orual was probably a great authoirty figure in Psyche's life. Redivel, on the other hand, did not seem to show the same interest in her half sister.
3. loved the whole part about Batta not being a good mimic, but doing it all the same. Made me laugh, although it is not particualry inspirational or profound or anything!
I think the thing that struck me most was Orual and Psyche's relationship. I think Orual really needed to be loved and someone to take care of, because she's...well, first she's a woman! She didn't get any attention from anyone else, unless it was negative, so the fact that she could take care of Psyche, and earn her love (because Psyche was too young to even realize the difference between ugly and beautiful, she didn't even know she herself was such a beauty!) was a huge deal to her.
Sweetpotato--it is often hard to find the profound parts of books! That's what book clubs are great for...we'll all have to help each other, I guess! :) Between all of us, I think we can manage to figure it out, lol!
Looking forward to more discussion....I'll be gone for Easter so my Saturday reply might be a little late...can't wait to read more!
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Mar. 25, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Lillian
sorry I'm so late, and I hope you find this comment, I've been really busy but here goes:
1. I think maybe because he thought it was bad but couldn't help liking it.
2. Probably because Redival didn't spend any time with her, Redival is a little stuck up if you ask me.
3. So far not, but I'll keep looking
I've really enjoyed the book so far, it's very interesting.
~Lillian
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Mar. 25, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Grace4God
1. Why do you think "the Fox" was so "ashamed of loving poetry"?
I think everybody is at some point...perhaps because he tried to take such a factual view of everything else?
2. Why didn't Psyche didn't bond as much with Redival as she did with her other half-sister?
Their personalities didn't click...and I think that they just didn't really ever LOVE each other.
3. Was there any quote or passage that struck you in some way? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. :)
I'd have to say no....I was trying to get to the story... :P
In Christ,
Grace
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