C.S. Lewis-- The Great Divorce

ac claire · #1 Mar 31, '08, 1:05 pm

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Is anyone interested in starting a discussion of this book?

It's very short and is a quick read. We could start up the thread with just a few people if necesary. Any takers?

Hunho · #2 Apr 1, '08, 8:07 am

YES!

(I hope that isn't too hesitant or uncertain a reply.)

pippin · #3 Apr 2, '08, 7:09 am

I ordered the book.

ac claire · #4 Apr 2, '08, 6:59 pm

Awesome!!

When should we start? When do you get your book, pippin?

Anyone else...?

pippin · #5 Apr 3, '08, 6:36 am

4 to 14 business days from yesterday according to the email they sent me.

Hunho · #6 Apr 4, '08, 10:58 am

Where did you order your copy from?

pippin · #7 Apr 8, '08, 3:41 pm

Amazon. I got it yesterday. I've read the first two chapters.

ac claire · #8 Apr 8, '08, 8:29 pm

I'm about halfway through it, but I'm going back and re-reading it more slowly and thoughtfully. (I tend to real very fast and sometimes miss details...) It really is a quick read. It's hard for me to slow down!

Well, this is my first actual involvement in a book club discussion. How do we go about this? Just read it chapter by chapter and post our thoughts? Or do we organize our discussion on more of a schedule? Does somebody lead everything, or we all just chime in or what...?

Just wanted to know for sure.

pippin · #9 Apr 9, '08, 7:07 am

I think we can do this anyway we want. Chapter by Chapter works for me. I don't have a lot of time for reading now, but I was really caught up in this book from the start. It seems to start in the middle in the sense that the narrater is in this strange city and we don't know how he got there. But then, he doesn't seem to know either at this point. At this point I was thinking it was a dream. I really wanted to know where the bus was going. It seemed odd that he would get on the bus when he has no idea where it is going.

ac claire · #10 Apr 10, '08, 5:17 am

I didn't pick up that it was possibly a dream right from the start. But when you go back and read the first few pages, it makes sense. The strage circumstances and the narrator not seeming to know what was going on, but being OK with that-- those all point to a dream.

The different passengers seem to represent different sins or errors in thinking.

Hunho- Have you started yet?

pippin · #11 Apr 11, '08, 6:54 am

Having read further, I think it would be good to discuss each passenger and his/her sins. Each one seems to represent a different type of error in thinking.

ac claire · #12 Apr 11, '08, 8:25 pm

Pippin, good idea. So first up: the Tousel-Headed poet. I liked this one...

Entertaining, and I can truly see people I've known in this character. We all can. The error is a romantic liberal, anti-capitalist worldview...although these are political ideaologies, it rings very false. Like, I'd guess this passenger doesn't know or care much about political systems or sociology. He seems spiritually lazy and doesn't want to take responsibility for anything, so nothing is his fault. He reacts to things defensively. (I guess there's probably an term for this error, but I can't put my finger on it...)

Hunho · #13 Apr 11, '08, 9:32 pm

Basically I'm hesitating - in spite of my enthusiastic response to ac claire's initial post for this thread - because (1) I've found from experience that I can't approach CSL's work as isolated works - essays, novels, books, whatever - but only as a part of his entire body of work, (2) I get far too bossy if I don't watch myself (and, too often, even when I do), (3) I regularly pull in things that are not obviously related, much less relevant, to the topic at hand, (4) I tend to pick a direction (or directions) to follow that isn't the direction that everyone else picks and (5) I have a strong tendency to dump far more information on people than they probably want. So, given all of that, feel free to tell me to shut up and go play with a hula hoop.

Hunho · #14 Apr 12, '08, 7:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac claire

Hunho- Have you started yet?

Clarification! This quote was supposed to have been at the start of my prior post. My post was intended to be an answer, however rambling, to ac claire's question " Hunho- Have you started yet?". The simple answer is yes. Suggestion: read C.S. Lewis's Preface
to see what Lewis 's intention and purpose for The Great Divorce.

ac claire · #15 Apr 13, '08, 11:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunho

Basically I'm hesitating - in spite of my enthusiastic response to ac claire's initial post for this thread - because (1) I've found from experience that I can't approach CSL's work as isolated works - essays, novels, books, whatever - but only as a part of his entire body of work, (2) I get far too bossy if I don't watch myself (and, too often, even when I do), (3) I regularly pull in things that are not obviously related, much less relevant, to the topic at hand, (4) I tend to pick a direction (or directions) to follow that isn't the direction that everyone else picks and (5) I have a strong tendency to dump far more information on people than they probably want. So, given all of that, feel free to tell me to shut up and go play with a hula hoop.

I say, jump in. I actually like each of these qualities you mentioned, and I imagine I would especially appreciate them in a book club discussion...

I did read the Preface. I will write some more tomorrow on the passengers and the first few chapters. I am dead tired tonight and have to be up again in 4 hours...