The Space Trilogy
- Thread starter tgraveline
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I think it's just innate wisdom combined with his keen powers of observation. Don't forget that you don't necessarily have to experience something to understand it - in fact, sometimes having a detached perspective can be helpful in seeing things that those in the middle of something cannot see. As a married man, I think some of Lewis' observations and portrayals of married life within Strength are some of the most insightful in all literature.
He also pulled this off in Till We Have Faces, which was written from the perspective of a female protagonist. Obviously he wasn't a woman, yet many critics who read it "blind" (i.e. not knowing the author) swore that it not only had to have been written by a woman, but was one of the most powerful expressions of the feminine genius that they'd ever read.
He also pulled this off in Till We Have Faces, which was written from the perspective of a female protagonist. Obviously he wasn't a woman, yet many critics who read it "blind" (i.e. not knowing the author) swore that it not only had to have been written by a woman, but was one of the most powerful expressions of the feminine genius that they'd ever read.
(spoiler)
It is weird, but it fits with the story. Consider that the heart of Belbury had been disunity and barrenness: the never-ending backbiting and machinations, and Filostrato's mad worship of the "cleansed" world (which was just an obvious reflection of everyone's underlying attitude.) That had been destroyed, and from St. Anne's would spring a properly submitted order that would fill the void. That had to begin where God had begun the world itself: with unity and fruitfulness. Notice Ransom's blessing on Jane: "Have no more dreams. Have children instead." She (and Mark) had seen the bitter fruit of their voluntary barrenness and choice of a "modern" marriage - in fact, no marriage at all, but two individuals living together and (effectively) using each other. At St. Anne's, Jane had had the chance to see the properly ordered alternative in the Dimbles, the Dennistons, and even in the sparring of MacPhee and Grace Ironwood. It was poetically fitting that the reestablishment of proper order began under the "star" of Perelandra (Venus) when she came for Ransom. Unity and fruitfulness are the end of that story, and the beginning of the next one.
I love the portrayal of Mark and Jane's marriage in THS. It is very realistic as far as I am concerned: a couple of children who each expects the other to conform to their image of what a happy modern marriage wil be: Jane thinks she will pursue her schoolwork and have no children for a good while so she can be a success in her own right, and Mark thinks Jane wil become the stunning, silent ornament on his arm so he's envied by all the other guys for his trophy wife ...
Then they both have this slow, painful awakening -- Jane realizes that she has lost respect for Mark and so can't honor him; their love can't flourish because she's become her own boss and placed him in a secondary or child position, and how can you have romance with someone you treat as a child or dullard? Mark realizes that Jane is a human being in her own right with untapped wells of intellect and emotion that he never took the time to discover or value before because he simply wanted a pretty wife to complete his facile picture of success.
These things can happen in marriage, and sadly many times the realization of what has happened never comes, and the union founders.
I think God gave Jack insights, even as an unmarried man ... I wonder if he always remembered these insights after he married?
Then they both have this slow, painful awakening -- Jane realizes that she has lost respect for Mark and so can't honor him; their love can't flourish because she's become her own boss and placed him in a secondary or child position, and how can you have romance with someone you treat as a child or dullard? Mark realizes that Jane is a human being in her own right with untapped wells of intellect and emotion that he never took the time to discover or value before because he simply wanted a pretty wife to complete his facile picture of success.
These things can happen in marriage, and sadly many times the realization of what has happened never comes, and the union founders.
I think God gave Jack insights, even as an unmarried man ... I wonder if he always remembered these insights after he married?
Dark Tower is kind of a toss-off story. For years there was some debate as to whether Lewis actually wrote it, but some recent testimony from a friend of Lewis' pretty much settled the question that Lewis actually authored the story. He never published it, though, despite ample opportunity. I have the book, and it's all right, but it is incomplete. It neither illuminates nor denigrates the Space Trilogy. If you like Lewis and don't mind a story stopping just as things are starting to get rolling, you'd probably like it. There are some other short stories that come bundled with it, of which The Shoddy Lands is my favorite.
Copperfox
Well-known member
Similarly, in one of the volumes Christopher Tolkien assembled of _everything_ remaining of his father's work, there was the beginning of a _sequel_ to "Lord of the Rings"! I'm sorry J.R.R. Tolkien _didn't_ proceed and finish it, for what he did write shows merit; but I'm still glad I read as much as was there.
TimmyofOz
Well-known member
For those who have read THS, what is your impression of the MacPhee character? In many way Merlin is right in calling him the court fool. Other that a literary tool by Lewis to explain certain areas in the plot, am I to believe that a person like Ransom would actually listen to a spiritually blind person like MacPhee. The Bible teaches that the non-believer is controled by the flesh and is totally blind of the things of the spirit. Your laugh at MacPhee more than take anything he says seriously.
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I think MacPhee is an important character, and that it's unwise to dismiss him as someone who's simply unspiritual and therefore foolish. His place is an important one in the spiritual economy of St. Anne's, and I believe he represents sort of a personal counterpoint to the corrupt pseudo-spirituality of Straik at Belbury.
Remember that he's described by Ransom as the Manor's "skeptic; a very important office" (Ch 9 sec 1). He is a materialist and an empiricist, and Lewis goes to great length to point out that these outlooks of themselves are not only harmless, but good and appropriate in their sphere. Reread Ransom's meditation at the end of Chapter 9. Notice how he identifies "the physical sciences, good and innocent in themselves" - which they are. It isn't until they're elevated to the place of twisted philosophies and false religions that they become dangerous - which was precisely what happened at Belbury. (Contrast MacPhee's brisk insistence upon sufficient evidence - Ch 9 sec 3 - with Filostrato's passionate ravings - Ch 8 sec 3 - to get a taste of the contrast.) As one with his Scottish feet firmly planted - if not rooted - in the material reality, MacPhee plays an important role in the almost mystical community of St. Anne's. Caught up as they are in things too great for mortals to usually consort with, they could easily be swept away mentally and emotionally as almost an incidental side-effect of their proximity to the eldila. MacPhee's presence reminds them that they are, indeed, mortals living in a physical world, with all the attendant consequences.
There's another role MacPhee plays, and here I think Merlin's observation is particularly insightful. MacPhee is truly the Director's Fool, in the fullest sense that the word had in ancient and medieval times. The Fool was not simply to entertain, but to remind the king and his courtiers that they were but mortals. The Fool had license to say things to the king and his court that nobody else could say - he had "satirical immunity", so to speak. He was like the slave that was assigned to ride in the chariot with the victorious general at a Roman Triumph. While the music played and the troops marched and the crowds screamed their adulation, the slaves role was to continually whisper in the general's ear, "You are but a man." MacPhee's brusque skepticism, as well as his long friendship with Ransom, served a critical role in keeping Ransom's limitations before his own eyes. Being effectively the absolute ruler of any group of people is a dangerous position for any man to occupy. This would be doubly true for a man whose mystical aura promotes a nearly blind allegiance (as seen with Jane's response), and triply true for a man who served as an intermediary between earth and powerful beings like the eldila. Even though he'd been purified spiritually and emotionally by his ordeals in Perelandra, and was handicapped by the wound he received there, Ransom still bore a power that was literally dangerous to have at large in the world. But so long as MacPhee was nearby, and his counsel was heeded (which it was), there was no danger of Ransom being seduced by the allure of the power that he mediated.
Remember that he's described by Ransom as the Manor's "skeptic; a very important office" (Ch 9 sec 1). He is a materialist and an empiricist, and Lewis goes to great length to point out that these outlooks of themselves are not only harmless, but good and appropriate in their sphere. Reread Ransom's meditation at the end of Chapter 9. Notice how he identifies "the physical sciences, good and innocent in themselves" - which they are. It isn't until they're elevated to the place of twisted philosophies and false religions that they become dangerous - which was precisely what happened at Belbury. (Contrast MacPhee's brisk insistence upon sufficient evidence - Ch 9 sec 3 - with Filostrato's passionate ravings - Ch 8 sec 3 - to get a taste of the contrast.) As one with his Scottish feet firmly planted - if not rooted - in the material reality, MacPhee plays an important role in the almost mystical community of St. Anne's. Caught up as they are in things too great for mortals to usually consort with, they could easily be swept away mentally and emotionally as almost an incidental side-effect of their proximity to the eldila. MacPhee's presence reminds them that they are, indeed, mortals living in a physical world, with all the attendant consequences.
There's another role MacPhee plays, and here I think Merlin's observation is particularly insightful. MacPhee is truly the Director's Fool, in the fullest sense that the word had in ancient and medieval times. The Fool was not simply to entertain, but to remind the king and his courtiers that they were but mortals. The Fool had license to say things to the king and his court that nobody else could say - he had "satirical immunity", so to speak. He was like the slave that was assigned to ride in the chariot with the victorious general at a Roman Triumph. While the music played and the troops marched and the crowds screamed their adulation, the slaves role was to continually whisper in the general's ear, "You are but a man." MacPhee's brusque skepticism, as well as his long friendship with Ransom, served a critical role in keeping Ransom's limitations before his own eyes. Being effectively the absolute ruler of any group of people is a dangerous position for any man to occupy. This would be doubly true for a man whose mystical aura promotes a nearly blind allegiance (as seen with Jane's response), and triply true for a man who served as an intermediary between earth and powerful beings like the eldila. Even though he'd been purified spiritually and emotionally by his ordeals in Perelandra, and was handicapped by the wound he received there, Ransom still bore a power that was literally dangerous to have at large in the world. But so long as MacPhee was nearby, and his counsel was heeded (which it was), there was no danger of Ransom being seduced by the allure of the power that he mediated.
Yah -- I got the impression Lewis really felt that MacPhee's reasoning was sound and that barring the counterintuitive intelligence received from the eldils, he would have been more in the right. Despite being a non-believer, he certainly was able to reason and think clearly.
TimmyofOz
Well-known member
I understand your point PotW, that MacPhee is the skeptic that kept Ransom in touch with the physical world here on earth and not lose all touch with reality and science. I have listened to the book on CD 3 times the last month. But in reality as an unbeliever and thus all his observations really are not relevant to true reality which is the spiritual world. We know that though Moses and Abraham both walked close to God, as time went by and they grew closer to God, they both always knew they were mortal, even more. The closer you get to God the more you are aware of ones own lowliness. See how Isaiah reacted to God in Is. 6:5. I know that Thomas Aquinas believed that man's mind is not totally corupted and could understand the things of the spirit in it's own level. But be serious would you as a believer take the advice of a non-believer on how to understand the things of the spirit. I feel that Lewis was wrong to make MacPhee a unbeliever. MacPhee isn't just playing the devil's advacate, as a non-believer he is still a servant of Satan.
Hey I feel the ladies of the manor kept everyone from getting too uppity and full of themselves. They sure made sure that the last person anyone would ever listen to is MacPhee.
Hey I feel the ladies of the manor kept everyone from getting too uppity and full of themselves. They sure made sure that the last person anyone would ever listen to is MacPhee.
TimmyofOz
Well-known member
Ransom also made it a point to say that he didn't chose his "disciples". That these followers just attached themselves to him by circumstance, and Ransom just accepted their presence. So it could be said that Ransom doesn't really listens to MacPhee, he just tolerates it.
It's true that Ransom said that he did not choose his disciples, but the implication there is that they were sent to him - i.e. chosen for him by Maleldil's hand. That included MacPhee.
The inescapable fact is that not only was MacPhee listened to at St. Anne's, despite his skepticism, but his advice and requests were sometimes heeded. Remember how Jane was excluded from the councils, at least before Merlin's appearance, because MacPhee was concerned that listening to their discussions might influence her dreams? Even though he didn't believe that they were true clairvoyance (there being no room for such a thing in his worldview), he believed that something might be going on, and wanted to insure that something was unsullied by undue influences.
Of course, not everything he suggested was accepted or even taken seriously. Given the limitations of his philosophy, only certain avenues were open to his consideration - hence his talk of political parties and influence in Parliament, which is useless in the battle they're fighting. But this does not mean his advice is totally without merit. For instance, it is MacPhee whose knowledge of the natural order points the search parties to the right area in which to find Merlin - because he knows enough about terrain and groundwater to identify the only area in which Merlin's chamber could have been.
Another important thing to note is that MacPhee recognized the Director's authority. Tolerated though he was in the councils, when the rubber met the road and the parties were sent out to find the resuscitated Merlin, MacPhee was not allowed to go, and he respected that decision. Ransom was quite blunt about the reason, too: "You have never put yourself under the protection of Maleldil." (end of Ch 10) Interestingly, at that point Jane had not put herself under Maleldil's protection, either (that doesn't happen until the end of Chapter 14) - but at Ransom's pointed question, she puts herself under his protection. That's acceptable as a temporary measure. Could it have been that MacPhee's allegiance to Ransom was acceptable as an intermediary measure, until he could learn enough to acknowledge Maleldil's authority directly?
It's clear that MacPhee was modeled after one of Lewis' tutors, a Scottish rationalistic atheist named William T. Kirkpatrick whom Lewis nicknamed "The Great Knock". Skeptic though he was, Kirkpatrick was a rigorous thinker, and trained Lewis in logic and clear expression of his thought (something we all have benefited from.) Even as a Christian, Lewis acknowledged his deep debt to Kirkpatrick as a tutor and a friend. I think that in the character of MacPhee, and through him to honest and rigorous skeptics like Kirkpatrick, Lewis was commending those who made the best use they could of their rational faculties, seeking truth to the best of their abilities given their presuppositional limitations. MacPhee himself remains open to someday acknowledging God (see his goodbye to Ransom at the end of the book), but his honesty - or his perception of his own honesty - prevents him at the time.
One point I think Lewis was seeing with the character of MacPhee was that honest pursuit of the truth, even by someone who's limiting their means to materialism and empiricism, is more acceptable to God than the kind of dishonest spirituality expressed by someone like Straik. Though the crowd at Belbury talks the rationalist/materialist line, they don't really believe it. To them, it's a smoke screen to conceal their grasp for power. They have no compunction about cozying up to "the macrobes" the minute they deem it to their advantage to do so, despite the fact that the "macrobes" don't fit anywhere into the rationalist/materialist framework. (Though they're dead wrong about who is using whom.) If you want to see the spiritually foolish, look to Belbury, where their talk of scientific advancement and the pursuit of knowledge is nothing but window dressing on their pride and self-exultation. MacPhee is more the example of the noble pagan, seeking truth where he can find it. That will not save his soul, of course - only submission to Maleldil will do that - but it puts him in a much better position than even the "spiritual" in the Belbury crowd.
The inescapable fact is that not only was MacPhee listened to at St. Anne's, despite his skepticism, but his advice and requests were sometimes heeded. Remember how Jane was excluded from the councils, at least before Merlin's appearance, because MacPhee was concerned that listening to their discussions might influence her dreams? Even though he didn't believe that they were true clairvoyance (there being no room for such a thing in his worldview), he believed that something might be going on, and wanted to insure that something was unsullied by undue influences.
Of course, not everything he suggested was accepted or even taken seriously. Given the limitations of his philosophy, only certain avenues were open to his consideration - hence his talk of political parties and influence in Parliament, which is useless in the battle they're fighting. But this does not mean his advice is totally without merit. For instance, it is MacPhee whose knowledge of the natural order points the search parties to the right area in which to find Merlin - because he knows enough about terrain and groundwater to identify the only area in which Merlin's chamber could have been.
Another important thing to note is that MacPhee recognized the Director's authority. Tolerated though he was in the councils, when the rubber met the road and the parties were sent out to find the resuscitated Merlin, MacPhee was not allowed to go, and he respected that decision. Ransom was quite blunt about the reason, too: "You have never put yourself under the protection of Maleldil." (end of Ch 10) Interestingly, at that point Jane had not put herself under Maleldil's protection, either (that doesn't happen until the end of Chapter 14) - but at Ransom's pointed question, she puts herself under his protection. That's acceptable as a temporary measure. Could it have been that MacPhee's allegiance to Ransom was acceptable as an intermediary measure, until he could learn enough to acknowledge Maleldil's authority directly?
It's clear that MacPhee was modeled after one of Lewis' tutors, a Scottish rationalistic atheist named William T. Kirkpatrick whom Lewis nicknamed "The Great Knock". Skeptic though he was, Kirkpatrick was a rigorous thinker, and trained Lewis in logic and clear expression of his thought (something we all have benefited from.) Even as a Christian, Lewis acknowledged his deep debt to Kirkpatrick as a tutor and a friend. I think that in the character of MacPhee, and through him to honest and rigorous skeptics like Kirkpatrick, Lewis was commending those who made the best use they could of their rational faculties, seeking truth to the best of their abilities given their presuppositional limitations. MacPhee himself remains open to someday acknowledging God (see his goodbye to Ransom at the end of the book), but his honesty - or his perception of his own honesty - prevents him at the time.
One point I think Lewis was seeing with the character of MacPhee was that honest pursuit of the truth, even by someone who's limiting their means to materialism and empiricism, is more acceptable to God than the kind of dishonest spirituality expressed by someone like Straik. Though the crowd at Belbury talks the rationalist/materialist line, they don't really believe it. To them, it's a smoke screen to conceal their grasp for power. They have no compunction about cozying up to "the macrobes" the minute they deem it to their advantage to do so, despite the fact that the "macrobes" don't fit anywhere into the rationalist/materialist framework. (Though they're dead wrong about who is using whom.) If you want to see the spiritually foolish, look to Belbury, where their talk of scientific advancement and the pursuit of knowledge is nothing but window dressing on their pride and self-exultation. MacPhee is more the example of the noble pagan, seeking truth where he can find it. That will not save his soul, of course - only submission to Maleldil will do that - but it puts him in a much better position than even the "spiritual" in the Belbury crowd.
Good point! It's the same sort of contrast drawn by the character of ... I can't think of the scientist's name that the Progressive Element at college thought should be on their side, but he wasn't -- Bill the Blizzard, was that the one? He has the same rational bent of mind as MacPhee, and so he considered Belbury because he thought it was "something about science," but when he got inside he realized it was some kind of conspiracy. It gave lip service to the materialist mindset, but in fact was after control of the government and the world ... His is another case where you are set up to see that his intellectual honesty was rather grand compared to the hacks at Belbury, despite that he was not a Christ-follower.PoTW said:
TimmyofOz
Well-known member
Well I can't express myself in long threads like you PotW. First I want to say I in no way am saying MacPhee is an evil man like those we see in N.I.C.E. But he is not a Christian. MacPhee is brought up in the in the earlier books also as a person that rejects the resurrection of Christ. And though MacPhee is an associate of Ransom in the earlier books he is not a confidante. Lewis make himself Ransom's confidante, whom he shares all of his adventures to other worlds. One wonders way Lewis does not inject himself into THS like he does in the other books. I feel he replaces himself with Dimble as Ransoms closest confidante. Yes, I agree that MacPhee is an interesting character, that is way I bring him up. But you must see my point, how can he be taken serious in the end. When you bring an unbeliever to church with you, you don't do it so you can bring a different view point into the fellowship, so that you can hear a sceptics point of view to contrast it from what you hear from the Word of God that is preached. You bring that person so he can be brought to the light. MacPhee may feel that he may come to believe, "I wait till I am on my death bed", may be his thougt. But it is that stubornness that will keep him from ever coming to Christ. None comes to Christ unless Christ calls him, and Christ may stop calling MacPhee. Yes, MacPhee may be based on a person that Lewis enjoyed debating with, and uses the character to push certian plots of the book. But in the end I still see him as the clown in the book. For more comic levity. Like C3PO in Star Wars.
TimmyofOz
Well-known member
In Out of the Silent Planet the inhabitants of Malacandra (Mars) are suppose to beings that have never experienced a Fall like Man has on Earth. That means they are sinless. The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. Not just spiritual death but physical death also. Yet, death is still quite common on Malacandra. Is Lewis thus teaching an unbiblical idea that there is death without sin?
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Keep in mind that even with mankind, perpetual physical life on earth was tied to eating of the fruit of the Tree of Life, which Adam and Eve were allowed to do before they fell. Once that happened, God had to forbid them the Tree of Life, lest they become physically immortal while being spiritually dead.
Scripturally, death is separation. Adam and Eve did die the very day that they ate the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil, in the most important sense that mattered: they became separated from God. Even though they were still breathing, they were spiritually dead from that point on, as have been their descendants until Christ brought the New Life, which even then has to be obtained through the "little death" of Baptism.
The races of Malacandra apparently had no Tree of Life from which to partake. Physical immortality was not in God's plan for them. Not being fallen (except for those who rebelled eons ago), they were not separated from God, but their union with God was mediated through their oyarsa Malacandra. They were familiar with physical death, but did not fear it.
Recall the two bodies of the hross who were brought to Meldilorn, and the song that was sung over them. They had entrance into eternal life in a normal and natural way - for their species.
Scripturally, death is separation. Adam and Eve did die the very day that they ate the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil, in the most important sense that mattered: they became separated from God. Even though they were still breathing, they were spiritually dead from that point on, as have been their descendants until Christ brought the New Life, which even then has to be obtained through the "little death" of Baptism.
The races of Malacandra apparently had no Tree of Life from which to partake. Physical immortality was not in God's plan for them. Not being fallen (except for those who rebelled eons ago), they were not separated from God, but their union with God was mediated through their oyarsa Malacandra. They were familiar with physical death, but did not fear it.
Recall the two bodies of the hross who were brought to Meldilorn, and the song that was sung over them. They had entrance into eternal life in a normal and natural way - for their species.
Yah, I don't think Lewis was teaching an "unbiblical" idea -- it's not completely certain that physical death wasn't part of the original creation; we know that plants and animals died on earth before the fall of man; it seems probably humans could die, too. Lewis is proposing that death would never have been thought of as sad, or as anything except the natural gateway to the next life, if sin had not entered our world. Right?