My final thoughts on That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis

The book starts and ends with the subject of marriage. And Lewis was right, that is where much of the postmodern attack on our society is focused. Most Christians would agree on this (Those who do not, I fear, are dubiously to be called Christians.), but not all of us would agree where exactly it started. I am now Catholic partly because I think this started with the acceptance and widespread use of contraceptives. It's a strange thing. It seems like it should be fine, but it is amazing how destructive that is. Even if you set aside for the moment the poisonous effect of hormonal contraceptives (which is a horrifying problem that almost no one talks about), it is clear that the contraceptive attitude has wildly warped our society.

As I noted before, most of this book is a slow burn. I don't think that really bothered me before, but I definitely noticed it when I was carefully reading it chapter by chapter (and writing summaries for each section). And then there's an enormous explosion at the end, both literally and figuratively. In that, it reminds me a little bit of a Neil Stephenson book. I hear he's been infected by social justice thinking. That's too bad. He's a fascinating writer.

One of the interesting things about this book I noticed this time through is how Lewis explores different kinds of minds: animal & human, man & woman, modern & medieval, upper & lower class, and subject to various kinds of spiritual corruption. Is he perfectly accurate? Of course not, but it's interesting to contemplate.

This book also addresses what does evil look like in action. It's kind of interesting because both N.I.C.E. and the company of Logres have very vague expectations of the responsibilities of their members, but it works out so very differently in the two cases.

One flaw, which I had intended to mention in my comments on the final chapter, which I haven't made yet, is the idolization of the feminine. Lewis appears to fall victim to W.A.W., but nobody's perfect. Both Jane and Mark must make amends for their failures in the marriage, but these amends are very different in nature. Jane humbles herself before Ransom and God. She reluctantly, with some apparent distaste, humbles herself to her husband. Mark, on the other hand, when he realizes his error, is almost worshipful in his attitude towards Jane. This does not seem in balance to me.

One final note, an interesting progression I noticed in this trilogy:

Out of the Silent Planet - Unfallen

Perelandra - Will it fall?

That Hideous Strength - Fully fallen and with corruption almost entirely dominant

Perhaps that's part of why I like this one the least of the three (although I still think it's a very good book.)

We'll get started on Centrism Games shortly. I'll post the first discussion board either next weekend or the one after. Talk with you soon.

Chapter 17 - Venus at St. Anne's

 Part 1 - Mark makes his way to St. Anne's, on the way, stopping at a hotel & reading a book he enjoyed in childhood.

Part 2 - The women of St. Anne's select formal dresses for the farewell to Ransom. They have no mirror, so they must each help the others select theirs, and admire them. At the end of the chapter, there is a great disturbance from the direction of Edgestow.

Part 3 - Feverstone, abandoning the wrecked car, makes his way towards Edgestow. On the way, he notices an unusual amount of traffic flowing the other way, but makes nothing of it. Just as he arrives, he finds himself caught up in a series of earthquakes, culminating in a vast explosion.

Part 4 - At St. Anne's, the company says farewell to Ransom. They discuss the difference between the heavenly nation (Logres) and the corrupt nation (Britain) and England, which is caught in between the two. At the end of the section, Mr. Bultitude makes his way home.

Part 5 - Mr. Curry, on a train back to Edgestow, is stopped before arriving by the catastrophe ahead. He immediately begins planning, in his head, how he will become the founder of the new Bracton College.

Part 6 - A series of animal escapees from N.I.C.E. make their way to St. Anne's. They immediately begin seeking partners, under the influence of Venus, who is arriving to carry away Ransom to her planet to recover there. Ransom sends Jane to meet with Mark and reconcile.

Part 7 - Mark approaches St. Anne's, contemplating in his mind how poorly he treated Jane, and how little worthy he is. He is welcomed by Venus (though he does not know her).

Part 8 - Jane finally meets with Mark again, although we do not see the meeting.

---

And that's the book. Thanks for joining us. We don't seem to do nearly as well for participation with fiction as with non-fiction. Should I cut that out of our schedule? I'm open to the idea. I'm planning to do a midweek post with my thoughts on the book as a whole, and obviously welcoming yours as well.

And shortly, we'll be starting Centrism Games. Talk with you soon.

Chapter 16 - Banquet at Belbury

Part 1 - Jules gives his speech before the assembled Institute, but partway through, begins speaking gibberish. Then everyone's speech (and writing) becomes gibberish. Hardcastle, drunk amid the chaos, shoots Jules. And wild animals invade the banquet hall and begin bloodily killing.

Part 2 - We see both Mr. Bultitude & Mr. Maggs mourning their indefinite captivity. Merlin (who had inflicted the curse of Babel upon the banquet hall) releases both, as well as the other prisoners and animals. Most of the animals he directs to the banquet hall. Mr. Bultitude (one of the great bears of Logres whom he prophesied would do a great work for Logres) follows Merlin.

Part 3 - Merlin rouses Mark and sends him to St. Anne's with a warning to stay away from Edgestow.

Part 4 - Wither and Straik, having escaped the slaughter in the banquet hall, seize Filostrato and drag him to the Head. The Head demands sacrifice and they behead Filostrato. Realizing that the head would demand another sacrifice, they fall upon each other. Wither manages to kill Straik. Wither then meets with a raging bear.

Part 5 - Lord Feverstone sees disaster coming and manages to escape the institute by car. However, before he's gone anywhere, he finds himself controlled by an unseen passenger and forced to drive by the most direct (but not comfortable) route to Edgestow.

Part 6 - Frost, under an impulsion he does not understand, but unable to really reason any longer, locks himself in the objective room and sets it all ablaze.

---

This has, for the most part, been a slow novel with a lot of talking. Well, that all changed in this chapter.

Next week we're wrapping up Lewis and will soon start with Centrism Games. I look forward to your thoughts.

Chapter 15 - The Descent of the Gods

Part 1 - Five of the planetary eldils descend upon St. Anne's. We see the effects of their personalities upon the human inhabitants of the house.

Part 2 - A stranger is brought to Belbury to interview "Merlin." He begins translating for Frost & Wither and finishes with "Merlin" ordering them out (by way of his translator) and then he puts Mark to sleep.

Part 3 - Frost & Wither debate what is to be done with "Merlin." The notice that it very much appears that the translator is in command, but don't know what to make of this. Wither forgets an important appointment, and upon realizing this, finds it very disturbing. The machinery that has, for most purposes, replaced his personality, seems to be breaking down. They return to the room to find "Merlin" ordering one of them to take him on a tour of the facility.

Part 4- Frost takes Mark to the Objective Room and tells him to trample a crucifix. After a long internal struggle, Mark refuses. Before Frost can react, Wither, "Merlin" and Merlin burst into the room.

Part 5 - The nominal director Jules arrives before the banquet. He finds the N.I.C.E. in some disarray, with Wither unaccountably missing. Finally, Frost, and Wither show up along with a couple of others. Wither attempts to introduce him to "Merlin," but this does not go well.

---

So for those intending to continue with Centrism Games, I hope you've ordered your copies, since we're almost finished here. The story of N.I.C.E. comes to a rather jarring conclusion and Lewis wraps up the more personal stories.

I look forward to your thoughts.

Chapter 14 - Real Life Is Meeting

Part 1 - Mark and Frost talk once again in Mark's cell. Frost explains that existence is self-justifying and that terms such as "good" and "bad" are meaningless. Therefore, whatever is, should be. And whatever is growing more so, should grow more so and be encouraged. Mark is sent to the Objectivity Room for training. He is then sent to keep watch on "Merlin" who wakes up and speaks to him in course English.

Part 2 - Jane and Mrs. Dimble prepare for Mr. Maggs's return and reuniting with Ivy, setting them up in a little cottage on the property. They talk about marriage. Jane contemplates the coldness of her own marriage. She then has a chaotic vision of giantess and several dwarves disrupting the house.

Part 3 - Mr. Bultitude wanders out of St. Anne's grounds and is captured by N.I.C.E.  staff, apparently intended for some sort of animal experimentation.

Part 4 - Mark has further "objectivity training" and develops a strange friendship with "Merlin".

Part 5 - Jane tells the director about her vision. He explains to her that she likely saw a terrestrial copy of Perelandra, and that she is in a dangerous position, being neither pagan nor Christian, and that she must find a home. The house gets word that Mr. Maggs is not being released, but instead will be subject to the rehabilitative treatment of N.I.C.E.

Part 6 - Jane walks in the gardens and argues within herself about God & her role, whether she has understood her real place. Then she finds herself seized by God, and sees a brief glimpse of who she is in and for him.

---

So if you would like to join us for the next book, go ahead and order your copy of Centrism Games by Rachel Fulton Brown and the Dragon Common Room. Considering its length, once we've started that, we'll soon be talking about what will follow.

I look forward to your thoughts on this chapter.

Chapter 13 - They have pulled down deep heaven

 Part 1 - Ransom confronts the Stranger at the door. The Stranger has apparently cast MacPhee into an enchanted sleep. After a tense exchange, Ransom identifies himself as the Pendragon, and the Stranger kneels before him.

Part 2 - Wither and Frost debate how to communicate with Merlin. They decide to allow Straik and Studdock to watch over him in turns until something new develops.

Part 3 - Dimble, Denniston & Jane return to find McPhee asleep. They wake him up and the four go to find out what's happened. They find the the entire house (including Mr. Bultitude) asleep. Finally, they see Ransom talking with Merlin. Ransom explains they've quite mistaken who and what Merlin is.

Part 4 - Dr. and Mrs. Dimble discuss Merlin and how the world has changed since his time, with options becoming fewer and grays vanishing into blacks and whites.

Part 5 - Ransom and Merlin talk about what is to be done. Ransom explains that Merlin's purpose is to be a vessel for the power of the greater eldils. Merlin searches for other options, looking to the power of England's king, other Christian kings or even decent pagans to oppose the monstrous witchcraft which has arisen in England. Ransom explains that the entire Earth has been corrupted and they have no other options, no other power but that lent by the heavens. Merlin resigns himself to this assignment.

---

So it looks like Centrism Games is an acceptable choice for our next book. If anyone has strenuous objections, let me know because I have a couple of other options in mind, and am always open to others' thoughts as well.

It is even possible we could get the editrix to contribute a few of her own thoughts to the discussion, which even with our previous living author seemed unlikely. I look forward to more of your thoughts on Lewis's book in the meantime.

Concerning our next book

 So I have an unusual suggestion for our next book. My suggestion is Centrism Games by Rachel Fulton Brown and the Dragon Common Room.

This is a satirical poem about today's politics, somewhat in the tradition of Alexander Pope's Dunciad. Now, I know some of you are not that fond of poetry, but it is a narrative poem, so there is a story to follow. If it helps, it is by Rachel Fulton Brown, who is a friend and ally of Milo Yiannopoulos and Vox Day, among others.

Also a point in this book's favor, even if you aren't a big fan of poetry, it's only 83 pages long, and so will take us just four weeks. If this suggestion is universally panned, I have a few others to throw out. And, as always, I am open for yours.