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Chapter 6 - part 5

The final book in Lewis' theological science fiction Space Trilogy.

Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Kanakaberaka » February 22nd, 2010, 9:04 pm

Synopsis : Jane has another dream vision, only this time she is in total darkness. Rather than a vision, it is more of an out of body experience. She finds herself trapped inside what appears to be a crypt with a cold body on a slab. Her dream ends as a glorious being makes an entrance. As if that were not enough to convice Jane to leave for St. Anne's, she nearly bumps into the unpeasant man who has been watching her in her dreams. Jane wastes not time getting onto the next train out of edgestow and arrives above the fog in St. Anne's on the Hill.

This is certainly Jane's most frightening psychic experience. The fact that she at first panics at the thought that a bomb has hit the house and buried her alive indicates that this story take place very shortly after the end of the Second World War. Jane must have been at least a child during the Blitz of London.
Although Jane's dream is a remote "vision" there is no light in the place she finds herself. This adds to the mystery, as Jane must use her sense of touch and smell to describe her experience. Considering that what appears to be the cold body of a man is at the center of this place, I am certain that Jane would not have felt his feet had she been able to see him first. In the darkness Jane and the readers of this story have to guess what is going on. The sound of someone digging nearby indicates that Jane is in a race against the N.I.C.E. the get to Merlin first.
so it goes...
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Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Kanakaberaka » February 22nd, 2010, 9:24 pm

As Jane fears being abandoned within this crypt, she has another vision of a wonderous "golden" person comming down to rescue her. I think this could be Mr. Fisher-King, though it could also be the spirit of Merlin returning to his own body. I am not sure which.

Later, back in her own reality, Jane finds herself walking through the heavy fog in Edgestow. She has an even more frightening experience as she nearly bumps into the creepy "waxworks" man with the pince-nez and the pointed beard who has been watching her in her dreams. But this time it is no dream. And the only way Jane can deal with this walking nightmare is to seek shelter at St. Anne's on the Hill.

As she arrives at her destination she finds herself above the fog. Jane has a clear view from on high above all the fog in the valley below. St. Anne's has lifted her above the uncertainty and confusion of the lower world.
so it goes...
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Chapter 6 Summary

Postby Kanakaberaka » February 24th, 2010, 3:31 pm

"Fog" is the short and simple title of this chapter. So naturaly all the sub-chapters are connected in some way to fog.

1 - Once again Mark finds that Wither is "in a fog", apparently clueless about the forms Mark has returned to him. But Wither is no longer so weak in his barganing power. So Mark finds himself shipwrecked on the rocks of Belbury as he agrees to Wither's offer.

2 - Here the focus in on the literal fog which hangs thickly over Edgestow and all the horrors the N.I.C.E. has inflicted on the town. By the end of this sub-chapter only the prayer of the deaf Canon Storey for the soul of the skeptic Hingest is heard through the cacophony in the fog surrounding the chapel.

3 - As Mark is welcomed into the inner circle of Belbury he discovers that they are involved in creating a fog of lies about the goals of the N.I.C.E. But instead of being horrified, Mark is amazed at how they are getting away with their plans.

4 - Mark fabricates his own fog by writing pre-emptive newpaper articles about the impending engineered riot in Edgestow.

5 - Finally, Jane finds herself in total darkness while dreaming. And yet her experience is illuminating. After she awakens she goes out into the fog where she nearly comes into contact with Prof. Frost. Which in turn sends her off to St. Anne's on the Hill where she can see all the countryside from above the fog below.
so it goes...
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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Matthew Whaley » February 27th, 2010, 5:47 pm

Mark has let fog come into his soul: He is surely becoming the kind of man he used to loathe. His desire to be among the movers and shakers of the academic world at first obscured any objection he might have had of associating with those who act upon the weak with "unexpected and unnecessary brutality." (Feverstone's cruelty to Jewel)
Mark still has a conscience, but it has really taken a beating since he started working for the N.I.C.E. because he has had to lie to himself to justify his actions. He seems unaware that his personality is rapidly deteriorating, that he is in the process of losing his soul; his attitudes and actions are little by little resembling those who are running Belbury.
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in."
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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Matthew Whaley » March 13th, 2010, 7:39 pm

Another thing I like about about this novel is how Lewis reminds us of how people of the past viewed the Universe. He seems to set up competeing world views in the characters and then puts them on collision courses; science verses the supernatural, psychology verses spirituality, the past verses the present. I especially like how he restores the bibical viewpoint of dreams from that of Freud in the character of Jane Studdock. As long as this book is, I wish it was longer. I would like to see what was happening between Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.
Last edited by Matthew Whaley on March 14th, 2010, 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Kanakaberaka » March 14th, 2010, 5:14 am

so it goes...
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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Matthew Whaley » March 14th, 2010, 5:01 pm

Yes, I am going to read The Abolition of Man again. And there is so much I need to catch up on, for instance, Charles Williams: I had never heard of him before joining this forum. From what I have read from other posts, he has somewhat of a connection to Lewis writing THS. I have gathered that Wiliiams can be difficult to read. Which book of his would be the best place to start?

I have read some of Stanley's posts and I think I can see what he means by a "Chessboard View." I would love to read his explanation of that along with many other things.
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Kanakaberaka » March 15th, 2010, 12:38 am

so it goes...
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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Theophilus » March 15th, 2010, 5:55 pm

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Re: Chapter 6 - part 5

Postby Matthew Whaley » March 16th, 2010, 2:00 pm

Thank you, Theophilus, I will do just that.
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in."
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