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Chapter 7 - part 4

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

Chapter 7 - part 4

Postby Kanakaberaka » May 17th, 2010, 2:11 pm

Synopsis : Jane attempts to make her way home only to find every route blocked by the riot. When she attempts to outflank the turmoil, she is arrested by the N.I.C.E. police. Jane finds herself being interrogated by Fairy Hardcastle, who shows a perverted interest in her. But Jane has a lucky break when the Fairy is reminded of an appointment with Capt. O'Hara. Jane is taken along with the institutional police when they find themselves surrounded by their own engineered riot. Jane is abandoned as Hardcastle and the other police run for their lives. A good samaritan gives Jane a lift over to St. Anne's

Fairy Hardcastle thinks she is on her way to winning favor with her superiors at Belbury when she finds Jane Studdock in her custody. But when she mixes business with pleasure, she ruins her own plans. Lewis describes a sort of lesbian bondage and discipline game played by the Fairy when she dismisses the policemen from the makeshift interrogation room. Lewis compares Fairy Hardcastle's appearance to "...such things as Rubens might have painted in delirium". What he is trying to express is something which should have been attractive, such as the buxom nudes of Dutch painter Peter Paul Rubens, perverted into something horrible through mental illness or more likely sin. This scene is quite effective, yet mercifully short. The other police are tipped off to Hardcastle's intent by the fact that she lights up her cigar. Apparently she only uses it to torture those in her custody. Jane learns of this as she is locked between the leather booted legs of this "ogress", as Lewis fittingly describes her. And yet Jane perseveres without feeling heroic for doing so.

This act of perversion proves to be Hardcastle's undoing as she is reminded by one of her Waips about her 1:00 AM apointment with Capt. O'Hara. She panics and orders everyone into a large police car.
so it goes...
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Chapter 7 - part 4

Postby Kanakaberaka » May 17th, 2010, 2:45 pm

The engineered riot works too well as Fairy Hardcastle's police car stalls out in it's path. We learn about the sort of people who work for the N.I.C.E. police as the driver of the car tries in vain to fix it on the spot. Hardcastle threatens to turn him in to "the real police". Joe, as he is called prefers such a fate to putting up with the Fairy's abuse. In addition to serving with the military police, he was in the "Black and Tans", which were an infamous British para-military force in Ireland during their civil war of the 1920's. They got their name from the dark blue jackets they wore over their khaki colored uniforms. Joe also mentions his membership in the B.U.F. or British Union of Fascists which were active before the Second World War. Fairy Hardcastle should have been familiar with the B.U.F. because the organization was backed at one point by prominent Suffragettes in England. It was basicly a nationalist movement. Joe compares his service in these organizations favorably to the abuse of the N.I.C.E. When Hardcastle tells Joe that it will be worse than simply prison time for him this time, Joe retorts that the real authorities would be interested in what she has been up to in the N.I.C.E. Joe runs for his life, but the looters catch up with him.
so it goes...
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Chapter 7 - part 4

Postby Kanakaberaka » May 17th, 2010, 3:02 pm

Fairy Hardcastle and her two Waips run into a nearby alleyway only to find it a dead end. The Fairy does not panic. Instead she and her Waips slip out into the oncomming crowd one at a time leaving Jane to fend for herself.

After awakening some time later that morning, a kindly couple passing by in their car spot Jane and offer her a lift out of the troubled area. This seems to me a sort of deus ex machina on Lewis' part, especialy after Jane providential escape from the Fairy. Jane surely would have been recaptured had she continued home to her flat. And I doubt that she would have any money left on her after her interrogation to purchace a train ticket to St. Anne's on the hill. So these Good Samaritans with their car are Jane's only logical escape from the clutches of the N.I.C.E. no matter how unlikely their arrival on the scene. We can only chaulk it up to God's providence.
so it goes...
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Re: Chapter 7 - part 4

Postby Matthew Whaley » May 23rd, 2010, 9:34 pm

Though God may not undo the evil that has already been done, He is always working good from it and is committed to providing for our needs.

I really like how Jane discovers that big hunk of chocolate in the pocket of that WAIP's coat she has been wearing!
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in."
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Re: Chapter 7 - part 4

Postby Kanakaberaka » May 24th, 2010, 2:07 am

so it goes...
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Chapter 7 Summery

Postby Kanakaberaka » May 24th, 2010, 1:48 pm

As it's title implies The Pendragon is the focus of the four sections of this chapter. This has to refer to Mr. Fisher-King, the Director of St. Anne's, formerly known as Dr. Elwin Ransom. And yet Jane is the character who experiences all the action. The Pendragon is the one who inspires and influences her. The four sections can be summed up as :

1 - Jane meets "The Pendragon" face to face.

2 - After being overwhelmed by his charisma, Jane is dissapointed to learn that she will not be allowed to join his company at St. Anne's whithout the permission of her husband. Unless of course she has need to live apart from Mark.

3 - On the train ride home, Jane transfers her affections for the Pendragon to her husband Mark, as she was meant to.

4 - Jane is given a serious reason to leave Mark for the Pendragon when she is arrested by Fairy Hardcastle. Providence frees her from the N.I.C.E. police to return to the Pendragon's company at St. Anne's.
so it goes...
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