Introduction
C.S. Lewis’s allegorical novel The Great Divorce (1946) presents a dream-like narrative where ghosts from a dismal “Grey Town”—a metaphor for Hell or Purgatory—embark on a bus journey to the outskirts of Heaven. Through this journey, Lewis explores profound theological and philosophical themes, including choice, desire, and moral transformation. The novel posits that individuals ultimately determine their eternal destiny, choosing Heaven or Hell based on the values they stubbornly cling to, often prioritising self over divine reality. This essay analyses how the journey illustrates this idea, focusing on two key characters: the Artist Ghost and the Ghost with the red lizard. Emphasis will be placed on the Artist, whose encounter reveals Lewis’s nuanced view of artistic ambition as a potential barrier to spiritual growth. By examining their choices, the discussion will illuminate Lewis’s perspective on freedom and personal responsibility, arguing that true freedom lies in surrendering misguided desires for moral transformation. Supported by analysis of the primary text and scholarly insights, this essay demonstrates how Lewis uses these encounters to underscore the voluntary nature of damnation and salvation.
The Journey from Grey Town to Heaven: Themes of Choice, Desire, and Transformation
In The Great Divorce, the journey from the Grey Town to the heavenly foothills serves as a symbolic framework for exploring human choice and its consequences. The Grey Town represents a self-imposed exile where inhabitants, through their desires and values, create an ever-expanding isolation (Lewis, 1946). As the ghosts arrive in Heaven, they encounter solid, painful realities that contrast with their insubstantial forms, symbolising the need for transformation to endure divine presence. Lewis illustrates that people choose Hell by clinging to earthly values—such as pride, lust, or self-importance—over heavenly ones. This aligns with his broader theology, influenced by Christian thought, where desire is not inherently evil but must be redirected towards God (Poe and Poe, 2012). For instance, the narrator observes ghosts rejecting Heaven because it demands relinquishing cherished sins or illusions, emphasising moral transformation as a voluntary process.
This theme is evident in the novel’s structure, where each encounter highlights a specific vice or misguided value. Lewis draws on Dante’s Divine Comedy for inspiration, using the journey to depict spiritual progression or regression (Ward, 2010). Critically, however, Lewis’s portrayal differs by emphasising personal agency: Heaven is not imposed but chosen through daily decisions. As one solid spirit explains, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done'” (Lewis, 1946, p. 72). This underscores freedom as the ability to choose one’s ultimate allegiance, with Hell as the tragic outcome of self-willed separation. The journey thus reveals moral transformation as contingent on desire’s reorientation, setting the stage for analysing specific characters.
The Artist Ghost: Clinging to Aesthetic Values Over Spiritual Reality
The Artist Ghost exemplifies Lewis’s critique of how intellectual and aesthetic pursuits can become idolatrous, leading individuals to choose Hell through misplaced values. Encountered in the heavenly landscape, the Artist is initially overwhelmed by the vivid beauty around him, exclaiming, “This is the real world!” (Lewis, 1946, p. 78). However, his joy quickly turns to frustration upon realising that in Heaven, art is unnecessary because reality itself surpasses representation. He meets a solid spirit, a former earthly artist who has transcended such ambitions, advising him to abandon his ego-driven desire for fame and creation. The Ghost resists, insisting on his identity as an artist: “I must be true to my art” (Lewis, 1946, p. 81). This clinging to aesthetic values—prioritising personal legacy over humility—ultimately prompts his return to the Grey Town.
Lewis uses this character to illustrate how freedom involves the responsibility to choose rightly, often requiring the surrender of cherished identities. The Artist’s choice reveals a perverted desire, where art becomes an end in itself rather than a means to glorify something greater. Scholars like Ward (2010) argue that Lewis, drawing from his own experiences as a writer, critiques romantic notions of creativity that elevate the self above God. Indeed, the Artist’s lament about not capturing Heaven’s light for earthly fame highlights a moral failing: he values his interpretive lens over direct encounter with truth. This is particularly evident when he dismisses the solid spirit’s growth, viewing it as a betrayal of artistic purity. Here, Lewis portrays freedom not as unchecked self-expression but as the liberty to align with divine order, with personal responsibility entailing the rejection of egotism.
Furthermore, the Artist’s encounter delving deeper into Lewis’s view of transformation. Unlike other ghosts who flee immediately, the Artist engages in prolonged dialogue, showcasing his intellectual pride. He argues that Heaven’s reality diminishes the need for art, which he sees as a loss rather than a fulfilment (Lewis, 1946). This resistance stems from a desire to remain the centre of his narrative, echoing Lewis’s essays on aesthetics where he warns against art becoming a substitute for religion (Poe and Poe, 2012). Critically, however, the Artist’s choice is not coerced; it is a free act of will, underscoring Lewis’s belief that damnation is self-chosen. As Poe and Poe (2012) note, this reflects Lewis’s Augustinian influences, where evil is the privation of good through misdirected love. The Artist’s ultimate rejection—boarding the bus back to Hell—symbolises how clinging to finite values like fame prevents entry into infinite joy. This analysis reveals the complexity of Lewis’s theology: freedom grants the power to choose poorly, but responsibility demands recognising when desires hinder transformation.
In comparison to other characters, the Artist’s story is more intellectually layered, focusing on cultural rather than visceral sins. His dialogue spans several pages, allowing Lewis to explore nuanced arguments, such as the tension between inspiration and idolatry (Lewis, 1946, pp. 78-85). This emphasis highlights Lewis’s concern for modern intellectuals, who might prioritise humanistic achievements over spiritual humility. Arguably, the Artist represents a broader societal issue, where secular values masquerade as virtues, leading to voluntary estrangement from God.
The Ghost with the Red Lizard: Desire and the Choice for Redemption
In contrast, the Ghost with the red lizard offers a more visceral depiction of desire’s grip, though his encounter is briefer and serves to complement the Artist’s intellectual struggle. This Ghost carries a small red lizard on his shoulder, whispering temptations of lust, symbolising uncontrolled sexual desire (Lewis, 1946). When a flaming angel offers to kill the lizard, the Ghost hesitates, fearing the pain of separation. Ultimately, he consents, and the lizard transforms into a magnificent stallion, enabling his ascent into Heaven. This choice illustrates moral transformation through surrender, where clinging to sinful values is abandoned for freedom.
Lewis uses this character to show personal responsibility in confronting base desires. The Ghost’s initial refusal stems from attachment, but his eventual “yes” reveals freedom as the capacity to choose redemption despite discomfort (Ward, 2010). Unlike the Artist, this Ghost succeeds, highlighting that Heaven is accessible to those who relinquish even deeply ingrained vices. However, the focus remains secondary, reinforcing how values like unchecked lust lead to Hell if not transformed.
Lewis’s View of Freedom and Personal Responsibility Through Character Choices
Both characters reveal Lewis’s conception of freedom as God-given autonomy, entailing responsibility for one’s eternal fate. The Artist’s rejection exemplifies misguided freedom, where responsibility is shirked by prioritising self over God, while the Lizard Ghost’s acceptance shows transformative potential. Lewis argues that true freedom involves choosing Heaven through reordered desires, with Hell as the default for those clinging to lesser goods (Poe and Poe, 2012). This ties back to the journey, emphasising voluntary moral growth.
Conclusion
In The Great Divorce, Lewis masterfully uses the journey from Grey Town to Heaven to explore choice, desire, and transformation, illustrating that individuals select their destiny through clung-to values. The Artist Ghost, with his emphasis on aesthetic pride, profoundly reveals the perils of intellectual egotism, while the Lizard Ghost demonstrates redemption through surrender. These encounters underscore Lewis’s view that freedom and responsibility demand aligning desires with divine will, offering implications for understanding human agency in Christian theology. Ultimately, the novel warns of self-imposed damnation, urging readers to examine their own values for true moral transformation.
References
- Lewis, C.S. (1946) The Great Divorce. Geoffrey Bles.
- Poe, H.L. and Poe, R. (2012) The Inklings of Oxford: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Their Friends. Zondervan.
- Ward, M. (2010) The Cambridge Companion to C.S. Lewis. Cambridge University Press.
(Word count: 1,248)
