Till We Have Faces Analysis

The conflicts between the gods and men are a topic which is heavily present within Till We Have Faces, but those between family members are as well. Examples include Bardia and his wife, and Orual and Redival, but the disagreements of Orual and her father, Trom, King of Glome, are particularly strengthened by their relationship as parent and offspring. The foundations of this greater argument are what is used to exploit the greater overall message conveyed about the relationship between God and man, but paralleled within a family scenario. In Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis, the external conflicts between the King of Glome and Orual which are based in Glome itself, Psyche, and Ungit enhance Lewis’s support for Christianity and its comparison to other religions. The first division between father and daughter is with the kingdom of Glome itself. The King only desires a son to further his reign on the throne. This keeps his love from reaching his daughters, and ultimately is what drives him to his madness. The ever present desire for a son and a continued reign is used by Lewis to
comment on God’s eternal reign. The King’s passion for a son is what Lewis uses to boost his argument that God’s reign is forever by using this seemingly foolish example of a paternal society where reign is based upon blood alone. On the other hand, Orual only loves the kingdom because her father loves it. The sole intent that Orual is trying to convey to her father is that he should love what he has, not envy what he does not, which is again a core belief of Christianity. Lewis keenly uses this detail to support the argument that Christianity states that one should love his neighbor as himself. Therefore, the arguments that Lewis presents are backed by the division of love between Orual and her father based in the philosophies of the kingdom, and continue through relationships with others. The next main controversy between Orual and her father is regarding Psyche. The King sees Psyche as a curse, and eventually uses her beauty to please his subjects. This again shows the King’s hostile search for a son, and the fact that his daughters are merely tools to be used for pleasure. The use of Psyche’s beauty for pleasure then leads into Lewis’s Christian foundations that God has a plan for everyone, and no one is simply a tool. The fact of the matter is that everyone has dreams and aspirations which he or she wants to live up to, and Lewis is supporting this with the mindset of Christianity. The belief that God loves everyone is also applicable to Orual’s immense love for Psyche throughout the novel. During her reign as queen, Orual frequently ponders of Psyche’s banishment has changed her own personality. While Orual’s thoughts of her half-sister may fade and change over time, her love undoubtedly remains constant. Lewis uses this to relate the wandering, diminishing human mind to how love for God is always present once it is established. The evidence which is presented to the reader through the character of Psyche and her relationships is one of the ways that Lewis conveys his Christian values and understandings. Lastly, the points that Lewis attempts to convey are supported by the opinions that are placed upon Ungit by Trom and Orual.
The King believes that Ungit is powerful and should be feared with one’s life, yet he also trusts the Priest and his words of Ungit. Lewis is saying here that God should be feared, but should also be trusted and loved. This point extends into stating that sacrifice is an unnecessary act and is an example of foolishness. On the contrary, Orual realizes that Ungit is inside of her and eventually eradicates Unigt’s spiritual presence. In this example, Lewis is clearly stating that the devil is a part of man and needs to be banished before one’s true self can be found. The basis of Lewis’s Christian mindset is what really strives this point home and supports it. Therefore, Ungit’s symbolic value as both God and the devil truly connects Lewis’s topic in a cohesive
way. Simply put, the relationship of parent to child is known to almost everyone; it is one of the primary ways that Lewis conveys his message of Christianity’s ideals. The foremost of which are that a Heavenly kingdom lives on forever, having a God who loves all, and fearing God in love. As this was Lewis’s final publication before his death, the overall meaning and subject matter is a satisfactory bridge between his fading age and concepts which compose Christianity. Lewis’s goal was not to inform or refute, but rather give the world an answer to what his final moments consisted of and what mark he would leave on Earth.