Battling Words: an Alternative Reading of C.S. Lewis' Til We Have Faces
Date of Graduation
Spring 2005
Degree
Master of Arts in English
Department
English
Committee Chair
William Burling
Abstract
C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces was the deliberate culmination of a lifelong project. Despite this deliberation, the novel has proven consistently problematic for critics because of its multi-faceted symbolism and profusion of themes. Lewis was publicly absorbed with mythology, so many critics have attempts to apply either Lewis’ own ideas about mythology or a Jungian approach to the work. These readings, while useful, frequently subordinate valid alternative readings. Through a combination of reader-response criticism and deconstruction, this thesis argues that Lewis intentionally subverted the expectorations of evangelical fan base by establishing the internal tension of certain binaries and then suggesting their inability to be resolved.
Keywords
C.S. Lewis, mythology, deconstruction, reader-response, criticism
Subject Categories
English Language and Literature
Copyright
© Robert A. Griffith
Recommended Citation
Griffith, Robert A., "Battling Words: an Alternative Reading of C.S. Lewis' Til We Have Faces" (2005). MSU Graduate Theses. 1084.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1084
Dissertation/Thesis