Preston Grissom

Space Trilogy #2

            In Perelandra, Lewis does a fantastic job of painting a portrait of the landscape for the reader.  I think that he does a better job in that aspect in Perelandra than he does in Narnia, which is saying a lot.  Not only does he make the story very readable but he also draws you into the story.  This is one the many gifts of Lewis.  I have never read an author that accomplishes that more than he does.  As I got a remarkable vision of a place with no pain or evil I longed for such a home. 

            Not only did he draw me in but he also re-creates Eden in a romantic and remarkable way.  As Weston is clearly shown to be the worker of evil, Ransom has a difficult time drawing away from the temptation but is placed with that responsibility. 

            Lewis draws here on the problem of a purely materialistic world.  The issue of sacrifice in a world where our goal is simply to survive is clearly shown in the story.  In Perelandra we see the evils of modern science when it is given supreme authority over reason and truth.

            I like the way Lewis could show the inherent evils of this system without having to state them explicitly.  Instead, he uses myth to make an argument.  He builds the characters and the story as his means of premises, which lead to the logical conclusion.