C. S. Lewis: A Study of His Work & Writing Advice

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it,

but because by it I see everything else.” - C. S. Lewis

If you have not heard his name in an English classroom, there’s a good chance you may have heard it at church. C. S. Lewis lived from 1898-1963 and is mostly known for his smash hit children’s series The Chronicles of Narnia in the pop culture of today, but he is also one of the finest scholars, writers, and Christian theorists of the twentieth century. He was educated at Oxford University and taught there for most of his career as an academic, and his colleagues and friends there are credited with inspiring him from his atheism back into faith. As will be greatly expanded upon later, following this re-conversion in his twenties, Lewis became a staunch Anglican, and put Christian allegory, thought, themes, and theory into a great number of his works, including The Chronicles of Narnia, which many modern readers don’t realize. Today we’ll take a deeper look at who C. S. Lewis was, what and how he wrote, and what legacy he left behind with his many words. 

C. S. Lewis: A Brief History

Clive Staples was born the second son of the Lewis family in Belfast, Ireland, in 1898, to a solicitor father and a daughter-of-a-priest mother. The latter died when he was only ten years old, causing him to be sent to his first of several boarding schools, before he was eventually offered a scholarship to University College, Oxford at age eighteen in 1916, two years deep in the first World War. In 1917 he joined the Officers’ Training Corp, what he saw as his quickest route into the army, and he was consequently drafted to a Cadet Battalion. After a war-time injury, he was posted in England before being discharged, and he returned to his studies at Oxford. 

Following an exemplary finishing of his degrees, he was hired on as a tutor at Oxford before he was made Fellow of English Literature, a job he would keep for the rest of his career. During this period he also kept his word on a pact he’d made with a fellow soldier during wartime: that if either of them died, the one who lived would take care of the other’s family. His friend perished in the war; Lewis was determined to keep his end of the deal. As a result, he became extremely close with his late friend’s mother, as he had lost his very young and had a distant relationship with his father. After Lewis's death, however, it has been widely alleged that Lewis’s relationship with his friend’s mother turned romantic and/or sexual at some point. 

Lewis worked at Oxford for twenty-nine years as a fellow before becoming a department chair, and during his time there he became increasingly involved in the unofficial literary group known as the “Inklings,” which included his friend J.R.R. Tolkein, whom Chaucer credits with being a great factor in his conversion back to Christianity following his period of atheism in his teens and early young-adulthood. He became a very prominent Christian apologist following this, being widely praised for his interdenominational writing and acceptance of different practices and styles of Christianity, some of his most lauded writings of the sort including Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters. By the time of his death in 1963, he’d become very popular for his fictional work The Chronicles of Narnia, along with these Christian apologetic works. 

Writing Style

While C. S. Lewis is best and most widely known today for The Chronicles of Narnia, most people don’t realize that the entire book is actually an allegory for Christianity. Lewis was a master of metaphor, allegory, and symbolism, and the involvement of Christianity and Christian themes stands as one of the most significant aspects of Lewis’s writing, even if they are veiled by symbolism and allegory. Truly, in all of his most prominent works, there is an aspect of Christianity involved. Much of his writing also has a philosophical edge, and Lewis was lauded for the deftness he wrote about complex spiritual and philosophical queries. 

His writing was also known for being richly imaginative and immersive, especially his fiction, and his non-fiction was known for its accessibility and engaging, conversational tone that was different from the norm for academic-esque writing on Christianity. 

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels written by C. S. Lewis and published between 1950 and 1956. The books are today considered classics of children's literature, with each book in the series presenting an adventure set in the fictional land of Narnia, blending elements of fantasy, allegory, and Christian themes as the whole series sets out the background and mythology of Narnia.

The first book in the series, and perhaps the most well-known, is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which follows four siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie — after they are evacuated from London during World War II and sent to live in the countryside with Professor Digory Kirke. While exploring the professor's mansion, Lucy discovers a magical wardrobe that serves as a portal to the land of Narnia. As the story unfolds, the Pevensie siblings discover their roles as the prophesied Kings and Queens of Narnia and join forces with the lion Aslan to defeat the antagonistic White Witch, bringing about the end of a previously eternal winter and the return of spring to Narnia. 

The Pevensie children are subjects of the second and third novels in the series as well, where they embark on a number of different adventures for the benefit of Narnia now several hundred years in the future from the land they experienced in the first novel, as time passes differently in Narnia. 

The fourth novel in the series, The Silver Chair, focuses on the cousin of the Pevensies, Eustace Scrubb, who himself must go to Narnia to aid Aslan. The fifth and sixth novels in the series are prequels, telling stories regarding Narnia before the time of the Pevensies. The final novel, however, refocuses on the Pevensie siblings, and the series ends with the destruction of Narnia amidst a battle between good and evil, and the transition into a higher, afterlife-esque world referred to as the “real” Narnia.  

Each book contributes to the larger narrative of Narnia's history and mythology, exploring different aspects of the land, its inhabitants, and the underlying themes that permeate the novels. The most prominent themes are, of course, Christianity and Christian allegory, reflecting Christian theology and biblical motifs. Aslan, a majestic lion and the creator of Narnia, serves as a Christ-like figure, embodying sacrifice, redemption, and ultimate goodness. The stories also explore ideas of courage, loyalty, sacrifice, forgiveness, and the battle between good and evil, and Narnia serves as something of a parallel world to ours, where deeper spiritual truths are conveyed through fantastical events and characters.

For all of these factors, The Chronicles of Narnia have been staples in the fantasy genre since their publishing and remain case studies for involving deep allegory and symbolism into stories. 

Mere Christianity

Mere Christianity is one of the most, if not the most, influential and widely read works of C. S. Lewis’s non-fiction. Published as a book in 1952, it began as a series of popular radio broadcasts aired during World War II, in which Lewis sought to explain and defend the core beliefs of Christianity and encouraged readers to consider these beliefs seriously, arguing that Christianity offers a coherent and rational explanation of life, morality, and the universe.

The book is divided into several sections, each addressing different aspects of Christian doctrine and morality. Lewis begins by making a case for the existence of a moral law, which he argues points to the existence of a transcendent moral lawgiver, whom he identifies as God. He then delves into what he calls "Christianity's 'mere' essentials," aiming to present a unified and basic understanding of the Christian faith that is shared by various denominations; "Mere Christianity" doesn't advocate for any specific denomination but rather aims to establish a foundational understanding of Christianity's central beliefs, which was a central point of praise for this book. He discusses theological concepts such as the nature of God, the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and the role of faith and salvation, and he also explores the idea of Christian ethics and morality, emphasizing the importance of virtues such as love, forgiveness, humility, and selflessness. 

Throughout the book, Lewis employs logical reasoning, analogies, and everyday examples to make complex theological ideas more accessible and understandable to readers from diverse backgrounds. His approach is rational and seeks to appeal to the common sense of his audience, and as an individual, people thought Lewis’s writing on Christianity was especially effective because he approached it almost with a reluctance or skepticism, considering he had been an atheist for a time. As a result, the book has been praised for its ability to resonate with both believers and skeptics, its clarity, and its logical arguments.

Space Trilogy

C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy, also known as the Cosmic Trilogy, is a series of three fiction novels written between 1938 and 1945 that explore themes of Christian theology, morality, and the struggle between good and evil within a science-fiction framework. It was not Lewis’s most popular work of fiction, but scholars have argued this trilogy is quite exemplary of the style and content choices of Lewis, including his incredible imagination and his Christian themes. 

The first book, "Out of the Silent Planet,” introduces Dr. Elwin Ransom, a philologist who is kidnapped, ironically enough considering his name, and taken to the planet Mars. Dr. Ransom discovers a world teeming with life, inhabited by different species, each with its unique culture, and he learns about the benevolent ruler, Oyarsa, and the “hnau” (intelligent beings) living there. The story explores themes of colonization, morality, and the misuse of power, and it emphasizes the idea of the presence of divine benevolence in the universe.

In the second book, "Perelandra" (or "Voyage to Venus"), Dr. Ransom travels to Venus, known as Perelandra, and encounters the planet's first inhabitants, a man and a woman named Tor and Tinidril, who are essentially representations of Adam and Eve. Dr. Ransom faces a moral and spiritual battle as he tries to prevent the lure of evil that threatens the innocence and harmony of Perelandra, and the book heavily explores the themes of temptation, free will, and the conflict between good and evil.

The final book, “That Hideous Strength,” takes place on Earth and follows a different storyline but is connected thematically to the preceding novels. It delves into the struggle between supernatural forces of good and evil within a modern dystopian setting via a fictional research institute called N.I.C.E. (National Institute of Coordinated Experiments) that seeks to control humanity through scientific manipulation and occult practices. Dr. Ransom confronts the dark forces at work and engages in a battle for humanity's soul.

As is his unofficial trademark, throughout the Space Trilogy Lewis interweaves Christian themes, moral dilemmas, and philosophical ideas within the context of a fantastical piece of fiction. He explores the relationship between humanity, the cosmos, and spiritual dimensions, and the philosophical depth of the exploration of these ideas transcends the boundaries of traditional science-fiction, leaving a profound mark in the genre. 

The Legacy & Impact of C. S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis left a legacy not only as a writer, but as a Christian. Today, upwards of fifty years after his death, he is still noted as one of the most significant Christian theologians, writers, and theorists of the twentieth century, and new scholarship on Lewis and his Christianity-focused works is actively produced today in the realm of both religious and literary studies. 

Lewis still looms especially large in pop culture as a writer of fantasy, and his imagination and masterful use of seamless allegory – so seamless many never notice it – have served as inspiration for generation of writers that followed in his footsteps. He made many, many significant contributions to the English catalog of fantasy writing, and in everything he did – from teaching, to philosophy, to religious debate – he stands tall, even long after his death. 

Writing Advice

One of Lewis’s less known works is his book On Writing (and Writers), which offers a plethora of good writing advice and it is highly recommended for anyone stuck or struggling to find a starting place. Of the many pieces of advice he gives, some of the foremost are: write about what interests you– Lewis certainly did. He posits boredom is the inevitable conclusion of going about the painstaking process of writing something you yourself aren’t even interested in, and you will have to fight your way to success if you do. 

Another great piece of advice, which has been said by many other prominent writers as well: read! Read great books, read bad books, read just okay books. Find out what you like and don’t like, what you believe is worth reading, what you believe makes a talented writer. Writing is only half the job of being a writer– reading is the other half. Everything you read will bring you closer in your relationship to writing and producing something of your own.