Myth and Truth
C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the big surprise.
Matthew Galgani
I was in my 20s when I read Surprised by Joy, the autobiography of C.S. Lewis. The book depicts Lewis's journey from an angry, ardent atheist who had lost his mother at a young age to "the most reluctant convert" to Christianity.
Fast forward more than 30 years, and there I was in Irvine, California watching The Most Reluctant Convert with my oldest daughter, now in her 20s. A one-man show starring Max McLean, the play draws heavily on Surprised by Joy and the many talks Lewis had during this period with his good friend and fellow scholar, J.R.R. Tolkien.
On top of McLean’s impressive ability to bring Lewis to life and the show's superb production, the play is both captivating and challenging.
As Lewis always seems to do in both his fiction and nonfiction, he doesn’t come across as a strident preacher trying to persuade or convert. He aims to explain. Once Lewis has made his case, it is up to the reader or viewer to accept, reject or further explore the message.
I am by no means a scholar of the works of C.S. Lewis, or anything remotely close to it. But I’ve always found his writing to be exceptionally lucid. People may not agree with the point he’s making, but he makes it well.
One of my favorite moments in the play is when McLean as C.S. Lewis proclaims “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance.”
This disarmingly nonchalant statement strikes me as the ultimate challenge to both believers and non-believers. Lewis is essentially saying that believing or not believing doesn't change the truth, so place your bets and take your chances. I don't see the line as Lewis trying to convert or coerce anyone. It’s just the conclusion that he came to after much thought — and many long, philosophical chats Tolkien.
Joy Vs. Contemplation
Another concept from Surprised by Joy that has stuck with me all these decades is his discussion of joy vs. contemplation.
Transcending the concept of mere happiness or pleasure, joy is that state of unconscious “present-ness” that we all enter at times. It is not about "thinking" of something. It is a state of simply "experiencing" — with no thought of the past or future. And no thought of being in the present, for that matter.
As soon as we start to think, “wow, this is great” or “I’m really experiencing this moment,” that state of "joy" ends. The moment is lost. It has transformed into contemplation. It can become a great memory, but it’s no longer "joy," undiluted and unencumbered by thoughts of the past, present or future.
By this definition, joy and contemplation are tied at the hip, but fundamentally different phenomena. As soon as we notice that we're experiencing this state of joy as defined here, it evaporates. It becomes contemplation, the pondering of an experience that has now vanished and transformed into a memory.
Like with Japanese cherry blossoms that disappear so quickly after they bloom, the ephemeral nature of this kind of "joy" does not fade into sadness. Rather, it makes us aware of the beauty we have just witnessed, and gives us the opportunity to contemplate and appreciate that gift.
The Sneaky Power of Stories and Myths
In Surprised by Joy and elsewhere, Lewis also writes about his discussions with Tolkien regarding myth and story – an exploration that manifests itself throughout the works of both men.
Both writers saw good storytelling, embedded with theological and moral themes, as an effective path to connect with what they saw as the truth.
In his nonfiction books, Lewis eschewed heavy-handled proselytizing in favor of rational discussion. And in his fictional works like The Chronicles of Narnia , The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy, he saw storytelling as an effective way to connect with and entertain audiences, while sneaking in themes and messages he wanted to convey.
Tolkien certainly did the same with timeless classics like The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings.
Particularly in the case of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, many readers are simply entertained, perhaps unaware of the themes within. Yet, those messages can still resonate, however subtly or subconsciously.
Maybe that's where experiencing the "joy" of a gripping tale comes in, followed by "contemplation" of the underlying, hidden themes as the story lingers within readers' minds.
"I believe that legends and myths are largely made of 'truth', and indeed present aspects of it that can only be received in this mode."
— J.R.R. Tolkien
