The Great Divorce

Lewis deliberately portrays Hell as a much more ordinary and less physically tormenting place than other representations of Hell in popular culture and religious art. Did his version strike you as more or less haunting than the common portrayal of Hell as a fiery torture zone? Why?

Just as Lewis portrays Hell differently than most depictions in popular culture and religious art, he also portrays Heaven differently. While Heaven is often represented as a particularly ethereal place, full of clouds and floating angels, Lewis represents it as a place of remarkable solidity, so hard to the touch that newcomers have to acclimate to its density. Why do you think he chose to portray Heaven this way?

Why do you think Lewis chooses to portray so many people who do not choose to go forth into the Mountains and only one who does? What does this reveal about his purpose for writing the book?

This novel portrays the relationship between good and evil as a complicated one; while it does not suggest that evil can sometimes be good, it does suggest that the difference between the two is not always as obvious as many people think. How would you describe the relationship between good and evil as portrayed in the novel?

Lewis acknowledges through the narrator’s and MacDonald’s comments that some of the Christian doctrines he communicates in the novel are difficult for people to accept, and that some might even initially strike readers as unfeeling or cruel. Did you have such a reaction to any of the doctrinal points that arise in the novel? If so, did you find MacDonald’s responses to those reactions convincing? Why or why not?

The Great Divorce gets labeled under different—though related—genres, depending on who is doing the labeling. Some people label it an allegory, others label it a fable, and still others label it speculative fiction. Which of these labels do you think best suits the novel, and why? Alternatively, if you cannot decide, why do you see a strong case for all three? Are there any other genre labels that you would apply to the novel?

For which Ghost did you have the most pity or compassion, and why? For which did you have the least?

Select one or two of the Ghosts who stood out to you the most. Discuss the difference between the way they describe their reason for retreating to the bus and the way you would describe their motivation. Are the two identical, or do you think the Ghosts are misrepresenting their true motivations?