That Hideous Strength

Earth is used as a symbol of fallen man. Moreover, Earth is symbolic of fallen angels that are known as bad eldils. As such, Earth is symbolic of “the fallen” and acts as a foil to Heaven and celestial eldils. Earth is also symbolic in that it is the battleground for the war over humanity. The bad eldils think they have complete control over Earth and seek to destroy all life on the planet.

Heaven is used to symbolize both the state of grace in the Christian sense and a space that includes space and all that is celestial. As such, heaven includes the celestial planets, which are characterized as angels with earthly counterparts. Heaven is symbolic of the good, the godly and the divine.

Light is used throughout the narrative as both symbol and a motif. Light symbolizes clarity and hope. It appears when Jane reaches St. Anne’s and the fog dissipates. It’s also amotif for celestial light, meaning celestial charity and hope. Angels, or celestial eldils, appear with beams of piercing, searching light. Light is also used as a motif as a foil to darkness in a duality seen throughout the novel.