The Great Divorce

The Great Divorce

• Genre: Fiction; Christian Allegory; Fantasy
• Originally Published: 1945
• Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult
• Structure/Length: Approximately 160 pages; approximately 3 hours and 22 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The narrative is a dream sequence told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator who finds himself in a grey, joyless town (representing Hell or Purgatory) and takes a bus journey to a bright, solid country (Heaven). The central conflict revolves around the various characters embracing or rejecting the invitation to Heaven, alongside themes of sin, redemption, and the nature of human desires in relation to divine grace.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Religious themes and allegory; discussions of morality and sin; philosophical explorations of Christian theology

C. S. Lewis, Author

• Bio: Born in 1898; died in 1963; British writer and scholar; known for his works on Christian apologetics as well as his fantasy and science fiction novels; was a prolific writer whose works have had a significant impact on both religious and literary fields.
• Other Works: The Chronicles of Narnia series (1950-1956); Mere Christianity (1952); The Screwtape Letters (1942); The Space Trilogy series, including Out of the Silent Planet (1938), Perelandra (1943), and That Hideous Strength (1945)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide: