The Great Divorce: Chapter 6
Summary
Our protagonist walks upstream on the hard water for an hour, but only advances “a couple of hundred yards”. However, the foam forces him to leave the water and walk on the great flat stones on the banks.
After hearing “an immense yet lovely noise vibrated through the forest” for several hours, he finally arrives at a massive waterfall which he says “was like giant’s laughter: like the revelry of a whole college of giants together laughing, dancing, singing, roaring at their high works”. Lewis comments that his senses “were now receiving impressions which would normally exceed their capacity. On earth, such a waterfall could not have been perceived at all as a whole; it was too big”
He then notices that “a hawthorn bush not twenty yards away seemed to be behaving oddly”. It turns out to be his “bowler-hatted companion” he met on the bus whom the Big Ghost had called Ikey, who wanted to setup a shop in The Grey Town.
The Intelligent Ghost was trying to cross the ground in a stealthy fashion without being seen, but making slow progress through the heavenly environment. He makes his way to a tree when the wind blows, dislodging golden apples which land both around and on him!
Upon recovery, The Intelligent Ghost attempts to fill his pockets with the apples. However, “his ambitions were gradually forced down” from multiple, large apples to the single, smallest apple he could find. Even though he is bent double, “inch by inch, still availing himself of every scrap of cover, he set out on his via dolorosa to the bus, carrying his torture”.
A great voice suddenly says “Fool. Put it down”. Jack realizes that that the waterfall itself was speaking, that it “was also a bright angel who stood, like one crucified, against the rocks and poured himself perpetually down towards the forest with loud joy”. The giant tells The Intelligent Ghost to put the apple done since “There is not room for it in Hell”. Instead, he invites him to remain in Heaven and “learn to eat such apples” and tells him that “the very leaves and the blades of grass in the wood will delight to teach you.”
The ghost either doesn’t hear the angel, or chosoes to ignore him and continues his journey back to the bus…
Questions
Q1. Why do you think Lewis’ senses are increasing in capacity?
Q2. What is The Intelligent Ghost so afraid of?
Q3. What is The Intelligent Ghost trying to do? What problems does he have?
Q4. How can the waterfall also be an angel?
Q5. What does the angel tell The Intelligent Ghost to do instead?