Michael Hemmer: The Mother of Species (Perelandra Chapter 12 Part 1)

 Chapter 12 of Perelandra is perhaps one of the most interesting chapters of the book. Although there is certainly the surface level conflict between Ransom and the Un-man, there are other conflicts within Ransom that are addressed. The first comes in the beginning of the chapter on page 129, in which Ransom contemplates the sleeping form of the Lady. Eve tends to get a bad wrap. Being the one that ate the fruit and all. Here, however, shows Ransoms contemplation on the matter when he experiences an orphan-like longing for the great Mother of his own race. Ransom understands the figure of Eve in this instance better than anyone could hope to as he reflects on his experiences with her Perelandrian counterpart. Ransom than mutters a curious observation. "Other things, other blessings, other glories,"... "But never that. Never in all worlds, that. God can make good use of all that happens. But the loss is real." (129)" Ransom sees the great blessings and glories that have been spun out of the tragic history of the silent planet, however, he experiences the deep loss forfeited by that same history of his home planet. This is reminiscent of the Apostle Pauls theological conclusions as he transitions between Romans chapter 5 and 6. In the end of chapter 5, Paul writes "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." (Rom. 5:21) A common objection to this statement logically follows: If God makes all things good and sinning makes grace "abound all the more" why do I have to stop sinning? C.S. Lewis understood Paul's heart as he refutes this statement saying "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!" (Rom. 6:1-2) Lewis provides the support for this statement in Ransoms contemplation of the first sin from his world: the loss is real. This is the final thought that steels Ransoms resolve before his battle with the Un-man, which I will be covering with my next post.

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