Perelandra {I}

In Perelandra, Ransom "described us as being in a state of siege, as being, in fact, an enemy-occupied territory, held down by eldils who were at war both with us and with the eldils of "Deep Heaven," or "space."" This is the exact same term that Lewis used in Mere Christianity when he said, ""Enemy-occupied territory—that is what this world is." :)

Of the fallen eldila - "Oh, they'll put all sorts of things into your head if you let them," said Ransom lightly. "The best plan is to take no notice and keep straight on. Don't try to answer them. They like drawing you into an interminable argument." This is both like and unlike the devils of The Screwtape Letters. Screwtape advised Wormwood that their best work was sometimes done keeping things out rather than putting things into the heads of mortals. However, I feel that there is still a similarity between the tempting eldila and the devils.

"If you mean, Does my reason accept the view that he will (accidents apart) deliver me safe on the surface of Perelandra? - the answer is Yes," said Ransom. "If you mean, Do my nerves and my imagination respond to this view? - I'm afraid the answer is No. One can believe is anesthetics and yet feel in a panic when they actually put the mask over your face. I think I feel as a man who believes in the future life feels when he is taken out to face a firing party. Perhaps it's good practice." This is very much like what Lewis said in Mere Christianity - "Faith... is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods."

"McPhee was arguing against the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the human body... with such questions as "So you think you're going to have guys and a palate forever in a world where there'll be no eating, and genital organs in a world without copulation?" ...Ransom suddenly burst out with great excitement, "Oh, don't you see... that there's a difference between a trans-sensuous life and a non-sensuous life?"... In Ransom's opinion the present functions and appetites of the body would disappear, not because they were atrophied but because they were, as he said, "engulfed." He used the word "trans-sexual" I remember and began to hunt about for some similar words to apply to eating." This is like what Lewis said in Miracles - ""Trans-sexual" would be a better word than "sexual" for the heavenly life."

The description of Perelandra as a vast ocean reminded me of something I learned in an Old Testament class - that in Bibical times water represented chaos, and land was God's imposition of order. {See Genesis 1 for an account of the Creation.}