TGD Chapter 1: The Bus Stop in the Gray Town

Chapter Quote

“And just as the evening never advanced to night, so my walking never brought me to the better parts of the town.”

Chapter Summary

The chapter begins with Lewis wandering through a dimly lit town at dusk. The town is deserted except for a group of people waiting at a bus stop. Several people eventually leave the queue. First, a quarreling couple leaves the queue. Next, a Short Man states that he is too good for the people in the queue and is immediately punched by a Big Man. The Short Man limps away. An Androgynous Couple also leave the queue arm in arm. A woman is cheated out of her place after attempting to buy a spot closer to the front. The bus arrives; driven by a man “full of light” whom the people immediately begin criticizing. On the bus, Lewis is joined by a tousle-headed youth who attempts to share some of his writing. Immediately, the bus ascends from the ground and begins flying above the Gray Town.

Key Characters:

Lewis (narrator)

The Quarreling Couple

The Short Man

The Big Man

Androgynous Couple

Greedy Woman

The Driver

Tousle-headed youth (poet)

Discussion Questions:

1. What words would you use to describe The Gray Town?
2. What do you make of the different members of the queue? The quarreling couple, The Short Man, The Big Man, the Androgynous Couple, the woman who pays to change places with the man who cheats her
3. In what way do the characters in the line each display one of the Seven Deadly Sins?
4. In what ways are the members of the bus stop similar? In what ways are they different from each other?
5. Why do you think the line for the bus is so short? Why do people so easily leave the line?
6. Why do you think the members of the queue react so badly to the driver?
7. Do you think the tousle-headed youth represents anyone in particular?
8. Why does the tousle-headed youth think that the others would be happier staying in the town?

 TGD Preface: Now, what do you suppose….?

Chapter Quote

“If we insist on keeping Hell (or even Earth) we shall not see Heaven. If we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.”

Chapter Summary

In the preface Lewis refers to “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” by William Blake. Lewis says that while it is tempting to “marry” Heaven and Hell, we cannot turn evil into good without renouncing something. According to Lewis, to get to Heaven we must let go of our attachments; even our right hand or right eye: “You cannot take all luggage with you on all journeys...If we insist on keeping Hell…we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven, we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.” Lewis says that whatever we give up on Earth will have been utterly insignificant compared to Heaven. Additionally, Earth will be seen as a preliminary region of either Heaven or Hell. Lewis ends by emphasizing that this story is simply an “imaginative supposal”, and is not meant to be interpreted as strict Christian theology.