The Great Divorce Essay Papers
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis: Research Essay Instructions
Listening for God in Fiction—Prof. Hecht
Length: 4-5 pages (approx.1600-2000 words), double-spaced; use MLA 8th ed.
Purpose of this literary essay: to show in Lewis’s The Great Divorce how he challenges readers
to encounter the true gospel (one of its many facets).
***Don’t forget to review and apply the instructions for writing a literary essay—already posted
on Canvas earlier in the semester. The Great Divorce Essay Papers
Audience: The readers of your essay have already read The Great Divorce, but they haven’t
discussed it with anyone or read any sources about it.
Sources:
1. The Great Divorce (Use strong quotes from the story, showing that you have interacted
with it and made some of your own observations.)
2. At least one quote from George MacDonald, the Scottish Teacher in the novel.
3. 3-4 literary criticism sources (literature databases on Moody’s library website; books in
any library). Make sure they are published sources by literary scholars.
Q: Do I find a theme from the stories or from the literary criticism? The Great Divorce Essay Papers
A: From both—as you read literary criticism, you may come up with ideas that you’d like to
write about. Also from our discussions in class, what intrigues you that you’d like to explore?
Topic Suggestions:
1. Create a theme sentence–a universal principle or truth. The thesis/theme is expressed in
a complete sentence, not just a word or phrase. Also, don’t include the author’s name or
story title in the theme sentence (they should be elsewhere in the introduction).
2. Analyze in depth one of the ghosts and his or her Bright Spirit. What theme is Lewis
suggesting from their conversation? The Great Divorce Essay Papers
3. What truths does Lewis portray about sin or salvation or godliness or love, etc.???
4. Why does Lewis portray heaven the way he does? What themes come out of this
portrayal? OR answer the same questions about hell….
5. As you can see, there are many options—feel free to come up with something that I
haven’t listed above. The Great Divorce Essay Papers