20 Discussion Questions for The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis (With Analysis) | Chapterly Blog
C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce is one of the most imaginative theological works of the twentieth century. The Great Divorce discussion questions force readers to grapple with Lewis's radical argument: that the doors of hell are locked from the inside, and that people choose separation from God not because they lack opportunity but because they prefer their own version of reality. Whether you are reading this in a church group, a philosophy class, or a book club, these questions will help you engage seriously with Lewis's ideas. Published in 1945, the novel follows an unnamed narrator who boards a bus from a dreary, gray city (hell, or at least its outskirts) to the bright, solid foothills of heaven. There he witnesses a series of encounters between ghostly visitors and radiant Spirits who try to persuade them to stay. Most ghosts choose to return to hell — not because heaven rejects them, but because they cannot let go of the very things that imprison them. These 20 questions are organized by theme. The Great Divorce Discussion Questions: Heaven, Hell, and Choice Lewis reimagines the afterlife not as a binary reward-and-punishment system but as a matter of ongoing, deeply personal choice. His...