The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Week 10: Chapter 9 — The Hard-Bitten Ghost and the Valley
Read Chapter 9 of The Great Divorce.
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A cynical, world-weary Ghost who has seen through everything refuses Heaven on the grounds that it's probably just another trick — and the narrator witnesses the glory of the valley beyond.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.The Hard-Bitten Ghost is convinced that everything — including Heaven — is a con, a swindle, a setup designed to disappoint. He is not in torment; he is simply tired and suspicious. What kind of person is Lewis portraying here, and how is his cynicism its own kind of prison?
2.The Hard-Bitten Ghost has been everywhere — he's taken every trip on offer, investigated every option, and found them all unsatisfying. His disappointment has become his identity. Lewis seems to suggest that a certain kind of spiritual tourism — always looking, never landing — is itself a form of spiritual death. How do you respond to that idea?
3.The Ghost refuses to be impressed by Heaven because being impressed would mean admitting he was wrong. Lewis shows us that pride — especially the pride of the perpetual skeptic — can masquerade as wisdom. How do you guard against letting disappointment in life harden into cynicism about God?
a.Have you experienced a version of this — where being let down by something good made you suspicious of the next good thing?
b.What helped you break through that, or what would help?
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