In his letters, C. S. Lewis demonstrates different qualities, which vary depending on the addressee. For example, in a letter to his goddaughter Sarah, the author is quite childish, which is demonstrated by the drawings that he adds to the letter and the content of the letter itself. At the same time, in letters to Mary, Lewis shows other qualities. The difference in the mood and behavior of the author is already noticeable based on how he signs the letters. In a letter to Sarah, he signs “Your affectionate godfather, C.S. Lewis,” while in letters to Mary, he signs the more familiar “Jack” (Lewis 20). Based on an analysis of the letters, C. S. Lewis can be described as childish, empathetic, and spiritual.
Lewis shows a high level of empathy for Mary, which shows in every word he says. The author responds sympathetically to Mary’s letters, writing, “I wish I could relieve any of it for you” (Lewis 20). Even though the events that Mary went through are not known to the reader from the letters presented, the manner of correspondence makes one feel empathy for this woman. Moreover, Lewis doesn’t just offer words of encouragement but seems to be trying to put himself in Mary’s shoes and experience her situation to understand her experience better.
In addition, I would describe Lewis as a spiritual and moderately religious person since, in his letters, he repeatedly features God and quotes from the Bible. For example, in response to Mary’s situation, Lewis refers to the Gospel of Matthew: ”Sufficient unto the day” (Lewis 20). To help and support Mary, he uses Christianity as a source of wisdom. Moreover, this demonstrates the author’s understanding of human nature since he previously mentioned that Mary wrote to him about God, which means that such references in the letter could positively affect the addressee. At the same time, Lewis does not try to preach Christianity but uses it as a source of strength to survive life’s difficulties.
Work Cited
Lewis, Clive Staples. “Personal correspondence.” Letters to an American Lady, edited by Clide S. Kilby, William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1967, pp. 19-20.
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