Beautiful Allegorical Tale: The Pilgrim Regress By C.S. Lewis

Beautiful Allegorical Tale: The Pilgrim Regress By C.S. Lewis

The Pilgrim Regress By C.S. Lewis was initially published in 1933. It is one of the first fictional books by Lewis and explores the story of John’s journey to visit his desired place. Moreover, the book is an allegory to the author’s experience of finding faith in the material world. So, let’s explore this unique and fascinating piece of literature more, which explores the writer’s struggle to find the divine light. 

The Pilgrim Regress By C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis is known for his non-fictional works. Still, The Pilgrim Regress proves that his fictional work also carries excellent wisdom. In the book, the author takes the readers on a journey of self-discovery through the main character, John. 

“There is no excess of goodness. You cannot go too far in the right direction.”

John is a young kid who grew up in a traditional household where he was instilled with religious values. However, as he grew older, he found the world challenging those values and leading to doubt in his mind. For John, all he ever desired was to see the island of his dream. So, he goes on a journey where he meets all sorts of people representing particular ideologies and traditions. 

“Fighting one vice with another is about the most dangerous strategy there is.”

In the end, after confronting dozens of different people, John finds his desired place. And it was possible through his journey of discovery and faith for the first time. This is an essential representation of the struggle of every single human born and bred in a particular religious tradition. 

Allegory Of Characters

John’s interaction with different characters plays a significant role in developing his arc and personality. He has conversations about reason, wisdom, atheism, and many others. This is substantial for everyone willing to seek truth, as you’ll have to confront different philosophies. 

“Objects of affection are like other belongings. We must love them enough to enrich our lives while we have them—not enough to impoverish our lives when they are gone.”

C.S. Lewis had this struggle before accepting his faith and converting to Christianity. Therefore, John represents the author and his struggles to reach the truth. 

The Hidden Message Of The Pilgrim Regress By C.S. Lewis

One of the most crucial things you can take from the book is to sacrifice many things before finding God. The road to salvation is not easy and is full of hiccups, confusions, doubts and obstacles. However, as long as you’re on that path of seeking truth, you’ll eventually find it, but the journey is different for everyone. 

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”

Final Thoughts On The Pilgrim Regress By C.S. Lewis

The Pilgrim Regress is a subtle book with a clear allegorical message of the author’s journey towards God. It has a lot of insightful conversations taking place between different ideological characters. Moreover, you can learn a lot from the wisdom of Lewis’ direct but sensible takes on the human condition. Thus, it is a highly recommendable book for those looking to find interesting 20th-century literature. 

“What does not satisfy when we find it, was not the thing we were desiring.”

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