Orual's Conversion in C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces

Introduction: Orual's Transformation

Orual, in Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis, is a character who undergoes a complete transformation. From an ugly sister obsessed with power who only hurts those she loves, she becomes a true believer in the divine and a model of unselfish love. Speaking largely on the power of God, the divine, love, jealousy, and family — among other themes — Lewis creates a powerful character in Orual whose transformation reflects on the very nature of God's involvement in life and on love, spirituality, and holiness within the individual.

While touching on numerous themes through Orual, Lewis is able to express his powerful views on conversion. To Lewis, conversion is a difficult task — it took Orual a lifetime to believe in the power of the gods and the divine — yet it is possible through self-reflection. It is impossible to see the divine before conversion, but once one gains a face and understands spirituality in his or her own life, conversion becomes possible. Ultimately, Lewis believes that to convert to a believer in the divine one must undergo an internal spiritual awakening, and he uses Orual's transformation as an example as she develops from an ugly to a beautiful person where it counts most: inside.

Orual's Impure Love and Self-Deception

At the beginning of the novel, Orual is unaware of her eventual transformation, and thus she thinks of herself as ugly — and she is ugly. The opening of the book marks the origin of the process that will help her become spiritually aware, through the retelling of her own story. It is in this retelling that the reader becomes aware of Orual and her shortcomings. Early in the work, Orual reveals that she "wanted to be a wife so that I could have been her real mother," among other reflections of her obsessive, even blind love for the beauty of Psyche (Lewis 31). "It has no envy," Fox tells her of divine nature and true love, but Orual does not believe it at the beginning of the story (Lewis 32).

Orual considers herself to be ugly, and although she does have love, it is not pure or spiritual love; rather, it is clouded in envy and obsession. She wants Psyche's love for herself. Additionally, Orual considers the gods to be unjust to her, and she becomes extremely bitter and protective of her sister. Her love of Psyche is untamed and goes too far; Orual is full of envy and does not love unconditionally.

The Encounter with Psyche and the Invisible Palace

Orual's treatment of Psyche when she goes to bury Psyche's bones is a crucial point in Lewis's story that reveals Orual's flaws and the need for conversion. Much to Orual's surprise, she discovers Psyche to be alive. Psyche maintains she is married to the greatest god — the god of the mountain — and that she lives in a palace. This palace, however, is invisible to Orual. Orual tries to convince Psyche that her husband is a liar and that her life as the wife of the god of the mountain is an illusion. "Psyche, you are deceived," Orual tells her sister (Lewis 168). Psyche responds, "If you ever loved me, put them away now," which demonstrates how corrupted Orual's love has become (Lewis 169).

All the beauty that Psyche sees is invisible to Orual, and Orual is too rational to comprehend it. As Orual convinces Psyche to betray her husband, Orual's true character is further revealed. Psyche expresses it plainly: "This is the price you have put upon your life. Well, I must pay for it" (Lewis 176). This foreshadows the destruction that will be caused by Orual's actions and shows the deep flaws in her love. Orual's love is not healthy for her sister. She is a spiritually misguided person — ugly, as she herself admits. Lewis's portrayal of Orual prior to her conversion is of someone with no faith in the divine and no awareness of what love truly means. Orual may love, but it is not the right love; it is out of control and impure.

Conclusion: Internal Awakening as the Path to the Divine

C.S. Lewis has created a complex novel in his retelling of the story of Cupid and Psyche. It is a novel with numerous themes and meanings, one that is deeply reflective of the very core of the interaction between human nature and spirituality. Spirituality is within, but it is not that simple. It requires endless love — not selfish or envious love. This love is required for conversion. One must find the love inside him or herself to make conversion possible. The face of God is impossible to see until one has a face of one's own.

Orual went through the process of gaining a face through her conversion, through her realization of her own self-deception, and in that Lewis is saying that it requires an internal awakening of the divine before true conversion and understanding of God can be reached.

Works Cited

Lewis, C.S. Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold. London, UK: Geoffrey Bles, 1956.