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ornamental line

Veilings and Unveilings

"things that many see may have no taste or moment in them at all, and things that
are shown only to one may be spears and water-spouts
of truth from the very depth of truth" (277).
C. S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces (1956)


Points for Reflection

The Bible: I Corinthians 13:1-13

  1. even those unfamiliar with most of The Bible have likely heard this passage recited at a wedding or two. Does it provide a soft and comforting elaboration of the responsibilities entailed in love, a hard and demanding rubric, or something in-between?
  2. do verses 1-3 privilege mind over matter, and heart over mind?
  3. which constitutes a more difficult challenge in verses 4-7, the prescription to proactively behave in certain ways, or the proscription against particular actions?
  4. which of the skills and experiences trumped by love (v.8) are valued by the population at large, as well as by Christians?
  5. in the previous chp. (12:4-11), Paul spoke inclusively of prophesying, speaking in tongues, and disseminating wisdom as various manifestations of the Holy Spirit in believers, but now he downplays all of these three relative to love (v.8-10). Why?
  6. do you agree that humans, even collectively considered, know "only in part" (v.9), or do you believe that humans know--or at least have the capacity to definitely discover--everything?
  7. how does Paul's observation about leaving "childish ways" behind (v.11) compare to what Jesus said about the minds of children (Matthew 18:2-4)? Is it possible to reconcile the two ideas?
  8. to what is Paul alluding in verse 12? What, exactly, is it that we shall presumably see more clearly in the future than we do now?
  9. do you imagine that the mirror metaphor of verse 12 means the same to us as it did to this letter's original readers?
  10. what does the last, cryptic verse mean (v.13)? In what ways might "love" be greater than even "faith" and "hope"?


P. D. James' Children of Men, chps. 27-33

  1. early in these chapters, Theo oscillates between taking hold of hope and feeling all hope is lost.  Where does he end up, ultimately?
  2. would it be appropriate to label the ornamentations, dance, and ritual violence of the hostile Omegas as “Art”?
  3. do the Omegas recall any particular indigenous people groups?  Will an American audience read these details differently than a British audience?
  4. what does Rolf’s physical and emotional response to Julian’s revelation (186-87) reveal about his character?
  5. how does Theo respond to Julian’s revelation, and what does this suggest about the original nature of his affection for her?
  6. Julian’s pregnancy constitutes a kind of miracle—even Theo has referred to it as such.  Is she intended to be a mother of Christ figure, or something else?
  7. any thoughts as to why P. D. James titled this novel as she did?
  8. do the various changes undergone by Theo in this novel include the kind of spiritual rebirth advocated by Christianity?
  9. Theo told us in his diary that he was “learning to love” (176), and Miriam observes that Julian is beginning to love Theo (187).  Does the book provide a clear definition of “true” love?
  10. why might Theo throw his diary into the lake (219)?
  11. which proves more important in helping Theo learn to value both beauty and love, intellect or emotion?
  12. does Theo, ultimately, share Xan’s comfort with power and violence?
  13. recall that Julian and Rolf both consider the Warden, Xan, to be evil. Is their assumption proven correct?
  14. earlier in the novel, Theo’s response to Rolf’s and the group’s criticisms of the Quietus, treatment of the Sojourners, and the Isle of Man Penal Colony was that no one cared enough to complain, since they are relatively comfortable and safe. Luke and Julian suggest that what society really needs is a transformed “moral will,” that the people themselves have to be changed (64). Does this novel prove their hope to be an impossible pipe dream?
  15. in this novel’s opening pages, Theo reflects on both the curious nature of Christianity (and whether a visiting alien race will be able to decipher the significance of the cross) and humanity’s deification of science and medicine (4-5). By the close of this novel, have either God or science emerged victorious?


White structure that looks like a skull with red dots that look like flowers hovering above it
The Vertebrated Cavern, Series of Decals (1936)
gouache on black paper
Salvador Dali



Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu