Till We Have Faces Character Analysis

A hero's place in society has remained relatively consistent since the very beginning of time. Throughout the years, people have seen many different versions of larger-than-life heroes, who have completed seemingly impossible tasks and persevered through immense adversity. The common denominator between all of these heroes has always been that each and every one of these beings has put his/her own life in danger and fought great battles in the pursuit of a better life for mankind as a whole.

Since long ago, people carried an image of what it means to be a hero. It is evident in some great books one might even say. As in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Antigone, and The Iliad, heroism is displayed and exalted, but what does being a hero mean? Overarchingly, in regards to these works, the heroes earn their titles as heroes by notably doing what is right when the time is right, with humane purpose, and an everlasting message. However, Gilgamesh, Antigone, and Akhilleus, being different in their purposes, everlasting messages, type of heroism as whole, can not compare in regards to heroic status.

Today in society there are many individuals who can be described as heroic because of their courageous actions towards helping others. People who do not believe in heroes today do not see the change happening around the world for the benefits of future generations. However, in reality many individuals are risking their own lives to fight for what they believe in and for the change they wish to see in this world. Alfred de Vigny asserts that there are no heroes in this world, but even ancient stories like Beowulf provide examples of heroes who risk their lives to save others while we do still have heroes during modern-day times.

A hero, as defined in Webster’s Online Dictionary, is a person who “a person admired for achievements or noble qualities” or “one who shows great courage.” However, a hero is not just a person with outstanding achievements. A hero is a person who is philanthropic, generous, and kind. Heros fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, and do not judge those who they are fighting for. They are charitable in ways other than donating money, they give their time and effort in order to make the lives of others more pleasant. Heros display bravery, as they are willing to go into a dangerous situation to help others that have been aggrieved. Social pressures and judgements do not affect a hero’s willingness to help others, and they are willing to push through what others say

Christopher Reeve once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Hero’s are around us in our everyday lives such as firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect people and their property. Other hero’s can be found in literature. These hero’s, also know as an epic hero, exhibit superhuman qualities to help fight and protect others while on their quest. Being a hero means taking on enormous responsibilities. With these responsibilities comes great praise from others which both Beowulf and everyday firefighter receive for their extraordinary work.

When one thinks of heroes, names such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Mother Theresa often come to mind. These people had done a lot of favors, courage, helps, and more of things for the people who needed them. The true definition of hero is a man of distinguished valor. Bravery, courage, intrepidity, boldness, daring, and prowess in war are a hero’s characteristics. However a hero is understood to be different to everyone. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa. A person can be a hero for saving the life of one or of millions.

In Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis we are introduced to the protagonist Orual and her sister Psyche. Orual and Psyches once strong relationship develops into a very destructive relationship that throughout the book quickly spirals downward. As the story goes on Orual comes out of the situation realizing how she devoured many lives. She now understands her faults and conquers what she struggles with most, seeing her true self more clearly. The relationship between Orual and Psyche seemed to have three phases, the first being a strong happy relationship, second being the start of their feud and the third being their completely broken relationship.

Every person makes innumerable changes in his or her life whether they be noticeable or not. Making changes in one’s life may cause others to view the person differently. During the 700 to 450 B.C. time period such changes may only be small, such as wearing a disparate hair style or clothing but may leave a large impression on others. In the novel Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis the character, Orual, makes a change in her wardrobe causing others to drastically change their perceptions about her.

Many people in today’s society believe that his or her own way of thinking is the best for everyone and every situation. This is not the case if one or both parties are stubborn and will only agree with his or her terms. Orual from Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis has a difficult personality that renders her ability to understand the gods of the 700 to 450 B.C. time period she thinks have wronged her for not listening to her when in fact she is the one to have not listened. In the novel Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis the character Orual has an obstinate attitude that influences her actions and relationships with those she loves and reflects on how people behave in modern civilization and its consequences.

The novel, both philosophical and mythological, known as Till We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis, delves into a constant struggle between faith and religious explanations versus thoughtful and more reasonable ones. During the time of this book, the main character and narrator of the book, Orual, is taught throughout her life to worship the known gods and to use them as an explanation for everything going on in the universe. At the same time, Orual’s father has given one of his wisest slaves, the Fox, the task of teaching Orual and her sisters philosophy. He teaches her more reasonable explanations for everything rather than blaming the gods. Throughout the book, Orual has a difficult time knowing whether a situation requires her faith or a reasonable explanation.

Heroes are those who have gone above what the average person would do to ensure the welfare of others. Natural disasters, terrorism, poverty, and war are some of the many things that destroy and end people’s lives. Throughout history, many people have made a difference. However, as history progresses, what we consider to be socially normal changes along with our definition of a hero. In Ancient Greece, Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus were considered heroes, but today only Theseus and Perseus would be considered heroes because Hercules would be shunned by society.

Everyone has heard the word hero. Young children are usually surrounded by the most famous heroic characters, like Batman, or Superman. Middle aged people usually are more concerned about the heros that defend our country, or their loved ones are in the service, but there is a whole different world when you look closely enough at the meaning, hero. The Heroic Journey was created by Joseph Campbell, he studied stories from different cultures around the world, and he found that they all had a main character going on an epic quest or journey, and coming back home a hero. Heros are created to show what we truly want in life, they are often portrayed as the “perfect citizen” but struggle to keep their identity a secret, but not

Orual, the protagonist and narrator of C.S. Lewis’ final novel Till We Have Faces, longed only to be truly loved, beautiful and whole. In relation to the title, this process of realizing her desires is shown throughout the novel with the image of being given a face. This represents the complete psyche or soul, and Orual must accept and know her face (her Self) before she can stand in the presence of gods. A central question to this story that is not understood until the final chapter, “How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?” (Lewis 257) is fundamental to her spiritual and psychological transformation. Her transformation takes her entire life, and is a highly

There are many heroes, but there are those who sit back and question what or who makes a hero in today’s society. It has never been a set standard for heroes. In this modern world, there are many types of heroes. In today’s media, there is a contrast between million dollar sports figures, glorified celebrities, and the normal people we call heroes. Some heroes receive no recognition and others receive hero status with ease. However, it has yet to be determined whether our meaning of heroes has changed due to this influence. We have known about the

In today’s society, our image of hero is drastically altered than the image it once used to be. In fact, the very first heroes that existed were the Greek gods. The Ancient Greeks shaped their gods from the image of their own people, because they believed that no creature could better represent themselves, as well as humans could. Therefore, the Greeks took the best human traits and created their gods reflecting the same qualities, and praised them as their heroes. But as time went on people have forgotten the true human image of a hero. We began to stereotype heroes as someone with super-powers and muscles who saves the city and rescues the damsel in distress. Because of the impractical standards of a hero that we have created, today’s society banishes the allowance ordinary people from the achievement of heroism. But in our families, communities, schools, cities, there are many people that deserve the title of a hero. And one person who I believe is a hero, is Lori Mountcastle. Reflecting the qualities of heroes like Pyramus, Thisbe, and Theseus, Lori Mountcastle is one that through her unwavering love for others, defies the standards that society sets for her.