Till We Have Faces-Melissa Faller

C.S. Lewis writes in Till We Have Faces about profane and sacred love. Lewis displays the profane and sacred through two sisters. One scene particularly exemplified profane and sacred love to me personally. It was the scene where the Eldest sister, Orual has reached the valley of the Gods to speak to her sister Psyche for the second time. Psyche greets her with excitement and love. Orual has decided to convince Psyche that she is living in delusion and that she is not really married to a God. Orual has convinced herself that there is no such thing as Gods and that the love Psyche is experiencing is not from a God, but rather it is from a felon or some other outcast. She feels that it is her duty to speak truth to her younger sister.
This particular scene speaks profane and sacred love to me for two different reasons. The first and more obvious of Orual representing profane love and Psyche representing sacred love. Secondly, C.S. Lewis does a great job capturing the worldly struggles with the sacred and profane. The profane love being selfish and self seeking. All Orual wanted was for Psyche to love her and to come home with her. She even entertained the idea that Psyche was telling the truth, and the consequences of bringing Psyche home, but she nothing matter except for what she wanted. Where as Psyche would do anything for her sister. She portrayed sacred love in her actions and attitude.
One specific part that intrigued me was how Psyche was convinced to turn the lamp on even though she knew in her heart that she was married to a God. I feel that C.S. Lewis was trying to show how often times our spiritual lives can be questioned and how easily we break from having sacred love and return to the profane. I feel that he was trying to emphasize human sin, especially when he banishes Psyche from the valley. It reminded me of when Adam and Eve where banished from the Garden of Eden for disobey God.