Supernatural Methods in Perelandra- Heidi Naylor

In C.S. Lewis’ On Stories, he writes one particular chapter entitled “On Science Fiction”. Throughout the course of this chapter Lewis speaks of different types of science fiction, describing elements that he believed to be most effective.

On scientific apparatus’ he writes, “The most superficial appearance of plausibility- the merest sop to our critical intellect- will do. I am inclined to think that frankly supernatural methods are best. I took a hero once to Mars in a space ship, but when I knew better I had angels convey him to Venus” (64). This quote to me showed Lewis’ preferences changing over time; Lewis in his book Out of the Silent Planet took Ransom to Mars in a space ship, but in Perelandra (when he knew better), he took Ransom to Venus in a “semi-opaque casket” that was not solid and continually melted away (31). By the time he got around to writing Perelandra, Lewis believed more supernatural methods were better than an appearance of plausibility.

Lewis continues on in his description of what science fiction ought to be, “Nor need the strange worlds, when we get there, be at all strictly tied to scientific probabilities. It is their wonder, or beauty or suggestiveness that matters” (64). This belief definitely played out in Perelandra, especially through the eyes of Ransom: “he saw reality, and thought it was a dream” (40). Ransom saw heraldically colored trees with yellow fruits and silver leaves, tasted new fruits, saw bubble trees, blue vegetation floating islands and dragons covered with scales of red gold. Another notable quality of this new planet was the array of colors that existed, even amongst the animals: “very large, obese, dolphin-like fish, two long lines were together, some of them spouting columns of rainbow-colored water from their noses, and one leader” (45).

Not only was the planet an aesthetic paradise, it was a paradise in the truest sense: the fall of man had not occurred yet. The people of Perelandra have not heard of evil until Weston tries to convince the Queen to spend the night on the Fixed Land, which goes against Maleldiil’s orders (but that is a story in itself). Overall, the plot and description within Perelandra appeared to be more supernatural than Out of the Silent Planet, which most likely portrays the evolution of Lewis’ writing.