Chapter 10: The Spell Begins to Break

Narnia Read-Along Vol. 1, Issue 11

Inspiration of “The Spell Begins to Break”

What’s the most important moment in human history? For C.S. Lewis, it was the moment that divided history, when God became man. All of Christianity flows out of the consequences of the incarnation.

In a late-night conversation that began on September 19, 1931 and stretched into the early morning hours of the next day, Hugo Dyson and J.R.R. Tolkien explained to Lewis how the incarnation of Jesus was the “true Myth.” The three began their conversation after dinner on Addison’s Walk at Oxford before an unexpected “mythical rush of wind” moved their talk into Lewis’ room. Tolkien stayed until 3:00 a.m., while Dyson remained for another hour. Reflecting on the conversation in Surprised by Joy and the truthfulness of Jesus’ incarnation, Lewis wrote: “If ever a myth had become a fact, had been incarnated, it would be just like this.”

Immediately prior to his Christian conversion, Lewis had embraced a generic theism, and as such began attending chapel services, but he always left prior to communion. He believed that step was reserved for those who were truly committed. On Christmas Day 1931, for the first time since he was a child, Lewis took communion. Unbeknownst to Lewis, his brother Warnie had done the same at a chapel into Shanghai, China on the same day.

For Lewis, the incarnation of Jesus and the Christmas celebration of that historical fact changed everything in his life and will do the same for anyone who recognizes the meaning. When Father Christmas shows up in chapter 10, “The Spell Begins to Break,” Lewis is indicating the story is changing.