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This Week

We are deep down into C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, and we are almost done! Today, we are covering chapters 20 and 21.

The topic of twisted femininity comes up again in these chapters, and it really gets under my skin. We also dive into how Orual flattens her identity by choosing a label and shutting herself off from real relationships. And we finally get to turn the tables and give our accusation against Orual!

What's next: Chapters 1 & 2 of Book 2.

After we finish Till we have Faces we will have a one-time podcast on the book Amazing Grace, and then are moving on to The Aeneid! We are using the Robert Fagles translation, so grab a copy and get ready to dive into our next big discussion.

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Today, Adalyn, Esther, and I are diving into chapters eighteen and nineteen of C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, and things are getting wild.

Here’s what we’re unpacking today:

• That Virginity Metaphor: We break down that super dark, shocking line about the duel. Was Lewis getting at a deeper identity shift, or is Orual just completely messed up?
• The "Queen" Facade: Orual is literally dividing herself into percentages (75% Queen, 25% Orual) and damming up her emotions. We talk about why this is such a toxic view of yourself.
• Entitlement & Fake Marriage Fantasies: From dreaming about being Bardia's wife to expecting the entire world to be married to her, Orual’s codependency is hitting an all-time high.
• Are the Gods Actually the Good Guys?: Orual keeps blaming the gods for everything, but Esther makes a great point—didn't Orual kind of ruin Psyche's life all by herself?
• Pastor Arnom: Why the new priest feels way more down-to-earth than the old creepy one. Like, could you actually invite this guy over to play Uno?
• Our Final Predictions: We lay out our bets on who lives, who dies, and whether Psyche gets her happy ending (because if she doesn't, I might just have to write my own book!).

Read up on chapters 20 and 21, and we’ll see you next time!

This week Adalyn (age 15) and Esther (age 14) and I tackle Orual’s emotional "damming" and the symbolism of her veil. Then we dive deep into the difficult conversation on biblical masculinity, femininity, and what it means to be a truly self-sacrificing leader.

Plus, we bet on Orual's upcoming single combat and look at the comedic rivalry between Fox and Bardia.

Next up Chapters 18 & 19!

Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Junto Podcast, where we dive deep into the pages of classic literature.

I’m your host, Angelica, and I am beyond excited to share this week's episode with you—honestly, it is my absolute favorite discussion to date! Joining me at the table are two brilliant young minds: 15-year-old Adalyn and my 14-year-old daughter, Esther.

Together, we are diving into Chapters 12–14 of C.S. Lewis’s masterpiece, Till We Have Faces.

Inside the Episode:

In this episode, we tackle some incredibly profound themes, including:

• The Nature of True Love: What does it actually look like, and where does it go wrong?
• Orual’s Doubt: We uncover the real hang-up Orual has when it comes to believing in the gods.
• The Ethics of Euthanasia & Restraint: A look at the heavy moral dilemmas embedded in the narrative.

What's Next?

Next time, we will be discussing Chapters 15–17.

Enjoy the episode, and happy reading!

Join this discussion I had with Esther (14) and Adalyn (15) of C. S. Lewis' book Till We Have Faces. He's a master at showing us the greater reality through fiction!!

Next up, Chapters 12, 13, & 14.

Welcome back to the Podcast of the Junto Club! I’m excited to share this conversation with you about the book Till we have Faces by C. S. Lewis. I’m talking about chapters 5 & 6 with Adalyn and Esther, and through this conversation I can literally see how we are growing in wisdom.

Enjoy!

I discuss/argue about chapters 5 & 6 of Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis. These characters are interesting and hit us in different ways! Let us know what you think!

Next up, Chapters 7 & 8.

Chapters 3-4: Till We Have Faces

Welcome back to the show! Today, Esther (age 14), Adalyn (age 15) and myself are diving into Chapters 3 and 4 of C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, and honestly, this is where the story really starts to click for us. We are moving past the initial setup, and the characters are finally starting to show their true colors—or, in some cases, the masks they wear to hide them.

In this episode, we unpack why this "retelling" format is so powerful; it forces us to ask if we’ve only ever heard one side of the story, and what happens when we finally listen to the other side. We also tackle the looming mystery of the "accusation against the gods" and try to figure out who—or what—is actually responsible for the desolation in the land.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Sibling Dynamic: We break down the stark differences between the sisters. We discuss Redival’s immodesty and her tendency to stir up trouble , and explore why Orual’s position in the family feels so much more complex—especially when she starts to sound disturbingly like her father.
• The "Psyche" Problem: Is Psyche truly a healer, or is her naive attempt to heal the village actually a source of danger?. We debate whether she acts as a messianic figure or just a sheltered princess.
• Orual’s Inner Conflict: We talk about why we admire Orual’s sharpness and intelligence, even while acknowledging her struggle with anger and the fear that she might one day become the very thing she despises.
• The Mythic Shift: We explore why Lewis might have inverted the roles of the sisters compared to the original myth, and how that changes our emotional connection to the characters.

It’s been fascinating to see how these characters move from mythic archetypes to real, complicated people. Pull up a chair and join our conversation as we look at why these ancient choices feel so hauntingly relevant to our lives today.

Join us next time for chapters 5 & 6!