Born in Belfast, Ireland, on November 29, 1898, the writer known as C. S. Lewis and most famous for his work, The Chronicle of Narnia, was named Clive Staples Lewis at birth. The second of two sons born to parents of British and Welsh backgrounds, C. S. Lewis called himself “Jacksie” from the age of four, when his dog of that name died. Later, as as an adult, he was known to friends and family as Jack. His relatively affluent parents raised him in the Christian faith, and his own mother was the daughter of an Anglican priest. His childhood was marked with profound suffering caused by his own illness, and the death of his mother when he was a young boy of 10.
As a young child living in a rural environment, C. S. Lewis loved animals and was strongly attracted to the anthropomorphic works of Beatrix Potter’s animal stories, and wrote and illustrated his own tales about animals. He and his older brother created an imaginary world which they called “Boxen,” populated entirely by animal characters. Spending some time in boarding school, Lewis would be primarily educated by private tutors.
Lewis began to question the Christian faith in adolescence, abandoning it altogether at the age of 15. Pursuing other spiritual interests including mythology and the occult, Lewis became enchanted with and deeply influenced by the literature of ancient Scandinavia, including Norse mythology and Icelandic sagas, as well as Greek and Irish mythology. His childhood love of animals broadened to become a deep love of nature, and he associated his love of nature with the literature of Northern cultures. During this time, Lewis also began to study and explore various art forms such as opera and epic verse, as well academic studies including reason, Greek literature, and debating. He identified within himself a longing for the transcendent experience, what he would call “joy.”
C. S. Lewis attended Oxford University, taking time away from his studies to become a soldier in World War I, as did most young men of his generation. He engaged in a close, and most likely romantic, relationship with a much older woman, with whom he remained close until her death. He taught at Oxford, where he was a member of the literary group known as the “Inklings”
After many years of atheism, influenced by discussion with his close friend and fellow academic, J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis embraced and converted to Christianity. His literary works are often seen to include Christian allegory. His faith became a source of great inspiration in his work and comfort in his personal life.
