The Green Book
In the beginning of the first essay, Lewis introduces “The Green Book,” a disguised work of educational literature that has a heavy emphasis on the subjectivity of emotion rather than objective judgements of value. Lewis uses this book as a symbol of the unfortunate issue with the modern educational process: the production of “men without chests.” This book trains students to see all appeals to emotion as propaganda, and so it removes the heart (the mediator between the mind and the stomach) from the man. Symbolically, the Green Book is a powerful tool for anarchy.
The Chest
Lewis uses the image of a chest as a symbol for the will, or the seat of “emotions organized by trained habit into stable sentiments,” a concept first introduced by Aristotle and built upon by St. Augustine. This chest is the necessary intermediary between the head (the intellect) and the stomach (the appetite), almost in the manner of Plato’s tripartite soul division.
The Tao
The concept of the Tao is a traditional Chinese one referring to the Way of Life. Lewis appropriates the term and extends its meaning; the Tao is merely a symbol for the vast reality it represents. It is almost impossible to conceptualize the Tao, as without it there is no rationality. Since there is no way to completely describe this reality, Lewis uses the concept of the Tao as a symbol to represent the greater truth.
Contraceptives
In “The Abolition of Man” (the third and final essay), Lewis makes the remark that contraceptives are a frightening symbol of the power of living men over those who have not yet been born. It is a symbol for the advances in technology that will eventually allow the complete control of future generations of humans, giving all power to shape material life in the future to mankind.
The Transparent World
Lewis closes the book with the image of a transparent world, demonstrating the fact that “seeing through” things like emotional appeals leads to a slippery slope, and eventually you will “see through” everything until there is nothing left. As Lewis says, “It is no use trying to ‘see through’ first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To ‘see through’ all things is the same as not to see” (81).
Dragons
Dragons represent popular desire but also the original evil. Theologically, they are a symbol of sin and its lure. When the Master and his students find the dragons in the Tractatus Coislinianus, they realize that they have discovered an objective standard that can be used to determine whether desires are good or bad. The dragons will only respond to particular objects, which means that they have a natural inclination toward certain things and thus that there is an objective standard for them. In other words, there is such a thing as a good desire and an evil one, and it’s not just about how we feel about something. Moreover, this standard is universal: what appeals to the dragons appeals to all rational beings.
The Head
The head is a symbol of reason and understanding, which, according to Lewis, should be used as a servant to the heart. The heart must lead because it has a better understanding of morality and virtue. In fact, reason can only help humans make decisions when they already have feelings about what is good or bad. Otherwise those decisions will be made based on something else – usually on their own personal interests – and that would be wrong.
The Signpost
The signpost symbolizes warning or guidance. It represents Lewis’s desire to give readers an understanding of the importance of moral education and his belief that it should not be overlooked by society. He also suggests students should listen when their parents give them advice about how to live up to their potential as human beings.
Virtue vs Vice
Lewis makes a case for the existence of universal virtues (and vices), and he encourages people to live according to this natural law. He argues that if human beings choose not to, then we will eliminate the very essence of what it means to be human: we will become, in essence, monsters.
The Role of Tradition
Lewis frequently discusses the value of conventional moral principles and the wisdom of earlier ethical frameworks. This motif emphasizes his case for upholding objective morality and incorporating it into the curriculum to guarantee the formation of morally upright people.
