CS Lewis Biography
Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898. He was a fellow
and tutor in English Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford, and
later was Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge
University, where he remained until his death in 1963.
He wrote numerous books of literary criticism and on Chistianity, the best-known being 'The Screwtape Letters', as well as four novels for adults.
Lewis (known as Jack to his friends) and his good friend J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, were part of the Inklings, an informal writers' club that met at a local pub to discuss story ideas.
Lewis's fascination with fairy tales, myths and ancient legends, coupled with inspiration from his childhood, led him to write the seven Chronicles of Narnia. These were his only works for children, and they have become acknowledged classics of children's literature. The best-known of these, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, began with a picture in Lewis's head, at the age of 16, of a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood.
CS Lewis’s Handwriting Analysed
View Original Times Online Article
Diane Simpson, a professional graphologist, analysed samples of CS Lewis's handwriting taken from some of his letters. She did not know whose script she was studying.
Here are her results.
At first glance this small, neat script appears to trot unprepossessingly across the page. His exceedingly small personal pronoun does indeed suggest that this man is a modest individual; but being modest does not mean ineffectual.
There is evidence of strong personal discipline in this angular, firm script. Here we have a man who is far more likely to harbour a preference for detailed, factual understatement than 'in your face' floridity of wording.
It seems to me that he takes himself rather seriously. He requires no outside criticism as he provides more than enough for himself. He is self-critical and self-monitoring... he really cares about getting things right. I don't think he's shy - but he chooses to keep himself to himself.
I began to trace the writing and found that it is guarded and careful rather than relaxed and freely written. This is someone who is particularly sensitive and at times somewhat pedantic; not the sort of person to easily catch unawares.
His words tend to terminate abruptly, so he's not one for small talk. However, I do note the extra effort he has put into some of the lead-in lines at the beginning of words - a reflection of his liking and need for preparation.
His critical faculties are sharp and he seems to set himself apart from others ...definitely not a hearty 'Hail fellow, well met' type. I don't think he's shy - but he chooses to keep himself to himself. I wonder whether he has a garden shed of sorts (or some other sort of world) in which to disappear when he chooses.
I don't think this man unduly trusts other people and their opinions, his preference being to do things in very much his own way and in his own time. He seems to relish the independence afforded by freedom of action and decision.
On reflection I suspect that this man would shy away from the prospect of having his handwriting analysed - which makes me feel rather guilty!