The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses

What is the author's tone in The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses by C. S. Lewis?

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The tone of the volume is consistent throughout, and is formal and educated. The arguments tend to be complex and heavily supported with outside sources. The author assumes that the listener or reader knows a great deal about theology and history already. The formality reflects the conventions of public speaking for the time period.

Even with the formal tone, Lewis offers honest insights into his own thinking. He candidly confesses his own temptations to sin or forsake his faith. He assumes such temptations occur in every person's heart.

Some of the tone may seem foreign to the reader, due to changes in the language since Lewis gave the sermons. American readers may also suffer some confusion because the speaker and his listeners were British. In addition, some readers may suffer confusion when Lewis uses Latin terms with no explanation as to their meaning. However, the truths shine despite these challenges.

Source(s)

The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses, BookRags