This past week, we read Perelandra, which gives almost an allegory of Adam and Eve, except it occurs on Venus, which is called Perelandra.  The Green Lady, who is similar to Eve, is able to withstand the temptations of the devil and he is ultimately cast out.  She and Tor, the Adam-like figure, learn good and evil not by falling but through Maleldil, or God.  It is interesting to see in this how CS Lewis’ views conflict with the LDS view on the Fall.  Lewis believes that the Fall was not necessary, but that God will still make everything work for the best.  Christ’s descent and crucifixion were only a response to the Fall, to fix a mistake, a second option instead of the cornerstone of eternity.  In Perelandra, Tor speaks of how he was able to learn of good and evil, but not as the Evil One wished them to learn.  He asserts that those on Thulcandra, or Earth, are in a deeper ignorance than they were before the Fall since they are immersed in evil.  “Men by sleeping lose the knowledge of sleep,” he points out.  This is an interesting viewpoint, and it is true that there are many on Earth today that do not understand evil because they are being fooled by the devil into thinking it is good, but I think overall we are able to understand the distinction clearly between good and evil when we are able to choose good over evil.  Of course, it seems that it would be easier if men had never fallen, but I think one must experience evil in order to truly understand and value good.  That is what we learn in the Book of Mormon—there must be opposition in all things.  We not only need the knowledge of good and evil, but we need to sin and have trials in order to progress and become like God.  In was in God’s plan for man to fall, and as far as we fell, we will ascend that much higher through the Atonement.  We will be able to truly taste of good.  While Lewis’ views are similar to LDS views on many aspects, this is one area where he doesn’t quite hit the mark.