In the bedroom Clara picked up the well-worn book beside Jane’s bed, C.S. Lewis’s, Surprised by Joy. It smelled of Floris. (Still Life, page 242, Trade Paper Edition)
Originally published in 1955, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life is C.S. Lewis’s look back on his conversion to Christianity and the idea of what actual “joy” means to him.
The title of Lewis’s memoir comes from William Wordsworth’s 1815 sonnet, “Surprised By Joy — Impatient As The Wind”, which was written in the wake of his three-year old daughter’s death and begins as follows:
Surprised by joy—impatient as the Wind
I turned to share the transport—Oh! with whom
But Thee, long buried in the silent Tomb,
That spot which no vicissitude can find?
At face value, a strange comparison—joy and death—but the world of Three Pines, as summed up by both readers and reviewers alike, is just that, a place where light contrasts dark, goodness exists with evil, innocence engages experience, and hope flourishes with fear.
Here, Louise describes the significance of Lewis’s tome:
“I came across it early in my sobriety. And that was a magical time, because I thought I was going to die by my own hand. I was thirty-five and I couldn’t see going through another year of life, never mind another forty years. So when I asked for help and got it through a twelve step program, it seemed — and perhaps it was — a miracle. At that time, I was surprised by joy, because I had been so dark and so negative and so afraid. Then, to find happiness and the freedom that comes from not having to drink every day and finding friends, and finding myself, and finding real joy. That’s when I came across the phrase and the book Surprised by Joy.”
And this is from Louise’s January 2009 Blog Post: “At 2 years sober we’re given a medallion by our sponsors and asked what phrase we’d like engraved on it. I thought about that and chose – Surprised by Joy. A phrase I used deliberately, with gratitude, in Still Life. I keep that medallion with me always. To remember.”
Louise also had a bench made and adorned with a “Surprised by Joy” plaque for her husband, Michael’s birthday in 2007 (that’s him reflected with Trudy the dog below!). As she says, “When I met and fell in love with him I was, indeed, surprised by joy. And he was the most joyous person I’d ever met.”
Sadly, Michael passed away last year and here is a rendition of the plaque that will soon be placed on a bench in New York’s Central Park. The bench sits on an idyllic hill and faces Louise’s apartment.
The quote below from Lewis’s work succinctly sums a theme that continuously runs through the work of Louise Penny.
“I pay respect to wisdom not to strength.”
You can almost see Gamache saying those exact same words.
Discussion Question
What did Clara mean by having “Surprised by Joy” engraved on Jane Neal’s tombstone?
161 replies on “CULTURAL INSPIRATIONS FROM THREE PINES: STILL LIFE”
[…] biking, hiking, and paddling now that I’ve satisfied my literary tourism cravings. May you be surprised by joy in your search for Three […]
About 7 months into this Covid-19 pandemic, on a cold autumn day, I was driving through aHigh Park in Toronto when I heard voices singing opera. The phrase “surprised by joy” immediately sprang to mind and I followed the sounds. I discovered 7 opera singers in a 30-40 foot circle practising for an open air performance they were doing in a few days. I watched and listened to them for over 30 minutes among the fading sunshine and carpet of fallen leaves. That glorious memory continue# to bring me strength and pleasure. I accidentally rediscovered this discussion site this morning and appreciated rereading the origin of this phrase.
Jane’s house with the wonderful walls of art are left to Clara. I can’t seem to find out what happens to the house in this or the next book. If I have missed this fact can someone tell me where to find it?
[…] Read more about Still Life… […]
Ms. Penny, my condolences regarding the loss of your husband last year. I’ve read five of your novels and each one draws me closer to the fact that you’ve experienced grace upon grace in your life. I’ve read many works of Lewis over the past 40 years and Surprised by Joy was certainly one that resonated with me deeply. Your writing is a blessing and may you continue to see where the light breaks in, and may you experience an increasing awareness of God’s presence.
I just came to this site after reading ”A Great reckoning”and the mention of the link. I have not read all the books of the series but many and I can see now the inspiration for the ”spiritual maturity ” in this world of light and dark, like many mentioned . That was a great incentive for me to go searching for more inspector Gamache stories.also the fact that I live in Quebec and can identify with the context. C.S.Lewis is also a favorite author of mine.Being a doctor I am often facing people in distress and suffering, I was helped by his book on ”the problem of pain” the intellectual side and ” a grief observed” the emotional side when it seems overwhelming. My sincere sympathy for your loss. what you wrote at the end of ”A Great Reckoning”is a great encouragement to me as I see some patients with cognitive loss and myself growing older and less healthy.Thank you. I hope you continue, you write so well.
Thank you for this website and your comments on sobriety. Both are lovely and much appreciated.
I love Louise Penny. I love all her characters and how they have lived and grown throughout all the Gamache books. There is always a catch which brings a desire to know how LP created each of them. How in one book they are involved with one thing and in the next or a couple of later ones they are involved in something else completely different. For instance, since I have just finished Glass Houses and have started with Still Life again, I am reminded that our friends of Three Pines are in constant movement. I was lucky to meet LP at a book signing last week. What an incredible experience. Louise you are very very funny. merci milles fois. Ma Belle!!!
I recently watched the piece on LP on CBS Sunday Morning so I have only now started the series. My thought on why Clara chose ‘Surprised By Joy’ is that Jane grew up with no faith in people. By the end of her life, I think she found faith in this group of friends in Three Pines, even to the point that she was ready to trust them with her paintings. How joyful to have people in your life with whom you feel comfortable sharing your innermost self.
Dear Louise. I am surprised by joy each first of the month with your newsletter and each new book. Your loyal fan. Gigi
I think Clara was remembering and acknowledging Jane’s outpouring of tears when she felt strong enough to publicly “show” her art despite the constant diminishing of her family. Jane was truly “surprised by joy.”
The Inspector Gamache series has given me so many hours of enjoyment. After reading these heartfelt comments, I think it’s time for me to also revisit the series and return to Three Pines–that imaginary city that we’d all like to visit. Thank you, Louise Penny, for sharing your joy with us.
Sometimes the joy is very challenging and demanding to let go and go along with it. CSL had to be carried kicking and screaming into Heaven. Just beware of riding on double decker buses!
Paul, again thank you so much I love all that I am finding out about Louise it makes my heart expand with affection for her. Of course I love her writing but now I love & admire her as a person, for her struggles, & for her recovery and I’m so happy she found Michael and was able to have him in her life. And thank you for all the insight you’ve given us.
I wanted to share this here, since it was inspired by Louise, this entry and her books in general. Last week, my closest friend Libby passed away after living with liver cancer for a year. Like me, she was a friend of Bill W.s. She had 27 years of sobriety. I shared this at her memorial service. Thanks, Louise, for sharing the phrase “Surprised by Joy” with me, and giving me a way to describe Libby. (thanks too, for making the link between “Surprised by Joy” and “How the Light gets in” – I never would have linked them otherwise!)
Libby and I shared the love of a good phrase. There was one that I recently ran across that I didn’t get a chance to talk to her about, but I knew immediately she’d get. It was “surprised by joy”. Libby knew what it was like to be surprised by joy, especially in this last year. It was a gift she shared with me. I think she shared it with all of us. Her chemo socks. Singing in the car. Playing with Hazel. Libby was surprised by joy a lot.
Another phrase that keeps going through my head is a verse from Leonard Cohen that will also always remind me of Libby, and what she taught me about love. “Ring the bells that still can ring/forget your perfect offering/there is a crack in everything/that’s how the light gets in.” Libby was full of light and love. She knew that perfection wasn’t possible, or even desirable. Keep trying, keep loving, keep singing, keep dancing. Keep being surprised by joy.
Libby sounds like a truly wonderful person & a great friend and thank you for sharing your story.
Louisa,I send my heartfelt condolences to you on your loss. I hope happy memories of Libby will be a constant source of joyful surprises for you in coming weeks and months. Sincerely, Mary.
I am on my third re-reading of your wonderful books. They don’t just feature the main characters,we also get to know all the villagers. Who could live without Ruth or the two lovely chaps running the Bistro.
I think I shall offer myself for a session on Mastermind (do you have that in Canada) with the novels of Louise Penny as my specialist subject .
I an awaiting The Great Reckoning to come out in paperback, next month I am told. I think Clara and Mirna prefer paperbacks too.
I am on my second read of the series waiting for the next paperback. I love hard cover books but can’t read them in bed. So I wait. It will be worth it. I have now retained so much more in the second read. Thanks for Inspector Gamache. I wish he ran for president of the U.S. At least we have some sane individuals that lead the resistance like Bernie Sanders (he would have been a great president too). He and Gamache would have worked nicely together.
Like Linda Dye (now Larose – she got married), I too found one of LP’s books for $2.99 at a Salvation Army second hand store. The book had just been published, was a hard cover and in mint condition. I told the young clerk the store was charging far too little for the book as LP was one of Canada’s best authors and her books were selling like hotcakes. The clerk told me she had no authority to change the price so I gave her an extra donation for the Salvation Army. I can’t wait for the library copy so, with the exception of that one book, I pay in full as soon as the book is published. I also feel supporting our local writers is worth the money. Thanks Louise for many happy hours at Three Pines with Armand Gamache and all the others. Looking forward to seeing you at the Writer’s Festival in Ottawa this year.
I adore all your books, and Bury Your Dead makes me want to visit Quebec, but not in the winter. Will you please tell me what the fractured French the librarian uses in the novel means. I understand Bunny Day, but the night and strawberries leaves me confused.
Thank you, Edie
It is not a particularly joyous time in America right now so we must take our joy anyplace we find it. God bless a Canadian for helping us out. I am going downstairs and bringing Still life to put by the sofa in front of the fire. (Spring has still not come to upstate NY). Perhaps Ruth will join me?