Editing Surprised by Joy (section)

==Overview==

Lewis' purpose in writing was not primarily historical. His aim was instead to identify and describe the events surrounding his accidental discovery of and consequent search for the phenomenon he labeled "Joy", his best translation of the idea of (German) ''[[Sehnsucht]]''. This ''Joy'' was so intense for something so good and so high up it could not be explained with words. He is struck with "stabs of joy" throughout his life. "Joy is distinct not only from pleasure in general but even from aesthetic pleasure. It must have the stab, the pang, the inconsolable longing."

Overall, the book contains less detail concerning specific events than a typical autobiography, although it is not devoid of information about his life.  Lewis recounts and remembers his early years with a measure of amusement sometimes mixed with pain.  However, while he does describe his life, the principal theme of the book is ''Joy'' as he defined it for his own purpose.

Lewis ultimately discovers the true nature and purpose of Joy and its place in his own life. The book's last two chapters cover the end of his search as he makes the leap from [[atheism]] to [[theism]] and then from theism to [[Christianity]] and, as a result, he realizes that Joy is like a "signpost" to those lost in the woods, pointing the way, and that its appearance is not as important "when we have found the road and are passing signposts every few miles."<ref>Surprised by Joy</ref>

Contrary to assumptions, the title of ''Surprised by Joy'' had not been conceived as a tribute to the American poet and writer [[Joy Gresham]], although Gresham had come into Lewis's life during the course of the book's writing and had assisted in editing its final draft. After Joy became Lewis' unexpected wife two years after the memoir's publication. several of Lewis's friends and contemporaries were quick to notice the coincidence, frequently remarking that Lewis had really been "Surprised by Joy".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lancelyn Green |first1=Roger |author1-link=Roger Lancelyn Green |last2=Hooper |first2=Walter |author2-link=Walter Hooper |year=2002 |title=C.S.Lewis: A Biography |page=330 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=London |isbn=0-00-628164-8}}</ref>