Feel like your job is humdrum and wish you could be part of the movers and shakers? Mark Studdock did and regretted it.

As That Hideous Strength opens Mark Studdock is a newly married man with dreams of making it big in the academic world, if only he was a part of the “in” crowd who made the decisions. Just like Lewis’ description in his essay “The Inner Ring,” Mark is willing to compromise himself to gain membership into a group that has very questionable practices.