Narnia Week - Conclusion

I decided about half the way through this past week that I really needed at least two weeks to merely scratch the surface of The Chronicles of Narnia series. Seven books, jam packed with adventure and entrenched in doctrine is a hard task for one week! I said virtually NOTHING on the subject of the books. I hit a few themes, I thought a few thoughts, I quoted a few lines. I don't know what you took away from my journey through Narnia, but I'll try to share what I got out of it.

Narnia is, for me, a way to examine my thoughts, attitudes and actions through the use of story. I got lost in a magical world in which I was more concerned about the state of my own heart than I was about chapters and numbers of pages read on any given day. I was more interested in really knowing Aslan than I ever have been before. I examined my own thoughts and tried to focus on what is God's truth instead of my own truth. I've tried to sort through that particular difference.

I have been motivated to believe God can do anything He wants to do (in this world or any other). He is more powerful than I think and more real than I currently believe. I am small; He is big. I don't understand this as fully as I will even next week. As Aslan says, he continues to grow along with us. The bigger we get and the more we understand of him, the bigger he also grows and the more he becomes to us. He grew this week so I think I did too. Time will tell.

I learned that it takes a lot of time to really get to know a book, a story, a person (a lion) and to grow a relationship. You can pack things in a great deal but even then you are missing key facts and truths. I need to make time to delve into relationships that I think are important and grow them - spiritually and practically. Time is important.

The time I spent in Narnia was valuable in ways I'm certainly I don't fully realize which is why I will revisit this land from time to time in hopes of growing more and experiencing the perfume of Aslan's mane once again. This is a beautiful series and I already long to go back. That is as it should be.

Further Up and Further In!

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P.S. In answer to the question - my favorite of the books was and is still The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See my review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

See my review of Prince Caspian.

See my review of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

See my review of The Silver Chair / The Horse and His Boy.

See my review of The Magician's Nephew.

See my review of The Last Battle.

The Last Battle, by C.S. Lewis

I've reached the end of my week in Narnia. I've learned a lot and thought about a lot. As for reviewing this last title, I can think of nothing to say that Lewis couldn't have said better himself.

"All their life in this world and adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page; now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever and ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

Although this particular story leads you to the pit of Narnian despair, Lewis also points to the hereafter as a brighter tomorrow. The book concludes on a note of hope. It is as indescribable to me as it was to Lewis, although perhaps I'm more lacking in the words department.

I am most struck by the fact that, in this last book of the Chronicles, all of the previous joys and triumphs are washed away as being only a glimmer of better joys and triumphs. You feel elation as you read through these books. They inspire and build up the individual reader (in different ways). Yet Lewis concludes it by downplaying everything as being only an imitation of the greater possibilities that exist in The New World in Christ. He takes us to a place where death loses its sting and victory and only happiness can be known. It is the perfect conclusion to this series.

I like how Lewis used the character of Lucy to create the most joy. She was faithful to the very end, loving Aslan and Narnia and soaking in His true beauty. She is the most consistent character and I was glad to meet her again - in order to say goodbye properly.

Excellent book; excellent series. I'd encourage you to make the time for them and if you do - leave a comment as I would love to hear about your own journeys through Narnia!


*****

See my review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

See my review of Prince Caspian.

See my review of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

See my review of The Silver Chair / The Horse and His Boy.

See my review of The Magician's Nephew.

The Magician's Nephew, by C.S. Lewis

We're nearing the very end of our adventures in The Chronicles of Narnia. One last book and we've completed the series. It's been a fun week and I've been glad to revisit Narnia. No doubt I'll be back again someday - probably sooner rather than later.

I just finished reading The Magician's Nephew which tells us the story of how Narnia was created. Again, I will write assuming you know the story already. If you need a refresher, see the Synopsis of Narnia that I posted earlier in the week.

In this book Lewis makes some strong arguments for good magic and against bad magic. This book would probably give the Christian who likes to stay away from anything that appears to be too steeped in magic the most pause. In this book we are given example of an evil magician in Uncle Andrew. He would want to use magic for the purpose of self-advancement. He longs for glory and power when in actuality he really is a simple and stupid man. He knows just enough magic to get into trouble but not enough to understand truth. When he meets Aslan all he hears are growls and rumblings. Aslan can offer Uncle Andrew nothing but sleep as a means to escape from his frightful reality which exists because he has chosen to close his mind off to Aslan and live with false thoughts and self creations. Uncle Andrew is probably the character in all of the Narnia books that I pity the most because he understood a.) magic exists and b.) there is value in it. Yet he is blind to its best uses.

Speaking of good uses for magic, Ford notes Lewis' use of magic in the Companion to Narnia. He has this to say:

"The Chronicles of Narnia are themselves a kind of magic, a seven-volume magician's book devised by Lewis to break bad enchantments of technology and vanity and curiosity and bring about re-enchantments by means of honor, courage, and obedience by reawakening a longing for Aslan and Aslan's country."

Lewis said in his work, The The Weight of Glory:

"Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness which has been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years."

I've talked about my mistrust of generic magic in books before. I hesitate of Harry Potter because I don't understand the true intent behind the books. I rather didn't know what to make of it in The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit.. I love and accept it in Narnia. Is that wrong of me or does it seem as if I am accepting only what I want? Am I lacking in consistency?

Something inside of me agrees that some magic is good. A lot of magic is bad. If used to display the power of the Gospel then I've no objection to it. If it truly represents the battle of good and evil and if good is the express victor then I am in support of it's use. As Lewis said, we need a little magic to break the spell of indifference towards truth in our own life. Above all - truth. That is the crux of the argument over whether or not it is good to use magic to tell stories. Is truth clear and does it win?

Apart from the arguments over magic, I'd say this book was lots of fun and probably my second favorite in the series. I probably focused more on the character of Uncle Andrew than any other. He is distressing to me as I think about how many truths in my life I may be choosing not to see - and for selfish reasons! I hope I'm not much like him but the character does make me think and for that I welcome his existence.

Next up - The Last Battle!

****

See my review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

See my review of Prince Caspian.

See my review of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

See my review of The Silver Chair / The Horse and His Boy.

The Silver Chair/The Horse and His Boy

I'm going to "review" The Silver Chair and The Horse and His Boy in one post because, admittedly, these are my two least favorite titles in the Chronicles series. This post will probably be the shortest yet and I'm going to write it assuming you know the story line. If you do not, check out the synopsis of the Chronicles of Narnia which I posted earlier in the week.

Highlight of The Silver Chair: Puddleglum! Jill, the main female character in this story sums up the character of Puddleglum nicely when she says goodbye to him at the end of their adventure. She says, "You sound as doleful as a funeral and I believe you're perfectly happy. And you talk as if you were afraid of everything, when you're really as brave as - as brave as a lion." Ford notes in Companion to Narnia that if the character of Puddleglum were to be allegorized, you could say that he is the "skeptical nature that we all need to keep us on the right path." Puddleglum is a man, er, Marsh-Wiggle, who is big on faith and short on good looks. He comes across as stupidly pessimistic but his gut feelings often prove accurate. He's a true blood Narnian and would rather believe in Aslan than not. Tried and true, he's a good companion for a tough journey and was a delight to get to know in this particular Narnia adventure.

The Horse and His Boy is my absolutely LEAST favorite of the Narnia stories, even though it's the only glimpse we are granted into the Golden Age of Narnia when High King Peter sat on the throne. Otherwise, I truly find the characters of Shasta and Aravis to be rather boring. Despite this, my husband and I (ha! This will reveal something of us!) included this last passage from The Horse and His Boy in our wedding program (along with several other quotes, I might add!): "Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I'm afraid even fights) with Cor (i.e, Shasta), but they always made up again: so that years later, when they were grown up they were so used to quarrelling and miking it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently."

Highlight of The Horse and His Boy: Shasta questioning Aslan why he (Aslan) treated Aravis in a certain manner. Aslan tells Shasta that it is not for him to know Aravis' story. We are only told our own story. How true is that (even when we don't like to admit it!)!?! It is not for me to know your story or anyone else's story. I don't get to demand answers from God for your problems and issues. Likewise, you aren't told about mine. I like being more concerned with what God is doing in other people. It's always way more interesting than what He is doing with me and somehow feels more productive to find out about you than to deal with myself. Aslan points Shasta in the right direction - towards his own journey and concerns that Aslan has for Shasta. That is all he needs to know. Fascinating!

When I first read through these two particular books I didn't like them at all. This time I liked them, just not as much as the others. They don't draw me in in the same manner that the other books do but there are still valuable things to be gleaned from them. Although they do, in some ways, feel disconnected to me from the rest of the series, they do blend and I have to feel like it's my own fault I don't much care for them.

*******

See my review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

See my review of Prince Caspian.

See my review of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Narnia Poll

Which is your favorite of the 7 books in the Chronicles of Narnia series?
	The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
	Prince Caspian
	The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
	The Silver Chair
	The Horse and His Boy
	The Magician's Nephew
	The Last Battle
Free polls from Pollhost.com

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis

Ok, folks, you have until May 2010 to read this book before the movie comes out. (I love it that the Narnia movies have all come out during my anniversary month which allows us to always celebrate our wedding anniversary with Narnia. Or perhaps this is not such a good thing. At any rate, the date night is predictable. Looks like we'll be on our own in 2009 but maybe we'll have some luck in 2010! - ha)

In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader we are introduced to the Pevensie children's cousin, Eustace. Lewis provides the following description in detailing this young boy's character: "There was a boy called Eustice Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." Eustace isn't much fond of his Pevensie cousins, particularly Lucy and Edmund who come to stay with his family for a period of time. He can't stand the way that they are always talking over secrets having to do with some magical world that they pretend to have visited. His dislike of them can easily be overlooked though because they don't much care for him either. Choosing to return to Narnia as a threesome wouldn't have been an adventure any of them would have chosen - but it is the adventure that they find themselves on in the third of the Chronicles books.

In this story, Edmund and Lucy discover their old friend Caspian sailing the seas in hopes of finding the seven lost lords of Narnia that were previously banished while under the rule of the false king Miraz. Lucy and Edmund are delighted to join in on the fun but Eustace takes some warming up.

This book is unique from the previous books in Chronicles for several reasons. First, Aslan only makes one appearance in lion form and then only as Eustace references having seen him. It is not a meeting that the reader gets to experience for themselves so much as it is an "off stage" account. Aslan makes an appearance in the form of an albatross and a lamb, but only in brief moments in which the unsuspecting reader would have to draw some lines to connect the dots to understanding that the lamb and albatross represent Aslan.

As Paul Ford notes in the Companion to Narnia, this particular work is a good example of how Lewis claimed to have written stories. Lewis stated that he would get mental pictures of a lion, a lamppost, etc. and from there a story would become connected and form (beautifully, I might add). The Voyage of the Dawn Treader feels more like a series of vignettes as Caspian and crew travel to many strange, wonderful and fearful islands on their quest to discover the lost lords. (It is going to be interesting to see how they will memorialize this story on film!)

My absolute favorite part of this book - and the one part that makes the whole story quite worth the reading - takes place on Dragon Island where Eustace is turned into a dragon for a period of time. It is on Dragon Island that the transformation of Eustace takes place and the old Eustace is cast off in favor of a braver, kinder and more admirable sort of chap that you would actually want to know. The scene in which the dragon skin is painfully removed by the lion (Aslan) hits home. The dragon skin is a picture of sin and the old man. It is a hard thing to give up and one can't walk away from sin in their own strength. We need a savior who can forcefully remove our own layers of sin once and for all. It is then that we can stand whole, new and beautiful -- blameless! -- before the Throne of Grace. Dragon Island is Eustace's moment of truth. From this time on Eustace is helpful, generous, brave and useful. Edmund, of course, understands Eustace best at this point, having once suffered under the power of sin himself (in the form of the White Witch). Dragon Island is my favorite of all of their adventures as I find it so personally impacting.

There are more things to say (as there always are) but I'm not writing a book. Just a review. ha. ha.

So much to think on. So much to learn. So much to say and to process. I'm discovering this week that there's only time to scratch the surface of this series. Thankfully it will take a lifetime of constant rereading to continue to learn to fully appreciate the Chronicles.

****

See my review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

See my review of Prince Caspian.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Movie

We can't spend a week in Narnia without mentioning the movies. The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) is Disney's first foray into the world of C.S. Lewis. Interestingly enough, Lewis himself was opposed to the cinema. I can't find anything that clearly states why except a quote by Douglas Gresham, Lewis's stepson (who is also one of the producers of this particular film!) depicting Lewis's creation:

"Jack's problem with cinema was that he could see this wonderful technology emerging and developing, and he was worried about the uses to which it was being put. Until recently, cinema has been used almost exclusively to corrupt man rather than to develop man. Some of the great movies have been terrific, but by and large most movies are just to titillate, to excite—stuff to entertain. Basically, I think the Enemy has been running the cinema. It's time we took it back from him." (Christianity Today Interview, October 2005).

I wonder if Lewis would have minded this screen adaptation. It certainly takes away -and adds to - the story in a way that would make any true Narnia fan bristle in annoyance. Liberties that are always taken in Hollywood adaptations were taken. However, the argument that some creative license is necessary with the film in order to attract and hold the attention of a movie audience is somewhat valid. There is a difference between the way stories are told on film as opposed to the way that they are told in book. I'm willing to admit that some liberties need to be taken. Just not all.

So what changes were made in the book as opposed to the movie? Jonathan and I re watched this film over the past weekend. The first half of it annoyed us to some degree but we both agreed that the last 40 minutes of the film is quite excellent. Given the fact that the movie ends on a good note (in our minds) we find this movie is an asset to telling Lewis' story, on the whole.

The difference between the book and the movie is in the character of the Pevensie children. By that I mean their internal character traits are developed quite differently. In the book they are all committed to a.) being in Narnia and b.) rising to the challenges that they are called to with grace and dignity. In the movie Susan is almost a pacifist when it comes to war or defense of truth. (Really my problem lies mostly with Susan in this area.) Peter and Susan seem obsessed with going back home throughout the majority of the movie and that is simply not the case in the book. Lewis portrays them as heroic and noble and in the movie version you want to just lecture the socks off of them and tell them to quit thinking only of themselves. In the book they seem to understand their higher calling in defeating evil; in the movie they don't care and/or don't have a clue. This is a big problem with the movie. Lewis was a big proponent of honor and dedication to a just cause and that feeling is lost in Susan's desire to drop everything and run.

However, the last part of the movie is all about bravery in the face of sure defeat. Peter plays his role responsibly and admirably in leading the Narnian army against the White Witch and her evil minions. The scene is set up so that the Narnian army is watching from a hillside as the White Witch's army advances. It is noted that there are more soldiers on the side of evil. Basically, the possibility of a victorious outcoming doesn't look likely at this point in the story. As Peter yells out, "FOR NARNIA! AND FOR ASLAN!" and leads the charge into evil for the sake of righteousness my heart swelled. I was reminded that in the Bible kings would go out to war - to represent and defend their people. It was when King David decided not to go out with his army and to stay at home instead that he got into a mess of trouble. It was dishonorable for David not to go to war. Contrast David with Peter and we see a picture of true nobility and honor. (Are you counting how many times I use the word "honor"? Don't. Please.) Peter, who becomes High King of Narnia, deserves the title "King Peter the Magnificent" because he truly became so. He rose to the occasion, looked death in the face and, in essence said, "I will fear no evil." He proved he could be trusted although the odds were stacked against him. (I wouldn't mind naming my next son Peter after such a literary character. -ha)

I also thought the movie nicely handled Lewis's design for both his female and his male characters. When I read the books this past week and rewatched the movie(s) I noticed Lewis's design in placing the males on the forefront of battles. The boys lead the charge and dealt the physical blows, all for the sake of protecting their family and truth. The girls, on the other hand, tended for the hearts of those who went to war. Lucy administers drops of the healing liquid that she had been gifted with by Father Christmas, in restoring the wounded Narnian army. She rushes about to care for the weak and wounded. She is the one who expresses the heart and emotion of Aslan by being a nurturer. For that I greatly admire both Lewis and his creation of Lucy -- and I thank Disney for not trying to manipulate the gender roles. That much was very true to the books.

The battle scene really did it for me, in securing my love and affection for this film. I think it is a good illustration of the book. Yes, it has its drawbacks but on the whole it's more of a help than a hindrance in communicating truth and safeguarding the core spirit of the books - which is to capture children's imagination for the good. The movie does that very well. Therefore I think it's worth adding this film to your home collection - so long as you add the books to your shelf as well!

*****

I also reviewed Prince Caspian over at 5 Minutes for Books if you'd like to check that review out. Just spreading the Narnia love everywhere I can this week. ;)

Adults and Narnia

I've been reading Companion to Narnia: A Complete Guide to the Magical World of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia this week as I'm reading through the Narnia series. It has been quite helpful in causing me to dig deeper into the symbolism that Lewis used. However, interestingly enough, even as this book picks apart Narnia and explains nit picky details and intricacies of plot of dialogue, Ford also urges people not to destroy the magic of Narnia by over analyzing it. Sometimes I don't think this book quite strikes the balance it is hoping to achieve. You really have to hold on to the magic while you pick it to pieces. It's a fine and difficult line to walk.

I gave a (very brief) review of this book explaining that it is an encyclopedia of sorts to the world of Narnia, defining characters, moments and places. One of the first two entries under "A" I found intriguing, especially as they are read back-to-back.

Ford addresses the issue of adults in Narnia and the way that Lewis almost always seemed to use the word "grown-up" as a synonym for "wrong thinking." (He cites Lucy identifying "grown-up" as the skepticism she sees in Susan's question, "Where do you think you saw Aslan?" (emphasis mine) A chief complaint in this book seems to be that adults have lost their imagination. I'm thinking of the Pevensie four being afraid to tell the Professor of their adventures in the wardrobe for fear of his disbelief. Grown-ups in Lewis' Chronicles are not always to be trusted to believe. And belief is what Narnia is all about.

Ford comments that there are few good grown-ups in the world of Narnia: Professor Kirke, King Caspian, Puddleglum, the High King Peter, Ramandu, the Hermit of Southern March, King Lune, Mabel Kirke, Letitia Ketterley, Mr & Mrs. Pevensie and Erlian. Ford also notes that of this list, three are really child characters. (Page 1 of the fourth edition copy of Companion.)

It is hard, as an adult reader, to swallow the fact that Lewis seemingly disrespects adults in his books. What do we, as adult readers who long to instill respect in our offspring do with this? Here we are, all lofty and "old" reading magical fairy tales to our kids. Do we read believing? Or with disbelief? I can say for myself that I did not read these books growing up (I only recently read them for the first time a few years back) but did read Anne of Green Gables and reveled in her imaginative world. Believing in the unseen and unrealistic is easy for me. (Just ask my husband. I'm a natural!) I believe in Narnia because I believe it's a picture of something more -- something that is very real. I'd like to think I fall into the "good adult" category in Lewis' mind.

Interestingly enough, the entry in Companion immediately following "Adult" is "Adventure" in which Ford says the following:

"In the Chronicles, adventure is a metaphor for life in its highest realization. There is no turning away from the adventure, for it is only in leaving the known for the unknown that honor may truly be found."

As an adult it is easy to be weighed down by the practicalities and responsibilities that life chalk full of. There's less time to read, less time to dream, less time to just be. Adventure is almost a threat to life! Life is full of diapers and studies, 9 to 5 jobs, promises and obligations. It is easy to get lost in the whirlwind of the "known" and lose anytime we might have to spend exploring the unknown. I think that is what Lewis is mourning, in a sense. Life that chokes out the ability to close your eyes and soar in the unknown. Time to relax. Time to get away. Time to walk in the open air and breathe and live.

It is easy as an adult to say there is no time for imagination or exploration. But I don't think it's something that we can afford to leave behind in our childhood. Imagination and belief in the wild and fantastic is what makes life. It is adventure that sparks hope and challenges you to laugh when your world would want to crumble. Escaping to Narnia - is it worth the time? I would have to say yes. If escaping to Narnia draws me closer to what Narnia and Aslan represents then it is worth the time, the energy, and the effort to get there. It's an easy and cheap vacation if you want to look at it that way.

I think Lewis is right in his belief that adults who have lost the time and ability to imagine and dream are dangerous people. Again, if we lose sight of Aslan and Narnia (i.e., what they represent) than we lose everything. As adults we have to work harder to feel like life is magical. But imagine having a Lucy heart your whole life - willing to believe in the unexpected and unexplainable?

That sounds so lighthearted it almost feels irresponsible, doesn't it?

Companion to Narnia, by Peter Ford

I didn't know that I needed this book until I stumbled across it this past week. I should have known about Companion to Narnia: A Complete Guide to the Magical World of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia all along I suppose. It's well-publicized and heralded as being nothing short of "An exceptional reference work!" full of "clear prose, accurate scholarship, plentiful cross-references", etc., etc. With all that hype you'd think I might have noticed at some point. However, I do confess it to be a new discovery but one I am thankful to have made.

This book contains illustrations, maps, drawings, a comparison of Narnia and Earth time and the "much, much more!" that you hear about so frequently. If you want to follow a theme in Narnia or learn about the significance or history of any one particular character, tree or mouse, this is the book for you.

I found a copy of this fourth edition (1994, I do believe) at a used book store just this past week. There is an an updated version (2005) that the cast and crew of the movies apparently used to better understand this mysterious and magical world that Lewis created. I can see how this would have come in handy in trying to understand the sometimes complex and confusing history of this series.

This is a book you would not want to peruse unless you had already read Chronicles. It won't make a whole lot of sense to you otherwise. However, anyone who is planning an upcoming re-read of the books, or is in the middle of a re-read, would definitely benefit from having a copy of the Companion on hand.

It's mind blowing. You just never know how much you don't know until you pick up a book like this . . .

Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian is the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia as numbered by the order in which Lewis wrote the series. In this story the four Pevensie children are called back into Narnia and find themselves in the ruins of Cair Paravel. It has been 1,000 years since they were last in Narnia and it is in this book that they discover that Narnia time is quite different than it is in our world. While in between Narnia visits, a few days might have passed or, in this case, 1,000 years.

They are called back in order to help Prince Caspian reclaim the throne from his evil uncle, Miraz. Miraz had Caspian's father killed and banished all of the true king's supporters from the kingdom so that he could gradually and almost unknowingly take the power that was not his. At this point in Narnia history, people have forgotten that there were such things as talking animals and dwarfs. Such things are characters in old fairy tales and lores - such stories which Miraz strictly forbids being told in Narnia. In this book the "ancient kings and queens" of Narnia return, along with Aslan, of course, to overthrow evil once more and restore Narnia to its true and former glory.

I have to say that Caspian is not really a very exciting character. He just sort of falls flat for me. Perhaps it's because I have the movie freshly in my mind and I really didn't like the way the character was portrayed in the movie version. (BTW, movie reviews on Narnia are forthcoming tomorrow.) He's just, well, boring! Caspian grew up in a palace and had all his needs and wants met. He was, however, schooled by a Professor Cornelius who is a half dwarf and teaches Caspian about Old Narnia which is full of talking beasts and magic. When Caspian finds himself in a position where he must flee the castle, which is the home of his Uncle (King) Miraz, he seems unable to function in some ways. He's been protected so long and then suddenly cast into this whole new world where he must learn to think for and defend himself and he's not quite capable of it. Somewhat. But not quite. I find this annoying. I much prefer a strong male role where he's been schooled the point of being able to not only fend for himself but others who are placed in his care. It's a maturity issue and I find Caspian lacking a bit.

However, I'll say this for Caspian - he does like King Peter and accepts the help that Peter comes and offers him. Caspian is willing to follow the lead of someone who knows more than he does and has experienced more of life in the real Narnia and he bows to that maturity (in spite of the fact that High King Peter returns to Narnia in boy form). Not only does Caspian's deference to Peter show true humility but it also displays wisdom. Therefore I don't really dislike Caspian, even though I don't really like him.

My favorite character in this book has to be the dwarf, Trumpkin. Trumpkin is surprised by the appearance of Caspian into his relatively unknown world of anonymity in which he is supposed to not exist. Ironically, Trumpkin (a dwarf, the likes of which Miraz insists does not exist) does not believe in a deeper magic, Aslan or the kings and queens of old. Even when presented with physical evidence it takes some convincing. Yet, despite his unbelief, he faithfully helps lead the opposition to the false king, Miraz. In my mind this makes Trumpkin a truly admirable character. With humility of service and quite a bit of disbelief, he does what he knows is right even when it is hard for him to do so. He presses on to secure a prize he knows is worthy and in so doing, Trumpkin himself becomes worthy. Eventually, of course, Trumpkin is introduced to the great lion and unbelief vanishes and true love and affection takes its place. Trumpkin is evidence of great character development on the part of Lewis. I like him.

A great Narnia book but not my favorite. It continues the story and is a "don't miss!" though. So don't miss it.

****

See my review of the first book in Chronicles, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Narnia Quiz

(For the fun of it)



Despite your size, as Mr Beaver you are decisive, confident and bold. You are brave in times of need and show great loyalty to those you respect.

Want to find out what Narnia character you are? Click here.

The World of Narnia Collection, illustrated by Deborah Maze

The World of Narnia Collection was gifted to us when our son was born by a friend who knew how much we loved C.S. Lewis. We love C.S. Lewis and admire him so much that our son's middle name is, in fact, Lewis. (Our admiration runs deep, you might say.)

I'd never seen an "adaptation" of Narnia until I was given this book. As I cracked the cover open I wasn't sure what to expect but I was delighted with the contents. This wonderfully illustrated book allows children of a younger age to be introduced to Narnia (specifically through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe sooner than plain black & white text with few illustrations would otherwise invite them in. This book makes Narnia attractive, even to our two year old son (who has a growing fascination with Aslan). (To be fair though, I think the fascination lies mostly in the fact that Aslan is a lion - not because he is Aslan.)

There are lots of strange creatures in Narnia which could easily frighten little kids. The way that Maze choose to illustrate various scenes though eases the fear factor and makes the story more intriguing. For example, she continously uses lighter colors and pastels instead of dark, bold colors. You wouldn't normally think to look for this distinction unless you are the parent of a two year old who isn't so sure about Heffalumps and Woozles and then you start to notice the way centaurs are portrayed, etc.

This book is earmarked for ages 5-9 and I would say that is entirely accurate. Our son can handle most of the book, but we do skip the last of the four stories (Aslan's Triumph) because of some of the battle scenes. He has plenty of time in the future for those. Right now we flip through the first three stories which detail the following Narnia adventures:

1. In Lucy Steps Through the Wardrobe children are introduced to the concept of Narnia and Lucy's entrance through the wardrobe and her first meeting with Mr. Tumnas the faun.

2. In Edmund and the White Witch Edmund enters Narnia and meets the opposition. Again, given Maze's choice of colors, there is nothing instantly alarming to a younger child.

3. In Aslan the four Pevensie children enter the wardrobe and are introduced to the savior figure. There is only one "scary" page in this particular story when the White Witch is about to kill Edmund, only to be interrupted by some of Aslan's army. We skip that page.

4. In Aslan's Triumph we hear the story of Aslan's sacrifice on the stone table. The story ends, of course, with a triumphant battle on the part Aslan's army and the four Pevensie children are crowned the kings and queens of Narnia.

As this is a collection of stories, a lot of the information in each individual story overlaps with the other. You can also buy the books seperately but I think by purchasing The World of Narnia Collection your children can pick up on the complete story.

I'm glad we own this and another thanks to the gifter of this marvelous book! We recommend it to others also.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis

This is only my second time to read through The Chronicles of Narnia. I read through them the first time a few years back and thankfully never wrote a review on them before. (I dislike the way I used to review books and have to exercise great restraint in not deleting half of my blog away sometimes.) I probably barely know what I'm talking about now.

This is a good series to re-read on a regular basis because a.) it's fun and b.) it's packed with life lessons that never grow old. The story isn't stale at all this time around. Instead it is more fresh and hearty a meal as leftovers than as a first go-around. It delights and inspires in new ways. (I do realize Lewis isn't God and these words do not live but because I do believe there are moral/scriptural lessons to be learned from these books, they continue revealing new things to the reader.)

If you have not yet had the opportunity to read these stories I heartily recommend them. There is some argument as to the order in which the series should be read. I am currently reading them in the order that they were written, which starts with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. C.S. Lewis said that he completed each book without knowing if he'd ever write another. One young reader suggested to him that The Magician's Nephew should come first in the series and Lewis did not disagree with this but also did not bother officially changing the order of the books in his lifetime. Therefore I'm choosing to read them as he wrote them. (Although I do think there is some sense in starting with The Magician's Nephew. I don't feel like quibbling over it.)

If you have not yet read the stories and are interested in a synopsis, you can check out my post from yesterday.

I remember last time I read this series Lucy was my favorite character. I appreciated her tenacity and willingness to hold on to her childlike imagination and sense of adventure because she knew it was the right thing to do. Despite the fact that her siblings do not believe that she traveled to a new world, met a faun and was away from them for hours while doing so, she holds to the truth she knows in her heart. She is wounded by their disbelief but not crushed. I'd previously been inspired by Lucy's zest and determination to follow truth in spite of the opposition - even within her own family. She believed in the magic and was unapologetic. That, my friends, is a true character of inspiration if there ever was one.

This time around I was more intrigued by Edmund who was the crummiest character. He is the epitome of disbelief and is internally dead. I was bothered to see myself reflecting off the page through Edmund's quest for his own brand of truth. This passage in particular stuck out to me:

(These are Edmund's thoughts as he left the company of the Beavers and his siblings and went on his own private journey to the White Witch's castle.)

As for what the Witch would do with the others, he didn't want her to be particularly nice to them - certainly not to put them on the same level as himself - but he managed to believe, or pretend he believed, that she wouldn't do anything very bad to them, "Because," he said to himself, "all these people who say nasty things about her are her enemies and probably half of it isn't true. She was jolly nice to me, anyway, much nicer than they are. I expect she is the rightful Queen really. Anyway, she'll be better than that awful Aslan!" At least, that was the excuse he made in his own mind for what he was doing. It wasn't a very good excuse, however, for deep down inside him he really knew that the White Witch was bad and cruel.

How like all of us is Edmund in desiring to believe a lie so that our own person can be advanced. Edmund knew deep in his heart that following the path of the White Witch would ultimately be destructive. However, he longed to be lord of the land, so to speak. He relished the idea of his siblings bowing down to him and serving him and so in an effort to gratify these sinful desires, he is willing to sacrifice not only himself but his family for his own "betterment." Yet it is a falsity, the end of which will not bring the fame and fortune he seeks.

Quite frequently I find myself in the same predicament. Death to self does not come easily. Self promotion is so much more pleasant and it's easy to overlook the costs but we can't do that. We must face truth and embrace it, regardless of the personal sacrifice involved. ("For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it . . ." Luke 9:24)

Thankfully Edmund's story does not end on the cold and snowy trail to the Witch's castle. Instead it ends at the feet of Aslan who pardons the boy and goes so far as to protect him from the degrading comments of the others. What is in the past stays there. The moment Edmund turns from the Witch is the moment he is then free to embrace Aslan and Aslan's mission to conquer Narnia. Edmund is able to enter in the joy of fellowship first with Aslan and then with his siblings. Of course, the White Witch meets with defeat (there is no other alternative) and Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund take the four thrones at Cair Paravel. Edmund becomes King Edmund the Just which is an amazing picture of Aslan's grace and a picture of how far Edmund had truly come.

This book is very inspiring and uplifting from a spiritual perspective and is my favorite book out of the entire series. (How lucky for me that it comes first in the series, eh!?) It reads as a stand-alone book although I'm happy to say that in this book we find the story just beginning.

The Chronicles of Narnia - A Synopsis

In case you have not yet had the pleasure of reading through The Chronicles of Narnia for yourself, it might be helpful to read this synopsis of the seiies before proceeding on through the week of reviews. I found this synopsis on the C.S. Lewis Today website. The direct link can be viewed by clicking on this highlighted sentence.

The Magician's Nephew

“This is ... a very important story”, wrote C.S. Lewis, “because it shows how all the comings and goings between our world and the land of Narnia first began”. Digory and Polly are tricked by their Uncle Andrew into magically entering another reality, and they encounter Jadis, the White Witch. Following them back, she creates havoc in London, before the children, three grown-ups and a horse are accidentally drawn out of our world and find themselves witnesses to something extraordinary happening.


The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Almost 900 years after Aslan created the land, the banished White Witch returns to Narnia and establishes her evil rule. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy arrive through the wardrobe to find a land of Endless Winter. They meet up with talking creatures who have remained faithful followers of Aslan and, apart from Edmund, journey to join up with Aslan to battle against the Witch and her army. As a result of Edmund's treachery, however, nothing less than the death of Aslan is required to set things aright.


The Horse and His Boy

14 years into the children's reign of Narnia, in the far-off land of Calormen, a boy named Shasta lives with an old fisherman whom he believes to be his father. Meeting up with an aristocratic horse, Bree, and then a high-spirited girl, Aravis, and her horse Hwin, the four set out on a perilous journey. On their way, they have to pass through a dangerous city, desert and mountains, periodically encountering a strange presence along the way, helping to ultimately protect Narnia from attack by its enemies.


Prince Caspian

Some 1600 years later, Miraz, the brother of Caspian IX, usurps the throne, suppresses all knowledge of Aslan and Narnia's history, and forces the faithful remnant in the land into hiding. The original four children are drawn back into Narnia and find the land in ruins. Meanwhile, through some humble Narnians, Prince Caspian, the rightful heir to the throne, discovers the true story of its beginnings and resolves to regain the kingdom. As he and the children are brought together by Aslan, they begin the fight to liberate the land.


The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Three years into Caspian's reign, the boy king decides to search for the seven lost lords who were sent to explore the Eastern Seas but never returned. Lucy, Edmund and their cousin Eustace are magically pulled on to the Dawn Treader, a Narnian ship, with Caspian and Reepicheep on board. As they travel to each of the islands, they are confronted by a series of tests and, in the process, they grow in their understanding of themselves, their character and the way Aslan is involved in their lives.

The Silver Chair

50 years pass before Eustace and school friend Jill are carried away into Narnia. They are commissioned by Aslan to find Prince Rilian, son of the ageing King Caspian, who has been spirited away by a deadly serpent who turns out to be the Green Queen. Aslan gives them four signs which, if followed, will help them in their quest. On the way, they are joined by a doleful companion, Puddleglum, and after many terrifying and life-threatening encounters, finally discover and free the Prince from the evil clutches of Green Queen.

The Last Battle

Two centuries later, a rebellion begins against Tirian, the last king of Narnia. All but one of the children, Susan, are drawn into fight against first Shift the Ape, who partly succeeds in passing off his dupe Puzzle the Donkey as Aslan, and then against the warrior Rishda Tarkaan and his forces. Everything builds to a gigantic climax in which Aslan brings the very land of Narnia to an end and opens a door into his own country for those who are truly faithful to him: “Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read; which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before”.

It is important to note that this list is not given in the order the books were written, rather this synopsis is given in the historical order which provides for clear understanding of the series. The books can be read as written (beginning with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe) or in historical order (beginning with The Magician's Nephew). For this read through I have opted to read them in the order written. So stay tuned! The first review is coming right up.

Introduction to a Week in Narnia

Welcome to Reading to Know's Week in Narnia! The Chronicles of Narnia are books that believe deserve a re-reading every so often and this will be the first time I officially focus on the series as a whole for an entire week. I don't know what each post will contain yet. I'm making this up as I go along. The point for me is to learn and think more about Narnia and what it's impact on today's society is, than I ever have before. Comments are welcome as we think this thing out together.

I am reading through the series as I write these posts so any insight you have to share would be appreciated. Let's have a good time.

But first things first . . .

One of the chief arguments of the day is whether or not The Chronicles of Narnia is a Christian allegory or not. Christians want to claim this series for themselves while others wish to just enjoy the books without having religion "foisted" upon them. So what it is? An allegory of the Christian walk or not? C.S. Lewis himself stated (not suggested) that it is not.

In Of Other Worlds he wrote:

Some people seem to think that I began by asking myself how I could say something about Christianity to children; then fixed on the fairy tale as an instrument, then collected information about child psychology and decided what age group I’d write for; then drew up a list of basic Christian truths and hammered out 'allegories' to embody them. This is all pure moonshine. I couldn't write in that way. It all began with images; a faun carrying an umbrella, a queen on a sledge, a magnificent lion. At first there wasn't anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord.

Then in a personal letter to a Mrs. Hook in December 1958 he wrote the following:

If Aslan represented the immaterial Deity in the same way in which Giant Despair [a character in The Pilgrim's Progress] represents despair, he would be an allegorical figure. In reality, however, he is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, 'What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia, and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?' This is not allegory at all.

In C.S. Lewis Today they say the following:.

We are also reluctant to highlight key ideas set out [in the Chronicles of Narnia] because it could lead people to look for exact or literal parallels between the Narnian and biblical stories. Even though there are numerous biblical echoes from Genesis through to Revelation, it is because we wanted to avoid this danger that we have not provided references to specific Bible passages. What we have in The Chronicles of Narnia are rather partial and evocative analogies between the two. For example, Lewis did not intend a one-to-one correspondence between Aslan and Jesus but rather echoes between the two that the open-minded reader might discover and say “Aha!”. As he wrote, “This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little while, you may know me better in your world.”

I read once that it was C.S. Lewis' intention to create an imaginative world that would captivate the hearts of minds of children so that when they were exposed to the gospel later on in their lives, it wouldn't feel so unnatural. That fits the quote I found about knowing Aslan for a little while so that we could better know Christ in our own world. I think we need to be just as careful not to say that it's an allegory as we need to be careful not to claim it is a "neutral" story. It is neither.

I do not believe it is appropriate to think that Lewis put down his Christian faith when he picked up his pen and began writing Narnia. Lewis, at the time of these writings, was a solid Christian who made a living thinking, writing, speaking and arguing Christian apologetics. I do not think that he would have separated his faith in writing these books. I remind you of the above quote in which he says, "At first there wasn't anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord." It would be inevitable for Christian elements and themes to make themselves known through a Christian author (or a Christian teacher, doctor, plumber, engineer, etc.). A person's worldview will come out. Lewis was not so smart that he could keep his faith removed from his projects. His mental abilities were certainly impressive but not that impressive.

Arguing over whether or not these books are an allegory or not almost seems a good waste of time in my opinion. Lewis was clear about the fact that they were not an allegory. He was also clear about his position within the Christian faith. It isn't either/or so much as it would be both/and in a strange way that is better accepted than fought. I think this argument exists only because Christians and non-Christians alike both desire to stake a claim on something for conscious sake. Non-Christians would like the freedom to read these books without feeling like they might be being secretly manipulated. Christians today want to be discerning about what books they read and don't read (rightly so) and want the stamp of approval to land on these books so that they can enjoy them with gusto and an eased mind. (After all - there is magic involved which is a frequent drawback in Christian circles.) Whichever side you have found yourself on, there is still a story on paper that sparks the imagination, inspires the heart and uplifts the spirit. That's what we're ultimately stuck with, regardless of our individual positions of Lewis' original intent.

For my part I am of the opinion that Lewis wrote these books to inspire childhood imaginations and in such a way as to make the gospel more powerful when they were older. I truly do believe that Lewis ultimately intended to make the Bible come alive for children.

Is it possible in my mind that these books were written in a platonic way? I think of Till We Have Faces (a re-telling of a Greek myth that Lewis felt particularly drawn to*) and have to say yes. But I don't think that's the case. He started writing Chronicles with pictures in his head and Biblical truths were born into those pictures.

I will approach Narnia believing Lewis wrote them as a Christian. I will approach them with the opinion that they hold many lessons worth learning. I will read them and enjoy them as the best magic.

I will enjoy them and I hope you will choose to enjoy them with me!

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* BTW, I still think Till We Have Faces was written by a Christian who applied Christian thought to it. Again, it's just inevitable that a Christian would think like a Christian and therefore write like one. However, Till We Have Faces was something he was thinking about re-writing in his undergrad days when he was not yet a Christian. So I'd say that book is MORE nuetral but not entirely so.

Narnia Week

Prince Caspian is out on video and I'm reading through The Chronicles of Narnia. I'm thinking next week is going to be all about Narnia around here so stay tuned for quotes, thoughts, reviews and more!