All Questions
Tagged with c-s-lewis the-chronicles-of-narnia
56 questions
11
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How old is too old for Narnia?
In Prince Caspian, Peter and Susan are told that they won't return to Narnia again because they're "getting too old", although Edmund and Lucy aren't. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, ...
- 76.7k
2
votes
1
answer
131
views
Why was Telmar unpeopled and Narnia in disorder?
Near the end of Prince Caspian, Aslan tells the story of Caspian's ancestors and how the Telmarines came to Narnia. The original ancestors were pirates in our world, who settled on a South Sea island ...
- 76.7k
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is there any significance in the way Hollies are described in Narnia?
Among the various types of trees listed in Prince Caspian when Aslan is waking the dryads and the trees are coming to life, I noticed in particular the description of the hollies:
What Lucy and Susan ...
- 76.7k
4
votes
1
answer
153
views
Is there any deeper significance to Lucy's thought of what if "men started going wild inside" in our world?
In Prince Caspian, the group of Pevensies and their D.L.F. are attacked by a bear, which Trumpkin quickly shoots dead. Susan was slow to shoot, wondering if it might have been a Talking Bear. While ...
- 76.7k
21
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Why the title The Silver Chair?
The titles of the Narnia books mostly make sense.
The Magician's Nephew: title refers to the main protagonist, through his relation to a more minor character but that's how he got involved in all ...
- 76.7k
3
votes
1
answer
160
views
Significance of Caspian's name?
Caspian is perhaps the most important Narnian character in the series (meaning someone who was born and lived their whole life in Narnia, so neither Aslan nor the eight Seven Friends of Narnia count). ...
- 76.7k
1
vote
1
answer
334
views
Why is Reepicheep so heroic?
Reepicheep the Talking Mouse is probably the most courageous and valiant character in the entire Narnia series. Many times, in the books where he appears (Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn ...
- 76.7k
2
votes
0
answers
92
views
Is the story of Jill and Eustace meant to evoke that of Cain and Abel?
Towards the beginning of The Silver Chair, Eustace and Jill get into a little fight which culminates in Eustace falling off the cliff to his apparent death.
“What are you doing, Pole? Come back — ...
- 3,529
4
votes
0
answers
112
views
What was the purpose of including (or rather excluding) Pittencream in the Voyage of the Dawn Treader?
In Chapter XIV of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Caspian and his friends have some difficulty in persuading all of the sailors on the Dawn Treader to continue beyond Ramandu's island to the end of ...
- 76.7k
7
votes
1
answer
469
views
When did the Pevensies forget their origins?
At the end of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe we find out that the Pevensies do not remember their English past, nor even how they came to Narnia in the first place:
So they alighted and tied ...
- 3,529
8
votes
1
answer
812
views
Does the blackness in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader have any religious significance?
In Chapter 12, "The Dark Island", of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the ship reaches a patch of mysterious blackness in the ocean. Nobody wants to enter it, but after a speech from the ever-...
- 76.7k
3
votes
1
answer
309
views
Did the travelers know how long the voyage into the darkness took or not?
In Chapter twelve of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the adventurers encounter a Darkness, and after some deliberation decide to row through it. The following description of the timeline is given:
...
- 3,529
2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Significance of "further up and further in"?
In C.S. Lewis's Narnia grand finale, The Last Battle, one chapter is entitled "Further Up and Further In", and this phrase is repeated a great many times by various characters:
"Then [...
- 76.7k
17
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Who is Mrs LeFay in "The Magician's Nephew"?
In The Magician’s Nephew, Andrew refers to his godmother, Mrs LeFay, who gave him the powder he used to make the rings. Other than this and a reference to her possessing "fairy blood", ...
- 171
4
votes
0
answers
122
views
A Narnian mole based on a British admiral?
Clodsley Shovel: a talking mole who plays a minor role in Prince Caspian.
Cloudesley Shovell: a British admiral who died off the Isles of Scilly.
What's going on here? Did Lewis ever acknowledge the ...
- 76.7k
4
votes
1
answer
895
views
Did the Friends of Narnia die at Harrow and Wealdstone?
In The Last Battle, all of the Friends of Narnia (except Susan - the people from our world who had been to Narnia over the course of the seven books) die in a horrific train accident and end up going ...
- 76.7k
2
votes
1
answer
865
views
Aslan as an alternative version of Jesus as the form in which he may have appeared in an alternative reality?
The Wikipedia article about The Chronicles of Narnia contains the following statement about Aslan:
C. S. Lewis described Aslan as an alternative version of Jesus as the form in which he may have ...
- 51.1k
9
votes
3
answers
626
views
Does this edit in The Magician's Nephew (from "had her bathe" to "had her bath") fundamentally change the meaning of the sentence?
Later editions of C.S. Lewis 'The Magician's Nephew' have been edited, presumably to reflect modern usage.
Polly went down and had her bathe; at least she said that was what
she'd been doing, but we ...
- 4,962
6
votes
2
answers
995
views
How does Bacchus fit into the Christian allegory of Narnia?
The setting and story of The Chronicles of Narnia are strongly linked to Christianity: Aslan, who sacrifices himself for a traitor in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before returning to life, ...
- 76.7k
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is there any significance in the cry "Euan, euan, eu-oi-oi-oi" in Prince Caspian?
In Prince Caspian, there's a passage where Aslan apparently uses his power to summon up the spirit of Old Narnia, leading to the eventual defeat of the Telmarines with very little bloodshed. A wild ...
- 76.7k
6
votes
2
answers
456
views
For and Against different Reading Orders for Narnia
There are two common reading orders for the Chronicles of Narnia:
The original publication order:
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
...
21
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Why is the order of The Chronicles of Narnia changed from original publication?
When I originally read The Chronicles of Narnia I read an older boxset which has the books numbered in original publication order:
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of ...
- 536
10
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Why is C.S. Lewis so concerned with being locked into a wardrobe?
In The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe author C.S. Lewis makes five references to the characters making sure to not latch the wardrobe from the inside:
[Lucy] immediately stepped into the wardrobe [...
- 536
10
votes
1
answer
510
views
Was Edmund in the Narnia series loosely inspired by Edmund in King Lear?
In King Lear, Edmund, resentful of his inferior status to his older brother, betrays his family and frames his brother as a traitor. This strikes me as being quite a bit like what Edmund does in The ...
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Was Rowling inspired by the railway station scene in Prince Caspian?
I was rereading Prince Caspian and noticed that in the start of the story they're in
an empty, sleepy country station, and there was hardly anyone on the platform but themselves
and then they're ...
- 4,880
3
votes
1
answer
245
views
Is there any significance in King Lune's name?
The king of Archenland during the time of The Horse and His Boy, father of the Archenland princes who play a more major role in the story, is called Lune. Is there any significance to this name? ...
- 76.7k
9
votes
1
answer
12k
views
Did any of the Pevensie kings and queens find romance while in Narnia?
Something that always struck me about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is how the four Pevensie children not only spend years in Narnia but grow up and become adults there, before having to ...
- 76.7k
7
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Son of Adam but not Eve? Daughter of Eve but not Adam?
Throughout The Chronicles of Narnia the humans are referred to as "Son of Adam" for a male, and "Daughter of Eve" for a female. I'm assuming that the characters in Narnia don't think that females only ...
- 3,529
9
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Religious symbolism of the Telmarines?
The religious symbolism in C.S. Lewis's Narnia books is well known and, in many cases, very clear: Aslan is Jesus, the Calormenes are a very stereotypical portrayal of Muslims, the Dwarfs may ...
- 76.7k
20
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Does the description of Eustace's parents fit some known stereotype?
In the opening paragraph of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C. S. Lewis introduces us to the (at this point in the story) singularly unlikeable character of Eustace Clarence Scrubb. About his parents, ...
- 76.7k
7
votes
1
answer
406
views
Does The Chronicles of Narnia promote deism?
Very related: Why does the Emperor-Over-the-Sea play such a small role in the Chronicles of Narnia?
Also related: Why is the Emperor Beyond the Sea named that?
The Chronicles of Narnia refer to Aslan'...
5
votes
0
answers
176
views
Is there any direct evidence tying the D&D Underdark to Narnia?
I was re-reading The Silver Chair recently, the 6th book in the Narnia series. Towards the end of the novel,
he says,
"he had always reached these outlets by going in a ship
across the Sunless ...
user72
8
votes
1
answer
546
views
What is the symbolism of Eustace's arm ring?
In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Eustace put a cursed arm ring on, which resulted in him becoming a dragon.
Does the arm-ring itself have any special symbolism (e.g. he was entrapped by his own ...
19
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Was C. S. Lewis condemning nuclear weapons in The Magician's Nephew?
Aslan says the following in The Magician's Nephew:
"It is not certain that some wicked one of your race will not find out a secret as evil as the Deplorable Word and use it to destroy all living ...
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Did C. S. Lewis ever intend to write about any of the other universes in The Magician's Nephew?
The Wood Between the Worlds has numerous pools. We're told about where three of them lead: our world, Narnia, and Charn. Evidently, each pool leads to a separate universe in the Chronicles of Narnia ...
8
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How does Emeth's presence in Aslan's Country in The Last Battle fit in with the rest of C. S. Lewis's theology?
In The Last Battle, Emeth was a soldier from Calormene who worshiped Tash. Apparently, he thought that Tash was basically like Aslan, so Aslan interpreted Emeth's worship of Tash as actually being ...
12
votes
1
answer
18k
views
Why didn't The Last Battle mention Susan's reaction to her family's death?
In The Last Battle, several of Susan's close relatives (including all of her siblings) were killed on the same day in a train crash. The book merely mentions that she was no longer a friend of Narnia, ...
9
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How long did the Pevensies rule in Narnia?
The books imply that the Pevensies were in Narnia for years (or perhaps even decades) in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Is there any indication of exactly how long they were gone?
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why did people appear to remember what was going on at the time they left England when they returned from Narnia?
Very closely related: Why don't people in the Chronicles of Narnia have trouble "transitioning" back to their old life after extended times in other worlds?
When the Pevensies ...
3
votes
2
answers
316
views
What happened to Frank and Helen in England?
Frank and Helen are some of the few people recorded to have entered Narnia and stayed permanently. That being said, most people return to England the exact moment that they left, and most other people ...
8
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Why is the Emperor Beyond the Sea named that?
Closely related: Why does the Emperor-Over-the-Sea play such a small role in the Chronicles of Narnia?
Why is the Emperor Beyond The Sea in The Chronicles of Narnia named that? What sea is he beyond, ...
10
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Why does the Emperor-Over-the-Sea play such a small role in the Chronicles of Narnia?
The Emperor-Over-the-Sea is referenced at several points during the series. The Stone Table, Deep Magic and the Deeper Magic were all set in motion by him, and he is the father of Aslan.
At the same ...
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why don't people in the Chronicles of Narnia have trouble "transitioning" back to their old life after extended times in other worlds?
In The Chronicles of Narnia, people often spend weeks, months, or even decades in other worlds. They return to their old life at the exact instant that they left as if they were never gone. For ...
6
votes
1
answer
718
views
Why are the bears bulgy?
Among the diverse characters introduced in Prince Caspian during Caspian's tour of the Old Narnians are three bears known as the "Bulgy Bears". What exactly does it mean for them to be bulgy? It's not ...
- 76.7k
6
votes
1
answer
760
views
Does Uncle Andrew consider himself an Übermensch in The Magician's Nephew?
The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche rather prominently includes the idea of the Übermensch ("overman" or "superman"), who were exempt from the ordinary rules of morality in some sense. Is this what ...
12
votes
1
answer
861
views
Does Puzzle the Donkey have an allegorical relationship with any entity in the Book of Revelation or the Bible at large?
C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia are a great children's series which present an allegory the New Testament and Biblical history. That said, Lewis sometimes put in things that don't necessarily reflect ...
- 221
12
votes
1
answer
817
views
Does C. S. Lewis support annihilationism in The Last Battle?
C. S. Lewis's The Last Battle includes a scene of what amounts to the Last Judgment (I don't recall the exact chapter, but it's toward the end of the book):
The creatures came rushing on, their ...
17
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is Deeper Magic something more than God (the Emperor beyond the Sea) in Narnia?
When Aslan is asked why he has to die in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, he answers something in the sense that there is a "deeper magic" that he has to obey.
What exactly is this &...
- 431
15
votes
3
answers
8k
views
What suggests Edmund might be gay?
While I was doing some research, looking for an answer for Are Frog and Toad more than just friends?, I found this article listing 15 fictional characters the author thinks are probably gay. Some of ...
- 2,113
22
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Did C. S. Lewis support the Ransom Theory in the Chronicles of Narnia?
Some critics have claimed that the explanation of Aslan's sacrifice in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe supports the ransom theory of the atonement. (Edit: There's also a much briefer definition ...