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I think the magic book is on the island because he needs the spells to keep society on the island going. Since the dufflepuds have many unusual ways about cooking and gardening, Coriakin would need spells to create food for everyone during shortages, like the food he gives to Lucy.
Statistics: Posted by HermitoftheNorthernMarch — Wed Jan 29, 2014 12:06 am
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Statistics: Posted by Ethranduil — Sun Jan 26, 2014 6:46 pm
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I think probably, if he'd thought about it, Lewis would claim that Coriakin's magical abilities came from his being a star.I'm not sure if this is based on anything they actually said (or more on stuff I've read by commentators) but I think that both Tolkien and Lewis (almost certainly Tolkien) liked the idea that magic was not something humans should practice but something that (in its good forms) was the domain of other - fantastical - beings. (Tolkien makes it clear, for example, that his wizards were actually angelic-type beings and even comments that "wizard" was an unfortunate choice of name and that he only used it for its etymological association with wisdom). We probably get a hint of this from Lewis' side in that Uncle Andrew, the one human who did try to practice magic, was dealing with things beyond what he could handle and it didn't turn out very well for him. There's also that line where Cornelius tells Caspian that magic isn't something young princes should indulge in.
Coriakin, on the other hand, lived on an isolated island and had to look after the difficult Dufflepuds. Since the stars are also associated with prophesy, it seems that magic (i.e. abilities beyond that of normal humans) is part of their nature and as, Lily suggested, it is likely something they learn in the Dance. I suspect he used this knowledge he had to govern the Dufflepuds (which involved him making them into monopods and making them invisible). It would be interesting to think of how he might have used some of the other spells in the book.
Statistics: Posted by Ajnos — Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:17 pm
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Something to think about, anyway.
Statistics: Posted by Lily of Archenland — Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:28 pm
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