]]>
]]>
I know I'm breaking my tradition of doing a series of pencil drawings, but I didn't have a scanner while I was in the States so I had to do a digital piece. Because of the vertical layout it can technically be used as a phone wallpaper...
It might be a bit big....I'll scale it down later if y'all think it kinda messes with the forum view.
Statistics: Posted by hobbit_of_narnia — Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:11 pm
]]>
Great work everyone! I love seeing all the graphics and art, etc.
Statistics: Posted by renegadeoftheshire — Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:55 pm
]]>
Chapter 17
Some of the things I noticed was how foreboding their approach to the wardrobe feels and how Susan is still the cautious one. She's the most reluctant to enter Narnia and the most reluctant to leave. I think she struggles with change which I can relate to.
I Love this insight into Susan, Swan, Some of the things I noticed was how foreboding their approach to the wardrobe feels and how Susan is still the cautious one. She's the most reluctant to enter Narnia and the most reluctant to leave. I think she struggles with change which I can relate to.
and your observation of the return,
and your glorious stag!
I guess I just love your whole post!
B/L
Love your Pevensies!Wow! @Swan, that stag is amazing!!
Sorry that I'm a day late. But here is my last drawing for this challenge
I'm impressed you could figure out that was Eden's hand in the photo!
@Benisse I like the photo-haiku format! They complement each other well. Kudos to Eden playing Lucy!
I loved reading the posts in this thread -- sorry I got distracted in the world of Spare Oom so did n't get very far in this challenge. But my family is actually starting to read through all seven Chronicles (we are currently in Magician's Nephew). So when we start LWW maybe I can start adding to this thread even though this reading schedule is past.
Statistics: Posted by Benisse — Sun Aug 16, 2020 7:56 am
]]>
Some have suggested that the White Stag somehow had a confusing effect on his pursuers and thus caused them to forget the lamppost at least temporarily, or that the lamppost reminded the children of the home they had left, so they shut out that memory from their minds until they forgot it.
Statistics: Posted by cleander — Fri Aug 14, 2020 10:36 am
]]>
Love your stag!
@Ajjie: Your observation on Aslan and Bree rolling...
Uh.... We must have been told a hundred years at some point, yes? I can't for the life remember where that might be?
@Ren: I particularly like the way you did Susan on that one.
Starting off with sets for day 8. (And yes, I'm fully aware that I did the poem backward.)
Chapter 17
The little exchange between Aslan and Lucy regarding the wounded... that's a hard lesson. I totally get that Lucy wants to stay to ensure that the cordial does its work on Edmund, so I understand when she tells Aslan to wait. But Aslan reminds her that others need help, and may even be on the brink of death themselves. Would she sacrifice them for Edmund? But not only is this a practical lesson, to be applied down the road, but a lesson in trust: she has done what she can, and must continue to do so, whether or not she witnesses the miracle herself.
Like Ajjie, something about the merfolk struck me. Not their sudden appearance, but the fact that they're Narnian citizens. They've got a great, wide ocean and the chance to be their own people, but here they are, citizens of a land nation. I suddenly want to know how that came about. Was it like this since creation? Did these merfolk make that decision to join Narnia? Did a Narnian king save them from some terrible thing? or beat them in battle?
It seriously puzzles me that they would have forgotten the lamppost. Even if we take Lucy's telling of the wardrobe in HHB as an inconsistency against the whole forgetting-this-world thing, you'd think the lamppost would be a notable landmark. Tumnus lives not far from it, and surely they'd gone through those woods in hunting the Witch's following. Unless the same magic that caused them to forget this world caused them to forget the lamppost? It is, after all, the catalyst to their returning memories.
Statistics: Posted by Ariel.of.Narnia — Fri Aug 14, 2020 6:44 am
]]>
Another note regarding animal symbolism: the White Stag is from ancient Indo-European mythology and is thought to be a manifestation of Otherworld (quite appropriately for a Narnia story) and adventure. Finnish myths portray it as a minion of the Queen of the Underworld (
) which would lead its hunters to their deaths. [Btw, since albinos are a thing, a real life White Stag almost definitely exists out there!]Seems my internal poetry machine isn't running just yet. We'll see what I can come up with later.
Statistics: Posted by cleander — Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:58 am
]]>
Sorry that I'm a day late. But here is my last drawing for this challenge
Statistics: Posted by renegadeoftheshire — Thu Aug 13, 2020 5:07 pm
]]>
Some of the things I noticed was how foreboding their approach to the wardrobe feels and how Susan is still the cautious one. She's the most reluctant to enter Narnia and the most reluctant to leave. I think she struggles with change which I can relate to.
There's something jarring about the sudden return to England and childhood, but I think that after the first surprise it wasn't as jarring for the Pevensies as one might imagine. It seems that they instantly returned to the memories and identity (excepting some personal growth) that they had before entering the wardrobe. It's more like waking from a dream than actual adults being transformed back into children. Both worlds and experiences are real, but Lewis makes the transition convenient.
"And that is the very end of the adventures of the wardrobe. But if the Professor was right it was only the beginning of the adventures of Narnia."
Statistics: Posted by Swanwhite — Thu Aug 13, 2020 1:06 am
]]>
As others have said, I'd forgotten how beautiful the book is, in terms of language, description, character and message. Because it's the best known and the most often repeated, I tend to think of it as less interesting but that really does it a great disservice.
@Cleander. Great to have you join us for the home-straight. I love your long version of the prophesy. That is just the kind if way folk rhymes pass down till just snatches are remembered.
@Swan. I like the evangelism image with the statues helping to "find each other"
Hmm...looks like I forgot to his "submit" on the post I wrote yesterday (it was late and I was tired but waiting for my lecture videos to upload. It was kinda rambly but I'll have to see if I can remember what I said when I'm more awake.
A few thoughts on Ch 15 for now:
I'm always surprised at just how huge Rumblebuffin is. For a moment I was wondering why Susan was more afraid of him than the lion (She was the one who asked if Aslan was safe). But the scene with Lucy and the handkerchief and how Aslan has to stretch up to talk to him, I'm less suprised at her fear.
I also love the romp scene. The one in PC is more noticeable, but this is just as fun. And here we see that they really are still animals for all the odd anthropomorphic bits. I also noticed in the earlier romp with Susan and Lucy, Aslan had no qualms about rolling in the grass. And then you get high and mighty Bree who thinks it isn't proper for horses to do the same
Chapter 16:
"Shaking hands". I also find that hard to imagine. I mean, you can shake a cat or dog's paw, but it doesn't seem like the same thing as a congratulating handshake.
There's a lot that's great in this chapter but the sudden inclusion of the merfolk is one that struck me this time. Of course they couldn't be part of the battle, but I love how they're part of the celebration,
Last question (for now). Maybe I was distracted at the time and missed it, but I've been thinking about it since Chapter 2 and didn't notice it. Are we actually told anywhere in this book that the Winter lasted 100 years?
Statistics: Posted by Ajnos — Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:04 pm
]]>
@Ariel Excellent observation! I think the hollowness of pleasure for pleasure's sake, or the false promises of sinful pleasure, is one of the key themes in the book.
@Ren All your drawings are great! I especially appreciate the silhouette of Aslan and Edmund.
@Cleander I'm glad you've joined in! That's so cool about the animal symbolism. I didn't know that and it adds another layer to the story. Love the poem too! My first foray into writing poetry was based on the prophecies the Beavers' talk about, but you've done a much better job of it here!
Another thought I had about the restoration of the statues was how good a picture it is of mission or evangelism. Everyone who is saved gets to take part in finding other statues, but it's Aslan who really does the saving. He doesn't need our help exactly, but he gives us a part to play.
Statistics: Posted by Swanwhite — Wed Aug 12, 2020 4:56 pm
]]>
@cleander: Good thoughts on pleasure. Pleasure really is all over this book.
Ooh, thanks for sharing all that medieval symbolism! That does add quite a bit more meaning to our introduction to Aslan.
Nice poem too. And hey, songs and poems evolve over time, right?
Decided to catch up some on graphics before reading. These are for days six and seven, respectively.
Chapter 15
Normally, it would bother me that characters who've hardly known each other long would feel so strongly about a death, but Aslan is a unique case. In the relatively short time the girls have known him, they may not know him intimately yet, but he is so intrinsically himself that his death warrants shock and horror and tears.
"... dozens and dozens, even hundreds". That. Is a lot of mice, my word! And to think that they all became Talking Mice (though one does have to wonder when that change took place, as the girls sure don't see it happen).
I love how Aslan's dead face looks nobler in the growing light. As if his face reflected not just the light of dawn, but life as well. And, "There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane... stood Aslan himself." I can't help the smile at his rising, the joy of his return, the glory of his life.
Aslan's run sounds absolutely exhilarating. Breakneck speed through miles of gorgeous countryside with the most surefooted mount ever? If that doesn't give one a rush, I don't know what would.
Chapter 16
You know, the restoration of the statues is similar to the creation of the creatures in MN. Aslan breathes life (in MN, through song) and the creatures surround him with joy. It's a new dawn, a new life.
I love how the "sweet spring air" invades Jadis' bleak fortress.
Can you imagine the sheer amount of "whoa" simply by looking at a fresh, vernal world? When was the last time the restored statues had seen it, if at all? Obviously, it doesn't hold a candle to Aslan himself, but still, to have all that hard, unforgiving, cold, grey everything crumble before them to reveal a world of life and colour. I can imagine mouths dropping at the sight. This is spring?
(Just a wee note on illustration, I appreciate that Baynes included a few of the smaller animals in the fray. I think I spotted a Beaver going paw-to-paw (the Beaver armed with a short sword or something) with a Fox.)
Statistics: Posted by Ariel.of.Narnia — Wed Aug 12, 2020 7:15 am
]]>
I'm mainly relying on my last reading of the book for this, but I have a few thoughts: It strikes me that Lewis was also making a point about pleasure (as mentioned by Ariel) with Lucy's experience with Tumnus. Tumnus in a way could be seen as representing pleasure itself, which alone is a good thing, but can be used by the enemy (as Tumnus is by Jadis) to entrap people (as Tumnus does with Lucy.) It is made clear that Satan cares nothing for pleasure itself (as evidenced at the Christmas party scene Ariel pointed out) but only seeks to use it.
Also, to Ariel: If you're wondering why there's a pelican in Aslan's retinue, I believe Lewis was paying homage to medieval symbolism in his choice for what animals stand beside Aslan's throne. The pelican at one time was a symbol for self sacrifice, because it was believed that a mother pelican would stab herself with her beak so her young could feed on her blood (not sure if that is actually true). Thus, the bird was also sometimes used as a direct symbol of Christ in some medieval art which Lewis would have been familiar with. Also, the leopards may be an allusion to their early symbolic role as a sign of unchangeableness ( based on the verse in Scripture that says "Can a leopard change his spots?" ) The Unicorn was also a symbol of purity and dogs (of course) stood for faithfulness. It seems possible these animals are placed there a symbols for different aspects of Aslan's (and Christ's) personality.
And now, a brief poem which may just have been the one circulating in Narnia during the 100 year winter:
When Winter comes in all its wrath,
Keep to the straight and narrow path.
Believe the truth, and hold it fast,
Until the light breaks forth at last.
I know the dawn is breaking soon,
Behind the ghostly winter's moon,
And naught I need to see or prove;
I know that Aslan's on the move.
For I have heard the whispering voice,
Which bids all Narnia to rejoice,
And gives a sign that we shall see
When Aslan gains the victory.
When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone,
Sits in Cair Paravel in throne,
When snow is melted 'neath the sun,
The evil time will be over and done.
They say when Aslan bares his teeth,
The witch's winter meets its death.
And when He shakes his golden mane,
Fair Narnia shall have spring again.
(Yeah, I changed the Beaver's rhymes a bit, but I imagine a folk song or rhyme like that could have many different versions (and after all, if it's just relayed by word of mouth, it's possible for bits to get mixed up or left out.)
Statistics: Posted by cleander — Wed Aug 12, 2020 5:07 am
]]>
and honestly, I feel the same way about this book. I keep forgetting how great this book is.Here's today's drawing! Hope you like it
Statistics: Posted by renegadeoftheshire — Tue Aug 11, 2020 11:00 pm
]]>