I love the sheer variety of suggestions among the creatures - the hints of their different personalities.
…
Chapter 8
Memories meet the young king's muscle, mettle
He's in fine fettle for a fight
The magic of the past has been in the air all night,
Returning to him his old knowledge, might.
It is indeed a fine kettle
Of fish for the doubting Dwarf,
Coming in ready to teach a child,
And finding a knight's worth.
…
Chapter 9
Gentle spirit hesitates,
Waits in the face of danger.
Is the monster friend or foe?
How do we know we know?
…
Chapter 10
The descriptions of the tree-people - that is one thing I really *missed* in all the Walden films. Narnian Dryads as people and trees at once, not leafy elemental sprites or Tolkienish Huorns on the March.
…
Chapter 11
Lewis describes Trumpkin as "it", when he's talking about his first encounter with Aslan. I seem to recall him also using "it" of children of unknown gender in other books, which I can understand, but I don't follow the grammatical or social logic here?
…
Chapter 12
"Vermin." The hag and werewolf aren't *people* who are messed up inside and calling on powers they shouldn't mess about with, like Nikabrik, but "vermin." In spite of them clearly being fully as intelligent and capable as a human or Dwarf or Beast. Is there really something besides ideological poison that sets them aside from the true Narnians, or is that a centuries-old prejudice speaking? And if they are truly damaged goods in the midst of creation, where did they come from?
…
Chapter 13
The Bulgy Bear and the right to marshall–again with Beasts and their long memories.
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Chapter 14
Jubilee!
…
Chapter 15
I love the loyalty of the mice, and the illustration of the moles bringing earth-cakes for the dryads.
I must admit I am a little bit concerned about the future of those Telmarines.
Statistics: Posted by Lily of Archenland — Sun Aug 21, 2022 4:55 am
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Edmund is clearly a combat pragmatist, haha, despite having the same charge of honour on himself (though he's not high king).
I can't imagine having history lessons as dull as what Lewis described. Who put Miraz in charge of curriculum? lol
I love Nurse's understatement about the "well water".
Man, what a combination to be pinned down by! An army on the one hand (including a large population of the much-feared trees) and an jolly party including a Lion, Bacchus, and some of their own kind.
Chapter 15:
Caspian's lack of sufficiency is one of those gentle nuggets of truth. We are weak, but God's grace is sufficient. This moment also mirrors Frank's response to a similar question: he acknowledged his ignorance and exhibited no pride in having been asked, but could only promise to try to do the right thing.
I wonder what prompted the Mice to come forward with Reepicheep. Their mourning does not suggest that they came to ask that Reep be healed (whether by Lucy or by Aslan). There is no sense of urgency either, even if the goal was to let Reep look on Aslan or to let him be honoured/acknowledged by Peter or Caspian before he died. So what is the motive?
Lewis never fails to make me jealous of Narnian feasts. It all sounds so good. Even the soils, despite the fact that Edmund confirms that they're not all that nice for human consumption. (He'd like my mud cake versions of them though. Those were fun.)
Lewis mentions that "chiefly the young ones" stayed, further describing them as "like Caspian". Obviously, this is in reference to they and Caspian having heard the old stories and loving them, but that gets me wondering... were families broken up here? Were there young teens, like Caspian, or children who wanted to and were permitted to stay behind while their older family members left?
Hm, I guess my earlier question about the state of their schoolclothes is answered: they're "not very fresh now". They haven't even been washed, much less mended, it would seem....
Statistics: Posted by Ariel.of.Narnia — Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:35 am
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It was interesting to see fan arts and thoughts from other Narnia fans about Prince Caspian.
As for the final chapter:
What stood out to me was where Aslan asked Caspian if he feels sufficient to be king. Caspian said he wasn't sure. He was saying he didn't think he was ready to become king. Aslan said it was a very good answer.
Another was that Caspian realized that he was a human, a Son of Adam. He also learns that being a human is both a blessing and a curse. God made humans in His own image, and His most special creation. But there's a sinful nature in one each of us. Aslan tells Caspian that being a Son of Adam was "both an honor and a great shame."
I look forward to do Voyage of the Dawn Treader next summer.
Statistics: Posted by jasmine_tarkheena — Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:54 am
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Chapter 13:
"We don't know when he will act. In his time, no doubt, not ours." Peter's faith is sure and grounded again.
Peter's decision to issue the challenge shows just how flexible he's ready to be. First, to put his own life on the line in a bid to set Caspian on his throne and save Narnian lives; second, to buy time for Aslan to do whatever he is going to do and/or to inspect the army and prep it for battle.
What a contrast between Peter's credentials and Miraz'! In particular, one is king "by the gift of Aslan" while the other is merely "styling himself king". Oof. (Plus, the fact that "by the gift of Aslan" exists and is first in the list is beautiful in itself.)
"We most heartily provoke, challenge, and defy...." Such strong words. I love it.
The Telmarines are certainly at leisure, considering it's been over an hour since the Narnians breakfasted. Of course, they had little to fear, given the size and advantage of their army, plus a track record of keeping the Narnians from victory.
The reverse psychology the lords play on Miraz is simple, but excellent.
Well, I'll be finishing up late, it would seem. Yay for being otherwise occupied in my free time, heh-heh.
Statistics: Posted by Ariel.of.Narnia — Wed Aug 17, 2022 7:58 am
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Statistics: Posted by renegadeoftheshire — Wed Aug 17, 2022 4:29 am
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An improvisation I did after I finished the book.
I've enjoyed seeing people's reflections!
Statistics: Posted by The Happy Islander — Wed Aug 17, 2022 3:11 am
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Chapter 15
Something I meant to say yesterday, and forgot was that I love how during Aslan & Co.'s romp through Beruna, there were a lot of non-talking animals that followed him. It's not often that we see much of non-speaking animals in Narnia and it was kinda cool to see that they recognised Narnia too. A lot of them would have been Telmarine pets (some better and some worse treated by their masters). I wonder if Aslan made any of them talking beasts like he did with the mice in LWW?
Cheat time now - I'm going to share a little something I wrote almost 10 years ago. I was thinking of it while working on my SusanFic, and thinking about the conversation Aslan had with Peter and Su before they left Narnia. I wrote is as a separate one-shot.
http://hedgepickle.blogspot.com/2012/09 ... g-you.html
The blog is my own - not directly affiliated with TLC
Statistics: Posted by Ajnos — Tue Aug 16, 2022 7:29 pm
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Miraz had manipulated his "flatterers" into begging him to become king. Now, in turned, he was being manipulated by two of his flatterers, Glozelle and Sospesian. It turned out they were not even all that loyal to him. They tried to talk him into refusing the challenge from Peter, but he thought they were bewitched. He even stated that he will accept the challenge!
Statistics: Posted by jasmine_tarkheena — Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:58 pm
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First time drawing a bear, so this was fun
Loving the posts guys!
Statistics: Posted by renegadeoftheshire — Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:46 am
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Tune for chapter 14.
Statistics: Posted by The Happy Islander — Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:43 am
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Chapter 11
I don't know if any of you have read CS Lewis' The Prilgrim's Regress. It's a rather hard book of his to read and even he says in the preface to the third edition, 10 years later, that it's full of "needless obscurity". It's obviously based on Pilgrim's Progress but traces a much more philosophical attempt at dealing with the different schools of thought popular from or before Lewis' own time. But the story involves, if I remember correctly now, the pilgrim trying to cross a gorge (or Grand Canyon) to reach an island and the different ways he tries to get across never work out and it's all pretty impossible. I'm over-simplifying, and I don't remember it so well, but eventually he gets help from Mother Kirk, the person he thought least able to help him. Anyway, I've often thought that Lewis was reusing some of his imagery from The Pilgrim's Regress, in this chapter of PC (and those just previous). The children were trying to use their skill and memory to work out how to get to Aslan's How. They thought if they took the logical route and followed the river they would make it. When Lucy suggested Aslan sending them in the opposite direction, they refused to believe her because it didn't make sense in their small understanding. But their route led them into an ambush. Whereas Aslan knew a better way. Without his guidance, it was a more dangerous way and their were hidden paths down the cliffs that they could not find on their own. But once they started trusting Aslan (or trusting that Lucy was following Aslan), they finally made it to the camp.
On Bacchus and Silenus and the Maenads - if you haven't recently, go back and read Mr Tumnus' description to Lucy of the Old Days before the witches' rule when these characters (which in Greek myth are so important to the fauns) used to show up. I really like how Lewis uses takes what are not especially nice pagan myths and kind of sanctifies them by showing what they are like under Aslan's rule. The focus is on fruitfulness and plenty and the power of nature without the negative elements - this shows that Narnia is going to be fully restored. Tumnus' implies that Bacchus, like Father Christmas, is kept away by the endless winter. It's not clear if he ever returned during the Golden Age (maybe he did, but as his domain was more in the woods and rivers among the fauns and; it's possible Susan and Lucy never saw them, but maybe they weren't needed to represent the golden age, but were important to represent the restoration of the old and more primitive early days of Narnia, before the Pevensies and the Witch's rule.)
Chapter 12
"You know...why the horn was not blown this morning..."
Wait, how long has it been since the children arrived? At least two nights they have slept in Narnia, this is the early morning of the third day, is it not? (or is it the usual muddle about times)
*Bonks Nikabrik on the head for trying to find help elsewhere.* Isn't it interesting that the degree of how bad the Witch's rule was, has fallen out of memory so that they can even toy with the idea that she wasn't all bad? They might think she was nice to the dwarfs, but if you go back and see how she treated her own servants in LWW (and even MN), you'd really rather live under Miraz's rule than hers.
Chapter 13
I love how Peter falls back into the High Kingly role so well. He remembers the right language and terms and the rules for a duel (like the bears being marshals of the lists). And he honours the rules when some of the others think they are trivial and inconvenient (like having a bear suck his paws). He's also so diplomatic when he talks Reep out of being a marshal by saying some humans are scared of mice. He is kind and respectful and does not laugh at Reep, but also does not indulge his requests just because he doesn't want to hurt his feelings. Both Peter's skill at statesmanship and Edmund's appearance to the Telmarines show how powerful Aslan's grace on them is. They behave and look not like boys but as true warriors. (I wonder if Miraz truly was scared by Ed or Peter's appearance).
Chapter 14
The account of the duel is well told, if a little more detailed on the violent aspects than I'd like. I think this might be one of the few places where Lewis does give a lot of first-hand detail, since he normally tells his battles from a distance (like we saw in HHB last year). Even in this account, sometimes we get Peter retelling to Dr Cornelius what has happened.
The joy of running through the town of Beruna and seeing their reactions to Aslan and co. is quite palpable, especially reading it out loud like I did. (Is it just me, or are "Gwendolyn" and "Miss Prizzle" rather "English" sounding names compared to some of the other Telmarines?). I thought it interesting that only a few people followed them and the majority ran in fear. I also love the part where Caspian's nurse asks Aslan if he has come to take her away and he says "Yes...but not the long journey yet." I wonder if she was partly unwell from the grief of being sent away from Caspian for her stories. So glad she gets a happy ending.
Will try comment on all your stuff tomorrow
Statistics: Posted by Ajnos — Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:07 pm
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Tune for chapter 10.
Tune for chapter 11.
Tune for chapter 12.
Statistics: Posted by The Happy Islander — Mon Aug 15, 2022 4:11 am
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It may seemed like God isn't answering our prayers, but communicating with the unseen world isn't the answer. We shouldn't have to talk with the spirit world, like oujai boards or using crystals or horoscopes. We can come to God alone through prayer.
Statistics: Posted by jasmine_tarkheena — Mon Aug 15, 2022 3:07 am
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Statistics: Posted by renegadeoftheshire — Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:58 am
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As someone who's recently experienced what it's like to paddle for a few hours, I can now sympathize with three pairs of tired arms. It was exhausting, and my arms were absolutely miserable that evening (and would have been still the next day, but I've got a remedy for that).
I'd forgotten to mention it before when the kids were on their way to Cair Paravel, but am remembering now that they've got messy pockets: were their schoolclothes were carefully mended before they returned to England, or were they magically restored?
"Wouldn't it be fair to believe her this time?" What's interesting about this is that it seems like everything in Edmund is saying to go down, but for that one niggling reminder about what happened with the wardrobe. That's a measure of faith at work, even though he didn't otherwise act on it.
Chapter 10:
Aslan's reproaches are done in a familiar way here. He doesn't answer Lucy's questions... because she knows the answers. Our consciences and the closeness of our walk with the Lord will result in similar sorts of admonishments, where we don't physically hear them, but we know them to be true all the same.
Edmund's curious mix of his own thoughts and his faith come through again: "I do wish you wouldn't keep on seeing things. But I suppose we'll have to wake the others." Even as he discredits her witness, he's willing to take the chance that maybe she's right after all.
Chapter 11:
Now that Edmund is more awake, he's in a little better frame of mind. And unlike the day before, he is willing to put his money where his mouth is -- that is, to go the direction Lucy says Aslan is.
Peter, on the other hand, is warming up, but still reluctant. Almost Thomas-like, relying more on the sight of his eyes than in the report of a sighting of Aslan.
This whole chapter is one of awakening. Starting with the literal waking from slumber of our heroes, then the spiritual wakening that allowed them to see Aslan, then of Old Narnia and of anyone within earshot of that powerful roar.
As for the Romp... I'll just drop a poem I wrote earlier this year (fanfiction.net is not affiliated with TLC; click at your own risk): https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13962501/8/By-Their-Fruits
(It does combine this chapter and a later chapter and is not chronological, but it’s more about the theme than the events.)
Chapter 12:
"The help will come. It may be even now at the door." Always loved the irony of this moment.
"Best of badgers."
I agree wholeheartedly with this pronouncement. His steadfastness, shown all the clearer in this chapter because he is faced with more than one dissenting voice and flanked by others were are feeling discouraged, is truly beautiful.Statistics: Posted by Ariel.of.Narnia — Sat Aug 13, 2022 7:34 am
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