@hobbit: I love the detail you put into that picture with the other lion! His expression, his load (oh my word... no wonder he settled down!
), his size compared to Aslan, and the fact that Aslan is himself loading him up.
... I want the Professor's chair, man!
Lol, good point about the courtiers and the disappearance of the Four. I hadn't thought of that, but dark as it is, it's totally logical. I've often wondered about the effects of their disappearance myself. Haven't come to any conclusions though (apart from my Tumnus fic). (Okay, I've mentioned Tumnus fics too many times this week, considering that he doesn't make my top-ten list of fave characters....)
Regarding the boys' hair: No, their hair colours are not mentioned. I would have remembered if my mental images were confirmed or denied at any point (despite the illustrations, I've always seen Peter as blonde and Edmund as black-haired; the movies' casting just made me that much happier). (What is it with Lewis taking so long to get to important details like hair colour? I went all of PC thinking Caspian was brown-haired, all of LWW (and, generally, still to this day) thinking Lucy is a brunette, and
the whole series thinking Digory also had brown hair. And then, boom, turns out all three of them are blonde?!)
Chapter 17:
Hey, has anyone else questioned how Peter and Edmund were even remotely effective in battle after one or two days of being in the army? On the one hand, I've just accepted it, but on the other, it
really bothers me.
Interesting to note that Peter gives Aslan a report on the battle
before mentioning that Edmund "was terribly wounded" and "We must go and see him." Aaaaaand for some reason, that's making me think of Mary and Martha sending for Jesus was Lazarus was sick, even though Peter is acting quite differently.
@Ajjie: Perhaps Aslan was not only urging Lucy to go to the aid of the other wounded (both because she has the means of healing them all and because this may also be a lesson in the service of a queen), but also basically telling her to trust? Father Christmas had said the cordial would work, for one. Aslan himself is satisfied with the state of Edmund's health. Perhaps he is telling her that that is all she needs to know for the time being?
Just want to point out that I appreciate the form in which Focus on the Family interrupted Susan and Lucy's discussion of Edmund's knowledge of the Stone Table agreement. (Peter tells them to pipe down 'cause "It's not everyday your brother gets knighted.")
"How Aslan provided food for them all I don't know...." Hmm, perhaps he started with five loaves and two fish?
@hobbit: Don't worry, I've thought of Legolas and the seagulls here too.
I say, I know the merfolk sing for the Four, but I seem to forget that they are full-on
subjects, not just underwater neighbours!
@Ajjie: I like the comparison you draw between the Four's early years and Israel's early years.
So we know that there were more humans than Archenlanders, Calormenes, Telmarines, and various Islanders out there, but besides any that may have lived west of Narnia (ie: neighbours of Telmar) or north (ie: among or neighbours of the Giants), I don't think I've put much thought into other nations besides the ones we know. Lewis mentions nations "beyond the sea", but all we know of seaward nations are the ones mentioned in VDT, and those are pretty small at best. I wonder if there are others that we simply don't know about? I assume that the Garden from MN is basically at the west end of the world (though it sounds as though it does extend beyond that point...) and, at least by the time VDT came about, Lone Islanders knew little of what lay east of them, yet we also know of inhabitants on Burnt Island at the very least.... I think I'm just rambling incoherently now.
Gotta wonder how the Four forgot about the lamppost. Apart from the fact that Lucy tells the story of the wardrobe in HHB, surely it's gotta be some kind of landmark, no matter how overgrown the woods have become. Would they really forget it? Would the natives who lived nearby (I'm looking at you, Tumnus)?
I know that the Professor having been to Narnia himself was a later development, but looking at LWW as part of the finished whole, it's curious that he doesn't just launch into swapping stories with the Four. He tells them to not talk about it too much amongst themselves (which seems perhaps a little odd when you consider the dinner party the Friends of Narnia had in LB?) and to keep their eyes open for those who have had the same sort of adventure. I wonder how long it took them to clue into the fact that Digory knew a great deal more than he was letting on?
I feel like I should have said more and talked about more profound things, but it's late and I'm tired. But, *happy sigh*, I'm in love with Narnia all over again.