Chapter I: The Wrong Door
Wow much longer than I was thinking...
As with any of the Chronicles Lewis uses the first chapter to introduce each character, the setting, and other good details. By the time you are finished with Chapter I you have a pretty idea who Polly and Digory are, just with tiny bits that Lewis gives about the course of their summer. Both Digory and Polly are the only child in their families, and both are quite brave and adventurous, (which will help in later chapters).
Now while I was reading this I thought of something I had never thought before:
Why did Digory look over the wall?
In my opinion it seems odd that a child would look over a wall (or in my case a fence) to peer into the neighbors property. I know I would not do it. So anyways this brought to mind a fanfiction about why he would look over the wall:
Over the Wall
Why did this have to happen to me?
Tears welled in Digory's eyes and his throat began to hurt. He was lying in the garden and was clenching the dirt in his hands as he might do with a blanket. The tears streamed down his face. He cried louder than he had ever done before, anyone that was outside could have heard him. But he was was hurting so much he didn't care.
Father is gone-and mother will die...then I'll be alone.
Then he thought of how things were already, he had no one to talk to. Even his mother could not always be there for him.
I am alone and I'll always be alone.
He cried harder and he felt as if he would not be able to stop.
Then he heard a noise, the opening and shutting of a door. He quieted and listened and his thoughts turned away from his cry. (Besides, now he didn't want anyone to hear him).
He never heard the door open again and began wondering why whover-was-in-his-garden would not go back inside so he could resume crying. So he waited for the noise.
But it never came.
He began to feel uncomfortable and decided to straighten himself up. He wiped his face with his dirty hands, the wit his sleeve, (which wasn't all to clean), and walked over to the wall. Then he realised what he was doing and tried to stop. But he couldn't. He kept getting nearer and nearer, as if some current was pulling at him. He no longer thought of what he was upset about, he just followed the pull until he reached the wall. Then he got the idea to look over the wall, (it may have just been curiosity but then again maybe not). He peered over the top of the wall, and saw someone. A person he would never have thought to see.
A girl! A girl his own age.
“Hullo,” said he.
“Hullo,” she replied.
..............
And so it began.
While writing this I was reminded about how God brings us to people we need to meet. Digory was meant to look over the wall and become friends with Polly. It had to happen. Just like in HHB when Aravis and Shasta (Cor) meet up, (not in the way I just wrote...but still), they were meant to travel together and later marry. So if you feel a current pulling you, or a feeling telling you to go over and talk with someone (or to look over your wall or fence), do it. You may find your best friend.
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Okay now on to something else in this chapter, (this is a long post already, I know...)
Doors. Why doors? Well I find them to be intriguing, they do get you from one room to another you know. Though that is not what I'll be talking about.
Anyways I feel that Lewis may have a fascination with doors. There are five doors within CoN that I will give special attention to. First Uncle Andrew's door, it is not magical by any means but through that door Digory and Polly would soon enter into another place. Then the wardrobe door that leads to Narnia in LWW. Then there is the door Aslan makes in Prince Caspian (the one that the Pevensies walk through to get back to England). Then the door in SC, the door that leads outside of the school grounds, but actually lead to Aslan's Country. And last, the Stable Door. *Begins to wonder if I missed any doors*
Well I feel that these doors are quite important, without them the children would not go on such adventures as they might. Your thoughts?
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And a short poem, 5 syllables per line:
Yes. Friend at first sight
Oh no! The Wrong Door!
Then touches Ring bright
“Ah! Polly's no more.”
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Chapter II: Digory and his Uncle
Alone with a crazy Uncle. Definitely not a situation I would like to be in:
This is one of the chapter that is hardest for me to get through. Why? Uncle Andrew!
Ugh, he is one of the characters that I just can't stand! If Lewis could get an award for creating a character that is so easy to hate, he would with Uncle Andrew. For that reason it is hard for me to read/listen to Uncle Andrew talk with his nephew because I want to shout at him and “punch his head” as Digory wanted. Is it okay to hate a character so terribly?
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A small thing but I thought I would want to share it.
Time.
I saw in MN that time did not seem to stop after Polly's disappearance as it might have in the other Chronicles. Why would this be? Could it be that it was because she did not go to Narnia?
...............
A short poem, 5 syllables per line:
“So that's why you smiled!”
“You shall go, not I”
“But I'm just a child.”
“Yes, but I could die”
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Chapter III: The Wood Between the Worlds
So as I read this chapter only one question kept repeating in my mind.
Why
did the Wood Between the Worlds even exist?
Is that how Aslan got to other worlds?
Silly idea since He would be able to go however He pleased whenever He wanted. But still, why would there even be such a place as the WBW? I mean what would be it's purpose? Obviously no one knew it had existed until Digory and Polly came upon it, unless.... I think this would bring us back to the previous chapter, with the Atlanteans. Why? Well Lewis said that the stuff with which the green Rings were made up of came from the WBW. So that was where the Dust had to be brought from. But here's the catch, how did the Atlanteans come by it if they did not have the Dust to begin with? It had to have come from that place, Lewis said it himself! So, was there another way to get to the WBW? Because if there is I'd like to find it.
Or did
something bring it to our world? Hmm...
I feel as if I've strayed a bit.
Well anyways what are your thoughts on this? Why did the WBW exist?
“The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Proverbs 16:4 ESV
Hmm, even the wicked... that means YOU Uncle Andrew.
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Chapter IV: The Bell and the Hammer
Ah, this chapter is definitely the most foreboding of all the chapters. The dark light, the lifeless quiet. I agree with Polly, “I don't like it.”
Well, we know that they should have left earlier as Polly said, though what might you have done? I thought it sounded to be an interesting country, a country so full of history, as you see in the faces of the Enchanted Statues, though I'm not so sure I would like to stay. I might be brave in some things, but venturing further than I need to, in a country as quiet as death, I think I'd rather stay in my cozy hobbit-hole thank you very much!
Now the statues. I have always loved this scene. It seems as if in this bleak land, where nothing, I repeat NOTHING lives, it would be nice to see a bit of colour. I loves Lewis' descriptions of the people, it gives you a good idea of their history (as stated a bit above), their faces grew crueler. I believe he gives us an idea about how societies and peoples slowly change over time. Is that a reflection of our own world?
“Don't do it Digory!”
That is what I would like to scream before that one tap that would forever change a world.
This is a very intense scene, that one moment when Digory restrains Polly's hand and lightly touches the bell with the hammer. Then the noise, I would like to know what that sounds like. Instead of getting fainter it grows louder. What kind of noise would it be to you? Sweet or terrible?
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Chapter V: The Deplorable Word
Statue awaken
Children were shaken
Then Queen was taken
To London
Chapter VI: Uncle Andrew's Troubles
Poor, vain old Andrew
Now what do you do?
Have you any clue
Who She is?
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Chapter VII: What Happened at the Door
Waiting, watching down
The Queen about town
Andrew just a clown
In public
Chapter VIII: The Fight at the Lamp-Post
Others they did bring
To world new by Ring
Voice began to sing
Music grand
I also think that a song would do well to listen to for this chapter (but it does have a lot to do with the next few), it's You're the One by Chris Tomlin. It was “inspired” by LWW but whenever I listen to it I think of MN. (If you listen to it or have heard it you'll know why).
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Chapter IX:
“They were terribly afraid it would turn and look at them, yet in some queer way they wished it would”
This line sort of stuck out to me because isn't that how it is? When we (people as a whole) are in sin we really don't want God to look at us because we are ashamed in His presence, we don't want Him to see us as we are (even though He already knows our sins). And yet deep in our hearts we DO want Him to look at us, we want Him to take us and cleanse us because it would give us joy and freedom.
I really like this chapter, as I do for all the chapters, because of the vivid imagery. The grass, the flowers, the trees, then the bubbling grass... then animals! Lewis definitely captured the story of creation in a very unique and imaginative way.
From the grass grew hills
Beasts emerge at wills
To some He instills
Speech and thought
Chapter X:
Every time I read this chapter I always ask “What was the first joke here?” It is most likely an unanswerable question but a very intriguing one. What might have the First Joke been?
Ah Uncle Andrew. He is a most fitting example of those that want to hear nothing of the Good News. He builds barriers and makes himself think that the beauty he hears is nothing but indistinct and terrible noises. A couple of quotes to illustrate my thoughts.:
“For what you see and hear depends on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of a person you are.”
“He had disliked the song very much. It made him think and feel things he did not want to think and feel.” LOVE this example quote.
The very First Joke
Andrew, the old bloke
Away the beasts broke
Chasing him
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Chapter XI:
I felt that this chapter had a very prevalent theme. God knows all.
Digory tried to get out of the trouble he caused by explaining things in a way to make it sound better, when it wasn't. But Aslan knew the truth and kept at Digory till he came forth with it, admitting it to himself. So
Aslan also knew the Cabby, just as God knows EVERY person in the world. Now some people may not know Him but He still knows them. And as Ariel, (I think) pointed out, people have within them a desire to seek Someone bigger than themselves, it is a part of human nature to want there to be a Creator, to know that there is Someone there for us.
Aslan also knew what would come of the Evil that was brought to the new world of Narnia, his eventual death. God also knew the cost for the Fall, his son's death. He KNEW that this would happen because He created, and yet he still did. This just shows us how wonderfully powerful His love for us really is.
Digs tells what had been
A new King and Queen
Ruling land ne're seen
His Chosen
Chapter XII:
In times of confusion
In chaos and pain
I'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
I'm there through your heart-ache
I'm there in the storm
My love I will keep you by my power alone
-Tenth Avenue North: Times
Aslan knows Digory's pain and sorrow just as our Father knows ours. He is there with us even when it may be hard to see Him. He is hurt when we are hurt, he cries when we cry, we are His children and He
cares for each of us.
As others pointed out, this is a very beautiful scene and it truly shows us how deeply He loves us and how much we mean to Him.
Now there's no more fear
Digory drew near
Saw the Lion's tear,
In His eyes
Beauty at every turn. Oh how I would love to ride a flying horse! And on the first day the world was made, it would be amazing! (Maybe I'll draw a picture of my impression of this scene, but not now).
Quote that I love that explains itself:
“Wouldn't he know without being asked?” said Polly.
“I've no doubt he would,” said the Horse (still with his mouth full). “But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked.”
Above the new land
The expanse so grand
The river a strand
Of ribbon
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Chapter XIII:
Digory overcomes temptation this time around now that he knows Aslan. He knows that the words of the witch are false, because he knows the words of the Lion. So also must we distinguish the words of the Lord and the lies of Satan.
Through the golden gates
Witch tells future fates
But he knows that He waits
So he left
Chapter XIV:
Digory, Polly and Fledge return and are well with Aslan. Frank and Helen are crowned and are the King and Queen of Narnia. (I feel like writing some sort of a fanfiction revolving around the first King and Queen, but I'm not sure yet).
I love the scene where Aslan gives Digory the permission to take an apple from the Tree of Protection, it is so very moving and realistic. Digory is amazed at the fact that his mother will be healed after all.
Crowning Queen and King
Then Tree sown does spring
A fruit picked he'll bring
Back to Earth
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Chapter XV:
Wow the last chapter!
I know I will be a bit repetitive but I REALLY like this quote:
“When things go wrong, you'll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start to go right they often go on getting better and better.”
This was a very happy ending and I loved every part of this chapter.
Lost in Golden mane
Now back home again
Fruit given, no pain
Mother's healed
This story has come to an end
But others will follow my friend
I have had a ton of fun doing this with everyone, (even though I got overwhelmed by the end of the week), and I truly enjoyed reading your thoughts and insights, seeing your beautiful drawings and watching some interesting videos.