Summer Challenge Sharing Thread - 2022 'Prince Caspian'

[renegadeoftheshire]

Sorry! I'm a lot later than I wanted, but today was really busy (I was doing a cake order )
Here is a digital drawing of Aslan's how (up close)! Hope y'all like it
Like the thoughts and creative contributions, everyone

[Ariel.of.Narnia]

Chapter 6:
I always liked that bit of culture that comes out with Trufflehunter's warning about watching Squirrels go to their stores. It's one of those fine-detail touches that adds life to the world.
We have again the difference between Trumpkin and Nikabrik, extended out to more of each of their kind: the Seven Brothers took some convincing, but then were ardently loyal; the five Black Dwarfs were even more suspicious and only accepted Caspian as a way to get rid of Miraz.
It strikes me... that Trumpkin is something like Susan. "What's more important is that you wouldn't have me" and "What imaginations you Animals have!", and later on, being the last of the party to see Aslan. Both of them are practical people (not a bad thing) who rely too much on what they can see with their eyes and in their own sufficiency.

Chapter 7:
This time that Caspian spends camping on Dancing Lawn, though very short, reminds me of David's time on the run from Saul: both fled for their lives, both amassed a following, both were hardened and primed for kingship as a result.
Oh. Maybe magic is the answer for Cornelius' knowledge of Caspian IX's death. He had no way of knowing otherwise that Caspian was knocked off his horse, and yet those are the words he said.
Gotta hand it to Trumpkin. "You are my king. I know the difference between giving advice and taking orders. You've had my advice, and now it's time for orders."

Chapter 8:
Yet again, we have Trumpkin having to warm up to someone before diving right into accepting them. He starts the chapter referring to them as children, but his respect and belief grows, culminating in his healing, till he outright calls them "your majesties" and interrupts Peter to say that he does, in fact, now believe.
I do like that Edmund rubs in "dear little friend" a little more, and that it turned into a term of endearment.

[Ajnos]

I'll post replies and comments on other posts tomorrow but want to get some stuff shared today. Didn't have time to read Thursday because my friend always comes over for dinner before Bible Study and I got back late. So this is Wed-Friday's chapters:

Chapter 5
I agree with Lily, knowing more about Dr Cornelius' search for the horn would be great. And actually some of his backstory in general. I realised in Ch 7 that Cornelius seems to know more about Golden Age Narnia than even the "pure blood dwarfs". While the latter distrust his being half human, it was his combination of being half human and half "Old Narnian" that made him the perfect person to lead the uprising they had been waiting for. He had access to both the oral stories and traditions of the Old Narnians and the books and records of the Telmarines (and to the Palace and Caspian).

Chapter 6
Prince Caspian may be the book that gives us the best insight into life in Narnia, especially the domestic lives of the Old Narnian animals and creatures, as well as what life at the castle is like. Except for LWW, but that's under the Witches spell and not thriving normally, TLB is the only other one where most of the story is set, in Narnia but that is also in mostly one setting. In this chapter, we get to learn about the different animals and mythical creatures who are the ancient inhabitants of Narnia and I love how Lewis describes each of their personalities and life styles and activities in a way that suits them. We've got Bulgy Bears half asleep, Pattertwig with a hidden store of nuts, Dwarfs at work in their smythy, and fauns dancing by moonlight

Chapter 7
I feel this in many places in the Narnia stories but noticed it especially here: Lewis is really skilled at portraying everyday occurrences and emotions and reactions to things in a beautiful and insightful way. One example from this chapter is the delay and disagreement at the start of the council about "setting the agenda". That's so typical of people from different backgrounds with different ideas, opinions and personalities and it can take quite a lot of time just getting to the point where important matters of a meeting can actually begin. I love the little touch of Pattertwig running around shouting "quiet please" and wasting more time. I bet we all know people like that.

Another example is the aftermath of the battle where Wimbleweather messes up. He's so upset about it being his fault even though they should never have given them that job. I know that feeling of being miserable when it was my actions that caused something bad to happen and though I know it wasn't intentional, I still know that if I had acted differently, the result would be different and it's hard to get over that. I'd also try to go cry quietly somewhere. Then we have everybody's tempers rising and Wimbleweather crying on the mice and stepping on tails and others shouting at each other - again I think we've all been in those situations and when things are bad more bad annoying things happen. (Actually this is a bit like what we get in Ch 9 with the children and Trumpkin all getting mad at each other and blaming each other - Lewis does short-tempered frustrated settings really well).

Chapter 8
Love the children putting to rest Trumpkin's skepticism of their skill. It's a lesson well learned and reminded me of how Tolkien worked with the same idea of using the least likely people to be his heroes. (Also of how David is viewed by Samuel and the Israelites in his fight with Goliath in the Bible).

The quote: "It looks more like a cherry than an apple" made me giggle because it reminded me of the little "dispute" we had back on TLC years ago when there was a special "Order of the Golfberry" (or whatever it was called - someone else will remember better) which developed around the old apple in our logo looking like a golf ball.

Can we laugh about the fact that the Telmarines took Trumpkin's armour but not his pipe, lighter and presumably tobacco?

Chapter 9
Hah...I feel the line about Trumpkin's sitting on the bench in the boat and his feet not reaching the floor so much!! My legs are just a little short to put them flat on the ground on an average height chair (they touch but not nicely flat). It's worst on long aeroplane flights and is one of the main reasons I find sleeping on a plane so hard. Can't sleep with feet not fully touching the ground. "Everyone knows how uncomfortable that is, even for 10 minutes".

Chapter 10
This whole chapter is just so beautiful. Highly recommend reading it aloud. It just made me so happy and fuzzy inside.

[Lily of Archenland]

Success! I have a Glenstorm. ^_^ Now back to reading...

[renegadeoftheshire]

Wow!! That's an amazing painting Lily!
Here's my drawing for today! I really like the scene when Lucy sees Aslan again <3 So that's what I drew today!
Hope you like this! (I'm gonna be really busy tomorrow, so I don't think I'll be able to read the next two chapters or do a drawing for them. I might have time on Sunday, so see y'all then! )

[Ariel.of.Narnia]

Chapter 9:
I've always wondered at the trees stirring when Lucy speaks. It is simply that they're sleepily responding to something outside of themselves? Like someone shifting positions when prodded, but not at all awake? Is it Lucy herself speaking to them, like her address is an echo of the horn-blow or a precursor to Aslan's roar? Or is it that they sense Aslan's presence, but dimly (given that they'll be dancing when he's in their midst)?
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.

[renegadeoftheshire]

"Best of badgers." <3 I thought this scene was pretty cute in this chapter. So I tried to draw Peter hugging Trufflehunter. (I know proportions are off in areas, but I tried my best to get them close to my reference picture.)

[jasmine_tarkheena]

When it seemed like Aslan or the children were not showing up, Nikabrik was turning to desperate measure. He, along with a hag and ware-wolf, decided to call on the White Witch by using necromancy. Caspian responded with anger, knowing that it wasn't the answer. He had a reason to be angry, showing that anger itself it's not necessarily a bad thing. It all depends on how we use it.

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.

[The Happy Islander]

Tune for chapter 9.

Tune for chapter 10.

Tune for chapter 11.

Tune for chapter 12.

[Ajnos]

I got Saturday's reading done, but didn't get a chance to post the reflections on Sunday like I planned. So here they are with today's:

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