The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis

[Nurvingiel]

Let's talk about another great Inkling - C.S. Lewis! He wrote many acclaimed non-fiction books, mostly about Christianity (and none of which I have read).

He also wrote one of the greatest children's book series - The Chronicles of Narnia.

I will warn to those who haven't read this amazing tale, that this entire thread will be full of spoilers. Go read the books, they're great!


One thing I've wondered about the series:
Timewise, books 3 to 7 fit in the timeline of the second book - "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

"The Magician's Nephew" (book 1) is the prequel to LWW. Then all books following that must be within LWW, because at the end Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter go back to Earth.

I hope I haven't confused people and put them off this thread!

What questions and/or discussion points do you have about these fine novels?

The Chronicles of Narnia
Book 1 - The Magician's Nephew
Book 2 - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Book 3 - The Horse and His Boy
Book 4 - Prince Caspian
Book 5 - The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader'
Book 6 - The Silver Chair
Book 7 - The Last Battle

Here is the website: Narnia

[inked]

I advise folks to read the Narnian Chronicles in the published order the first time. Then re-read them in the chronological order. Then as your fancy takes you. Since I have been doing this for >3 decades, I have lots of thoughts in regard to the works.

First, they are rollicking good stories.
Second, they are rollicking good stories!
Thirdly, they ARE rollicking GOOD stories!

There is of course a lot to mined from them in many areas of interest. Since I have read many other of CSL's works, including some scholarly ones, it is amazing to me the actual breadth and scope of the series.

The BBC produced adaptations that are available on DVD and video and which are quite good for those who like movie versions. And there was an animated version in the 70's which is still available for LWW.

I must confess, that though I enjoyed PJ's LOTR movie series immensely, I have reservations regarding the upcoming productions in process now. The potential for CGI and special FX is awesome these days and I wouldn't want it to overtake the fact that these ARE ROLLICKING GOOD STORIES!

How's that, N?

[Nurvingiel]

Brilliant post Inked! Cheers. I have mixed feelings about the movies, largely based on my feelings around the LOTR and Harry Potter movies, which may or may not be fair.

They are great stories. I read the books in order of publication, and I feel that's the best order. "The Magician's Nephew" is a brilliant prequel, and precedes LWW excellently. It's almost a seamless transfer even though there are 40 Earth years and about 1000 Narnian years between them. (Diggory rules!)

I agree, they are rollicking good stories.

[Rían]

*checks out website*

Sheesh! Why do they have dark blue text on black?!?! Can't read it

On the books - well, I've only been reading them for >2 decades, but I agree they're rollicking good stories!

On the movies - I'm a bit worried - I mean, carrying out 1 major CG character (Gollum) is one thing, but the sheer amount of talking animals in Narnia makes me worried that it will come off as dorky. And Aslan will obviously have to be CG ... I can't get that unfortunate BBC Aslan out of my head ...

I've had favorites among the books over the years - my current fav. is Silver Chair. There's many, many great quotes and imagery in the books. I love the safe/good quote that's in inked's sig. What does the "LWW" mean, tho, and why is the quote altered a bit, inked?

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

I love these book's. It's a while since I read them though, so my memory isn't to fresh.

[inked]

Rian,

Narnia was my entrance to faerie. I wore a T-shirt in college and graduate school that said "Aslan is not a tame lion." So we are talking longterm fan when fanatic was usually associated with football and bands!

LWW is my abbreviation for The LION, the WITCH, and the WARDROBE.

The variation on the quotation is really the fault of memory. The original is, IIRC, in the conversation between Mr. Beaver and the Pevensies at the beaver home. Aslan, they are told, is not a tame lion. Is he safe, Lucy asks.
Safe? 'Course he's not safe, but he's good.

My inadverdent switch is also true, as we who have followed the White Stag into our world (as Aslan instructed) know.

By the by, are either you, Rian or Nurvingiel, familiar with the Harry Potter series? I think JK Rowling is an Inkling two generations removed. Now that could be a fun thread or two, eh?

[Rían]

I haven't read Harry Potter yet - actually I think I might pick it up today, I'm off to the library in a few minutes. From the little I've heard, tho, there's a major underlying difference between her works and those of JRRT and CSL - no underlying source of authority/goodness, basically. More of a dualistic approach. What's your opinion on that?

There's a bunch of threads on HP somewhere on the Moot, tho

[Lizra]

I read them all when I was a teen. I really can't remember them though. I checked out a video of LWW from the library a few months ago, but it struck me as kind of icky. I didn't think the books were as good as LoTRs though! Still it takes a lot for me to read fiction. Even in my youth, I preferred non fiction, so I must have really enjoyed the Narnias to have read them all. Another thing to do (reread them )when I have more time.... someday....
I'm waiting with baited breath for the 6th Harry Potter.

[inked]

Rian,
As difficult to believe as it may seem, CS Lewis was subjected to the same criticisms for Narnia as JK Rowling is getting today. I think Lewis' response is apropos:

"Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to take us from the evil enchant ment of worldliness which had been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years." THE WEIGHT OF GLORY and Other Addresses (Collier, 1970, pg 7)

I do not find the criticism of dualism in HP the least bit accurate. In fact, Aslan would growl quite loudly in the direction of those making that allegation, I believe. For my part, I deride the notion as one found in persons not well read in faerie or even good story telling.

Tolkein too was criticised in the same way as JKR. He had a ready defense in "On Fairy Stories", of course. Eucatastrophe! Not that Tolkein was influenced by Lewis (who observed that no one ever influenced Tolkein in the Inklings meetings, anyway) other than in a supportive , encouraging way.

It is amazing that such men and women of valor are raised up in nearly every age to tell such tales and be accused of the same old thing in each new generation by persons ill-equipped by training or imagination or grace to receive it! I make bold to paraphrase Tom Lehrer to note: the least they can do is shut up and be quiet! (but you have to be a Lehrer fan, I guess).

Lizzra,
Was the film you saw of Narnia animated or live-action? If the former, it would have to have been the Kraft Foods/ERTVF production from the mid of late 1970's. If live action, it would have been the BBC production from the late 80's - early 90's. Do you recall the title?

A swing babe would have been drawn to all the dancing and partying in Narnia!

[Rían]

Originally Posted by inked, quoting CSL

"Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to take us from the evil enchant ment of worldliness which had been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years."

I love that bit! I also love the letter CSL wrote to a mom concerned that her son loved Aslan more than Jesus - have you read that one?

I do not find the criticism of dualism in HP the least bit accurate. In fact, Aslan would growl quite loudly in the direction of those making that allegation, I believe.

I wait to pass my own judgement until I read them I read 1 chapter that was excerpted in a magazine, and it was thrilling!

Not that Tolkein was influenced by Lewis (who observed that no one ever influenced Tolkein in the Inklings meetings, anyway) other than in a supportive , encouraging way.

Well, I disagree, as JRRT rewrote sections of the Lay of Leithian acc'd to Lewis's suggestions, but that's a minor pointie

A swing babe would have been drawn to all the dancing and partying in Narnia!

And the food! Don't forget the FOOD!!

[Lizra]

The movie I saw was the BBC thing. Lot's of swinging? Better revisist!

[Beren3000]

I've only read the series three times, so I probably wouldn't be qualified to talk much about it. However, my all time favorite is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. And of course I do agree that they are "rollicking good" stories

[Rían]

Dawn Treader was my favorite for years! I could smell the salt air and feel the ship rock ... and OH! that nightmare place scared me!

Then after I had kids, Silver Chair became my favorite, because the bickering between Eustace and Jill was so realistic!

[inked]

Beren3000,

Any reader is able to comment. As everyone brings their own uniqueness to a text, all can yield insight - that's why Entmoot goes on and on and on....

I like all the books but have to admit special preference for the LWW.

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by Beren3000

I've only read the series three times, so I probably wouldn't be qualified to talk much about it. However, my all time favorite is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. And of course I do agree that they are "rollicking good" stories

I've only read them two or three times, and I started this thread! You don't even have to have read them at all to post here. Someone curious about the books could ask us questions for example. But I think Inked summed it up best.

Lol Rian! I love "Voyage" as well. I love ships, but I also liked the transformation of Eustace. I think there's a lot of parallels between him and Edmund in LWW.

"The Horse and His Boy" is my favourite, though I love them all.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

... I also liked the transformation of Eustace. I think there's a lot of parallels between him and Edmund in LWW.

I agree. I love how he couldn't get his dragon skin off - Aslan had to do it. I like that last "Oh bother!" in the sand when he was trying to write his story! And how sometimes he fell back into his old dragony ways, but was still transformed, and improving. And how he broke Caspians "second best sword" on the sea-serpent, and Caspian teased him about it later on. And how they couldn't exactly remember what happened in Deathwater Island, but had a faint idea that they were being fools. And how the masks looked scary when Lucy didn't know who the magician was, but were just fun afterwards. And the courage of Lucy walking up the stairs. And.. and .. and ..

[Beren3000]

And the Feast of Aslan at the far end of the world

[Nurvingiel]

Yeah!

Now I really want to read those books again.

Did you guys check out the website? Pretty cool eh?

EDIT: About earlier, I started writing LWW to stand for "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". Just a bit of laziness.

[inked]

Well, I've always loved the scene where the children get pulled into Narnia through the painting at Eustace's house. Just another proof that Narnia can be found under the worst of circumstances and in the most unlikely of places (like Aslan)!

By the by, I was rereading the CHAMBER OF SECRETS by JK Rowling last PM and guess how Harry gets pulled into Tom Riddles diary? I laughed out loud at the corollary. He sees a moving scene on the diary page and looks at it up close and gets pulled in! This use is an homage to CS Lewis by JKR (who says she can't physically be in a room with a Narnia book and NOT read it)! Now there's a fan! (I can sympathize, tho', I keep my copies in a special bookshelf in a different room so as not to be tempted too often!)

[Beren3000]

I also love the many parallels between The Last Battle and the Book of Revelations