A Recurring Theme 2 September 2009
Posted by Renette in 2 The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, 7 The Last Battle, Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.5 comments
I wish I could take credit for noticing this recurring theme, but all credit goes to Paul F. Ford, author of Companion to Narnia. He noticed that a similar theme was used when Aslan was first introduced and when Aslan was last mentioned in the Chronicles of Narnia. (I also wish I could take credit for this lovely artwork of Aslan and Lucy, but all credit goes to Robert Bucknell.)
FIRST MENTION OF ASLAN
The first book written in “The Chronicles of Narnia” is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Here is a portion from Chapter 7 (A Day with the Beavers) regarding the first ever mention of Aslan’s name.
And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don’t understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning – either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.
At the mention of Aslan’s name, there were two things that Lucy felt – the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning, and the feeling you have when you realize that it is the beginning of the holidays.
LAST MENTION OF ASLAN
Now here is a portion from Chapter 15 (Further Up and Further In) of The Last Battle, the last book of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” which contains the last ever mention of Aslan’s name. Curiously, the last person who talks to him is Lucy.
Then Aslan turned to them and said: “You do not yet look so happy as I mean you to be.”
Lucy said, “We’re so afraid of being sent away, Aslan. And you have sent us back into our own world so often.”
“No fear of that,” said Aslan. “Have you not guessed?”
Their hearts leaped and a wild hope rose within them.
“There was a real railway accident,” said Aslan softly. “Your father and mother and all of you are – as you used to call it in the Shadowlands – dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.”
The two themes mentioned with respect to Aslan is repeated – the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning, and the feeling you have when you realize that it is the beginning of the holidays. Now he says, “The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.”
I don’t know if this was intentional in the part of C. S. Lewis or not, but this just shows what a genius he was. And his description of the New Narnia makes me yearn even more to see the real Aslan someday.
THE LAMB IN THE LAST BATTLE 16 August 2008
Posted by Renette in 7 The Last Battle, By Terb's Friends, Talking Beasts.add a comment
In The Last Battle, there is an important scene in Chapter 3 where the animals were gathered at the stable. They have just heard the frightening news from Shift (the Ape) who told them that “Aslan” had sold all the Talking Beasts of Narnia to slavery. Of course, if you know the entire story, the pretend “Aslan” was actually a stupid donkey named Puzzle dressed up in lion’s skin, but it was effective in cowing the animals to obedience.
“And now here’s another thing,” the Ape went on, fitting a fresh nut into its cheek, “I hear some of the horses are saying, Let’s hurry up and get this job of carting timber over as quickly as we can, and then we’ll be free again. Well, you can get that idea out of your heads at once. And not only the Horses either. Everybody who can work is going to be made to work in future. Aslan has it all settled with the King of Calormen – The Tisroc, as our dark faced friends the Calormenes call him. All you Horses and Bulls and Donkeys are to be sent down into Calormen to work for your living – pulling and carrying the way horses and such-like do in other countries. And all you digging animals like Moles and Rabbits and Dwarfs are going down to work in The Tisroc’s mines. And -”
“No, no, no,” howled the Beasts. “It can’t be true. Aslan would never sell us into slavery to the King of Calormen.”
“None of that! Hold your noise!” said the Ape with a snarl. “Who said anything about slavery? You won’t be slaves. You’ll be paid – very good wages too. That is to say, your pay will be paid into Aslan’s treasury and he will use it all for everybody’s good.” Then he glanced, and almost winked, at the chief Calormene. The Calormene bowed and replied, in the pompous Calormene way:
“Most sapient Mouthpiece of Aslan, The Tisroc (may he-live-forever) is wholly of one mind with your lordship in this judicious plan.”
“There! You see!” said the Ape. “It’s all arranged. And all for your own good. We’ll be able, with the money you earn, to make Narnia a country worth living in. There’ll be oranges and bananas pouring in – and roads and big cities and schools and offices and whips and muzzles and saddles and cages and kennels and prisons – Oh, everything.”
“But we don’t want all those things,” said an old Bear. “We want to be free. And we want to hear Aslan speak himself.”
“Now don’t you start arguing,” said the Ape, “for it’s a thing I won’t stand. I’m a Man: you’re only a fat, stupid old Bear. What do you know about freedom? You think freedom means doing what you like. Well, you’re wrong. That isn’t true freedom. True freedom means doing what I tell you.”
“H-n-n-h,” grunted the Bear and scratched its head; it found this sort of thing hard to understand.
“Please, please,” said the high voice of a woolly lamb, who was so young that everyone was surprised he dared to speak at all.
“What is it now?” said the Ape. “Be quick.”
“Please,” said the Lamb, “I can’t understand. What have we to do with the Calormenes? We belong to Aslan. They belong to Tash. They have a god called Tash. They say he has four arms and the head of a vulture. They kill Men on his altar. I don’t believe there’s any such person as Tash. But if there was, how could Aslan be friends with him?”
All the animals cocked their heads sideways and all their bright eyes flashed towards the Ape. They knew it was the best question anyone had asked yet.
The Ape jumped up and spat at the Lamb.
Knowing that Aslan had appeared once before in The Chronicles of Narnia as a lamb (towards the end of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), it is quite possible that this Lamb was also Aslan in another form. Siberian Christmas, a friend I met from The Lion’s Call forum, wrote a very beautiful poem about the Lamb which I’m posting here with her permission:
The Lamb Who Spoke the Truth
by Siberian Christmas
Where did you go, you precious?
What happened to you?
Did they hurt you?
When you spoke, oh! I felt your words touch us!
I lie here, dreaming in my bed
Of your innocence,
Of your courage,
And the truth that with valiant words you said.
Where did you come from, darling?
Did Aslan send you here?
Did he whisper his words to you?
Maybe I’ll know in the morning…
Lamb, little Lamb, I know now.
I dreamt of you.
I saw you.
You were laid out as a Lion on Aslan’s How.
LISTENING TO NARNIA (Part 2) 25 July 2008
Posted by Renette in 5 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 6 The Silver Chair, 7 The Last Battle, HarperCollins.add a comment
As mentioned in my previous entry, I recently bought The Chronicles of Narnia Unabridged Boxed Audiobook Set of HarperCollins for my birthday through Amazon.com. It’s been over a month since I first started listening to it (while driving alone – which I don’t really do that often, I usually have either my brother or boyfriend with me), and I’m now at the last CD of the last book.
Since I’ve already given my comments on the first four audiobooks, here are my comments on the last three.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (narrated by Derek Jacobi)
I have to admit, VDT is my second least favorite of the Narnia books. One reason is that I never really warmed up to the character of Eustace Scrubb. But Derek Jacobi did an amazing job with him. Pre-dragon Eustace was lofty and annoying, but later became actually… likeable. I particularly loved how he read what dragon Eustace was trying to write in the sand and ended with an exasperated “Oh, bother.” I actually had to double check my book to see if it was really there. It was, but I never noticed it before until Derek Jacobi brought it to life. I didn’t really care for his Lucy voice at the beginning, but it grew on me. I actually cried a bit towards the ending of VDT, when Lucy told Aslan, “It isn’t Narnia, you know… It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?”
The Silver Chair (narrated by Jeremy Northam)
I was worried before listening to this because as I have mentioned before, SC is my favorite of the Narnia books, mainly because of its theme (remembering and following the signs) and its main character, Puddleglum the Marshwiggle. Although Puddleglum’s voice was not how I imagined it to be, and the Lady of the Green Kirtle did not trill her R’s as much as I thought she should have, it was nevertheless very well done. The banter between Jill Pole and Eustace Scrubb was always lively.
The Last Battle (narrated by Patrick Stewart)
I mentioned in my previous entry that my favorite audiobook was The Magician’s Nephew. After the first chapter of hearing Professor X (Xavier) – er, I mean, Patrick Stewart – reading LB, I knew the people from HarperCollins saved the best for last. Patrick Stewart was amazing. There were particular moments in his reading that really stuck to my mind, such as when the Talking Dogs barked: “Welcome! Welcome! We’ll help, we’ll help, help, help. Show us how to help, show us how, how. How-how-how?” I also loved his voice for Puzzle and Shift and Poggin the Dwarf. He was able to distinguish each voice and give it a character of its own, so you always knew who was talking.
After listening to 30+ hours worth of reading, all I can say is that I can’t wait to start listening all over again!
THE PROBLEM OF EMETH 12 June 2008
Posted by Renette in 7 The Last Battle, Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.6 comments
Today I decided to write about the most problematic portion of the entire chronicles of Narnia series, at least for me. The passage below is from Chapter 15 entitled “Further Up and Further In” from the final book in the series, THE LAST BATTLE.
“Know, O Warlike Kings,” said Emeth, “and you, O ladies whose beauty illuminates the universe, that I am Emeth the seventh son of Harpha Tarkaan of the city of Tehishbaan, Westward beyond the desert. I came lately into Narnia with nine and twenty others under the command of Rishda Tarkaan. Now when I first heard that we should march upon Narnia I rejoiced; for I had heard many things of your Land and desired greatly to meet you in battle. But when I found that we were to go in disguised as merchants (which is a shameful dress for a warrior and the son of a Tarkaan) and to work by lies and trickery, then my joy departed from me. And most of all when I found we must wait upon a Monkey, and when it began to be said that Tash and Aslan were one, then the world became dark in my eyes. For always since I was a boy I have served Tash and my great desire was to know more of him, if it might be, to look upon his face. But the name of Aslan was hateful to me.
“And, as you have seen, we were called together outside the straw-roofed hovel, night after night, and the fire was kindled, and the Ape brought forth out of the hovel something upon four legs that I could not well see. And the people and the Beasts bowed down and did honour to it. But I thought, the Tarkaan is deceived by the Ape: for this thing that comes out of the stable is neither Tash nor any other god. But when I watched the Tarkaan’s face, and marked every word that he said to the Monkey, then I changed my mind: for I saw that the Tarkaan did not believe in it himself. And then I understood that he did not believe in Tash at all: for if he had, how could he dare to mock him?
“When I understood this, a great rage fell upon me and I wondered that the true Tash did not strike down both the Monkey and the Tarkaan with fire from heaven. Nevertheless I hid my anger and held my tongue and waited to see how it would end. But last night, as some of you know, the Monkey brought not forth the yellow thing but said that all who desired to look upon Tashlan – for so they mixed the two words to pretend that they were all one – must pass one by one into the hovel. And I said to myself, Doubtless this is some other deception. But when the Cat had followed in and had come out again in a madness of terror, then I said to myself, Surely the true Tash, whom they called on without knowledge or belief, has now come among us, and will avenge himself. And though my heart was turned into water inside me because of the greatness and terror of Tash, yet my desire was stronger than my fear, and I put force upon my knees to stay them from trembling, and on my teeth that they should not chatter, and resolved to look upon the face of Tash though he should slay me. So I offered myself to go into the hovel; and the Tarkaan, though unwillingly, let me go.
“As soon as I had gone in at the door, the first wonder was that I found myself in this great sunlight (as we all are now) though the inside of the hovel had looked dark from outside. But I had no time to marvel at this, for immediately I was forced to fight for my head against one of our own men. As soon as I saw him I understood that the Monkey and the Tarkaan had set him there to slay any who came in if he were not in their secrets: so that this man also was a liar and a mocker and no true servant of Tash. I had the better will to fight him; and having slain the villain, I cast him out behind me through the door.
“Then I looked about me and saw the sky and the wide lands, and smelled the sweetness. And I said, By the Gods, this is a pleasant place: it may be that I am come into the country of Tash. And I began to journey into the strange country and to seek him.
“So I went over much grass and many flowers and among all kinds of wholesome and delectable trees till lo! In a narrow place between two rocks there came to meet me a great Lion. The speed of him was like the ostrich, and his size was an elephant’s; his hair was like pure gold and the brightness of his eyes like gold that is liquid in the furnace. He was more terrible than the Flaming Mountain of Lagour, and in beauty he surpassed all that is in the world even as the rose in bloom surpasses the dust of the desert. Then I fell at his feet and thought, Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honour) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen him. But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, Son, thou art welcome. But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reasons of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man does a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, thou knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.
“Then he breathed upon me and took away the trembling from my limbs and caused me to stand upon my feet. And after that, he said not much, but that we should meet again, and I must go further up and further in. Then he turned him about in a storm and flurry of gold and was gone suddenly.
“And since then, O Kings and Ladies, I have been wandering to find him and my Happiness is so great that it even weakens me like a wound. And this is the marvel of marvels, that he called me Beloved, me who am but as a dog -”
The story ends on a humorous note, with one of the Talking Dogs getting offended by the expression “who am but as a dog,” until another dog pointed out that they called misbehaving puppies “girls” or “boys.”
The Last Battle is the most controversial book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. I myself have a couple of questions about it, which I plan to write about one at a time. My first and biggest question is this: will God really accept the service and faith a person has offered to another god if it was done with a pure heart, as Emeth did with Tash?
I agree with the part that “no service which is vile can be done to [Aslan]” but I’m not so sure about “none which is not vile can be done to [Tash].” When we face Jesus at the gates of heaven, will He say: “all the service thou hast done to (insert name of god of your choice), I account as service done to Me”?
There’s the expression regarding faith in Christ that you can be sincere, but you can also be sincerely wrong. I really can’t wrap my head around this theological issue which C S Lewis raises in this portion. Did he mean to say that a person who has not believed in Jesus can enter heaven as long as that person has been sincere in seeking some other god? This directly contradicts what Jesus explicitly stated in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE can come to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH Me.”
POSTSCRIPT (written on 15 August 2008)
I believe I got the solution to this problem. Interestingly, this came to me while I was taking a bath one morning.
Emeth has not died yet, meaning he still has a chance to repent. And that was what he did – the moment he saw Aslan, he turned to him and recognized that he is the true God and not Tash. Because of this, he was able to join the others in Aslan’s country.
