Miscellaneous Findings in the Chronicles of Narnia a Trial to Find Correlations Between the Life and the Works of C

保健医療経営大学紀要 № 3 43 ～ 53（2011）

＜研究ノート（Research Note）＞ Miscellaneous Findings in The Chronicles of Narnia A trial to find correlations between the life and the works of C. S. Lewis

小手川巧光 *

Introduction noticeable to think about his unique way of his works’ I have been trying to find the differences of the overlapping with his life. ways each author puts his/her philosophy into their Lewis wrote seven volumes of CN . I will introduce works, especially being interested in the authors in each subject along with the publishing order of The modern British literature like D. H. Lawrence, J. R. Chronicles except for The Magician’s Nephew (MN ) R. Tolkien and so forth. Though each author has because MN will be used for my next thesis as a something to do with Christianity because each of them central piece of material to correlate the miscellaneous is born and raised in Western Culture where Christian findings with each other. influence is thick enough to inevitably overshadow their lives, he/she has a unique way to develop the The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (LWW) influence. When it comes to the influence on their works, it is even wonderful to see how much variety of How the Christian doctrines are woven into the story the appearance of such effects reflects. C. S. Lewis is one of the authors from modern Why did Lewis decide to weave together the British literature who had such interesting writing embedded doctrines in the story without using activities that you would like to look into how he had explicitly Christian terminology? Was it only for the been changing ways to put his thoughts into his works. purpose of allowing people to read without caring about He is known as one of the most powerful Christian the religious issues it contained? For example, in LWW , apologists in the 20th century and at the same time he there are a series of scenes in which Aslan the Lion left notable fantasy novels like Space Trilogy (ST )1 and is sacrificed, or ritually killed, on the Stone Table by The Chronicles of Narnia (CN )2. He had been shifting the White Witch in substitution for Edmund, who has not only his thoughts about religious matters but also committed a sin of betrayal, and after that He, Aslan, his ways of reflecting the thoughts onto his works. is resurrected. It is clear that this depicts the very In his earlier Christian years, he developed Christian central Christian doctrine of Christ’s redemption. apologetics mainly in the form of essays and theses. Moreover, by the advent of Aslan the Lion, spring has However, he eventually turned into a fantasy novelist finally come to the long and cold winter of Narnia and to introduce orthodox Christian doctrines and even the thick snow and ice are being melted gradually and his unique thoughts about religion saying“because a various frozen beings revive. That scene may represent children's story is the best art-form for something you how the gospel brought by the advent of Christ frees have to say”.3 For the time being, my work will be the society locked in by the control of Old Testament concerned mainly with researching what“something” legalism. You can find many such things related to in the remark is. In this research note, though, I would Christianity and the Bible which are too many to fully like to find as many conspicuous things in CN as enumerate here. Most of them are worked in without possible. So I will show you some subjects which I find the use of direct religious terminology through natural

* 保健医療経営大学保健医療経営学部助教，修士（英文学・経済学） E-mail：[email protected]

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imagery for example. One of the possible reasons for left behind in Narnia 1000 years ago.〔LWW (202)〕It is this is that CN belong to the genre of children’s the very horn that she was given by Santa Claus〔LWW literature. When one writes a story for children, it is (118)〕and with it one never fails to get help if he/she quite necessary to avoid dull exposure of the sources blows it in need. In Chapters 5, 7 and 8, it is revealed or a tedious lecture and to concentrate on making it little by little. First, Doctor Cornelius reveals the secret enjoyable and dramatically exciting better stimulates of the horn when he gives to Prince Caspian,“It is children’s imagination. Lewis, however, did not write the magic horn of Queen Susan herself which she left it simply to flatter children. He preferred to call himself behind her when she vanished from Narnia at the end “an imaginative man”.4 So you may think it natural of the Golden Age.”(63) A Narnian dwarf, Trumpkin, that his desire to put into a story what he had been also tells the Pevensies a long story all the way from imagining in images was the driving force for him to Chapter 4 to Chapter 8 about how Caspian reached the produce CN . Before writing CN , he had concentrated situation in which he could not help blowing it. Finally, on Christian apologetics in The Screwtape Letters he tells them about the things which happened when it and Mere Christianity, which suggests that what he was blown. had intended was to transpose his thoughts about the Christian doctrines to children’s literature. I’d been plugging away for many hours when One more possible reason is that Jesus also left there came a sound that I’d never heard the many parables, most of which are told without offering like of in my born days. Eh, I won’t forget that. any explanation. Jesus could be looked upon as another The whole air was full of it, loud as thunder but person making the best of imagination who used far longer, cool and sweet as music over water, parables very effectively for the uneducated people of but strong enough to shake the woods. And I his day. Lewis’s children’s literature is, I think, used said to myself,“If that’s not the Horn, call me effectively to express Christian doctrine in the same a rabbit.” And a moment later I wondered why manner. he hadn’t blown it sooner ―” “What time was it?” asked Edmund.“Between Prince Caspian (PC) nine and ten of the clock,” said Trumpkin. “Just when we were at the railway station!” said 1)Impressive correlation with other volumes: the magic all the children, and looked at one another with horn and the talking mouse shining eyes.(PC , 103-04)

What I was first amazed at is the impressive In this way, the first volume, LWW and the second correlation with other volumes. This volume is the volume, PC , are impressively linked by the image of second one in the publishing order next to LWW . As the horn. In the first volume, this horn is given to in LWW , the four Pevensie children are drawn into Susan by Santa Claus, who appears just before the Narnia by a magic power and Lewis develops an control of the Witch over Narnia begins to collapse, and action-packed story. The literary device by which they so it becomes one of the symbols of Narnian liberation. are drawn into Narnia is interestingly different inPC . In the second volume, it is again used symbolically When they are sitting on a bench at a railway station to emancipate Narnia from the Telmarine invaders. I on their way to their boarding schools after a long think the beauty and power of that image is expressed vacation, an uncanny power suddenly begins to work very well in the words of Trumpkin quoted above. As on them and they find themselves standing in a dense to Lewis’ writing order, it is said that LWW is the forest, that is, in the forest of Narnia, but more than first novel and PC the second. According to Kathryn 1000 years later from the time when, in the Lion, the Lindskoog, Lewis was going to publish only the first Witch and the Wardrobe, they were kings and queens one.5 If that is the case, I wonder at what point he had building up the Golden Age. Though at this point they the idea of connecting the two worlds with the motif do not know how the magical power works, they later of the horn. I also wonder how the horn reached the know it was triggered by the magic horn which Susan hands of Doctor Cornelius 1000 years after Susan had

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left Narnia the first time; about this Lewis remains understand, Nikabrik,” said Trufflehunter. “You silent. Dwarfs are as forgetful and changeable as the At the end of the story, after the war against Humans themselves. I’m a beast, I am, and a Telmarine invaders ends up in victory, there is also Badger what’s more. We don’t change. We an interesting scene in which Reepicheep, a talking hold on. I say great good will come of it. This mouse, is humiliated. Let me quote what Aslan says in is the true King of Narnia we’ve got here: a conversation with him. true King, coming back to true Narnia. And we beasts remember, even if Dwarfs forget, that You have conquered me. You have great hearts. Narnia was never right except when a son of Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, Adam was King.”(71) but for the love that is between you and your people, and still more for the kindness your As I mentioned above, this speech may not only preach people showed me long ago when you ate away about the value of steadfastness of faith〔“But now the cords that bound me on the Stone Table (and he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body it was then, though you have long forgotten it, through death to present you holy in his sight, without that you began to be Talking Mice), you shall blemish and free from accusation ― if you continue in have your tail again.(223-24) your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.( NIV , Colossians 1:22-23) 〕 Thus, this episode makes another associative allusion but also criticize the history of Christian distrust and to the first volume, LWW , which helps to give the turmoil:“You Dwarfs are as forgetful and changeable whole Chronicles more interest and depth. This mouse, as the Humans themselves.” Reepicheep, also takes a lively part in the next volume, As for the embodiment of faith, you can pick up the The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (VDT ). I will later passage where Aslan teaches Lucy how important it is look into his use as a bridging device between PC and to believe and take action.〔In the same way, faith by VDT , and how he changes after his humiliation in this itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.･･･You novel. see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he 2)Influences of the Bible and Christianity did.”(NIV , James 2:17,22)〕In Chapter 8,“The Return of the Lion”, you find such a significant scene between You cannot overlook the influences of the Bible and Aslan and Lucy: Christianity, either. The most important theme of PC is the durability of faith or the embodiment of faith. From somewhere deep inside Aslan’s body That also seems to be described in the fact that the there came the faintest suggestion of a growl. structure of this story itself demands the reader’s “I’m sorry,” said Lucy, who understood some patience in waiting for Aslan’s appearance. Until his of hismoods.“I didn’t mean to start slanging full-scale appearance in Chapter 10,“The Return of the others. But it wasn’t my fault anyway, was the Lion”, we are made to read about the pains and it?” The Lion looked straight into her eyes.“Oh, sufferings of the four children as they meander slowly Aslan,” said Lucy.“You don’t mean it was? towards the rescue of Caspian for a lengthy 150 pages. How could I ― I couldn’t have left the others It is as though Aslan cannot appear until we readers and come up to you alone, how could I? Don’t have Lucy’s or Edmund’s faith. In fact, however, look at me like that … oh well, I suppose I could. the importance of steadfastness is directly related Yes, and it wouldn’t have been alone, I know, to the growth of the main characters. For instance, not if I was with you. But what would have been the Narnian talking Badger, Trufflehunter, affirms his the good?” Aslan said nothing.“You mean,” said unchangeable and unshakeable faith in Aslan like this: Lucy rather faintly,“that it would have turned out all right ― somehow? But how? Please, Don’t you go talking about things you don’t Aslan! Am I not to know?”“To know what

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would have happened, child?” said Aslan.“No. also a trial that brings the children opportunities to Nobody is ever told that.”“Oh dear,” said Lucy. mature. (152)〔?So do not throw away your confidence; “But anyone can find out what will happen,” it will be richly rewarded. You need to preserve it said Aslan.“If you go back to the others now, so that when you have done the will of God, you will and wake them up; and tell them you have seen receive what he has promised.” (NIV, Hebrews 10:35- me again; and that you must all get up at once 36)〕 and follow me ― what will happen? There is Also in another part, Aslan says that the reason only one way of finding out.” “Do you mean that why he looks bigger to Lucy is because she has grown is what you want me to do?” gasped Lucy.“Yes, spiritually. (148) This seems to mean not only that little one,” said Aslan.“Will the others see you Lucy’s spiritual development allows her to see Aslan too?” asked Lucy.“Certainly not at first,” said as greater, but also that we humans see more clearly Aslan.“Later on, it depends.”“But they won’ the value of grace the more we see with the eyes of t believe me!” said Lucy.“It doesn’t matter,” the spirit. said Aslan.“Oh dear, oh dear,” said Lucy.“And In the final scene, there is a passage describing the I was so pleased at finding you again. And I feeling of the four children who have found themselves thought you’d come roaring in and frighten back sitting on the same bench at the same station all the enemies away ― like last time. And now they were on at the beginning of the story: everything is going to be horrid.”“It is hard for you, little one,” said Aslan.“But things never ･･･ [on the same bench] they were all sitting as if they happen the same way twice. It has been hard had never moved from it―a little flat and dreary for for us all in Narnia before now.” Lucy buried her a moment after all they had been through, but also, head in his mane to hide from his face. But there unexpectedly, nice in its own way, what with the must have been magic in his mane. She could familiar railway smell and the English sky and the feel lion-strength going into her. Quite suddenly summer term before them.(237-38) she sat up.“I’m sorry, Aslan,” she said.“I’m ready now.”“Now you are a lioness,” said Aslan. This is also telling us that the spiritual growth brought “And now all Narnia will be renewed. … ” (149- about by their adventures allows them to find a new 50, underlines are mine) value even in the ordinary things they took for granted before. Probably some people, including me, may think Though this is a rather long quotation, it includes all of those things are symbolically represented in what Lewis wants to show to reveal how subtle the Peter’s word:“Well!” said Peter.“We have had a correlation between faith and action is. Faith or belief time.”(238) In this sentence, we need to pay attention is not something that we are given automatically, but to the italicized present perfect tense which implies something we acquire through processes of trial and that the four children had a tremendous time in error, even sometimes through anxieties and anguishes. Narnia and so it has and will have influences of a sort. In this part, also, Lucy gains a stronger faith through Especially, if you gain the confidence to always see the self-examination she subjects herself to regarding trials from a positive standpoint, it will surely have a the choices she could have and did make. We find vital influence on your life. Lewis probably wants to here that Aslan is giving her superb instruction in emphasize this point to children in his storytelling, to contemplation. The above underlined parts, like the aid them in their self-development. faintest suggestion of a growl and Aslan said nothing, show us how subtle the process is. The Voyage of The Dawn Treader (VDT) Other than these, there are many more places which allude to Biblical teaching. For example, in the 1)The content with various influences scene where the other three are not able to see Aslan, Lucy’s patience is being tested and this may remind In VDT , again, some children are drawn into Narnia us of the promise that the mission to save Caspian is by a magic power and they experience adventures full

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of ups and downs which do not include any scenes of when Reepicheep and the children discover that the Narnian main land but is made up of a voyage with the seawater has become sweet. The above passage children and the brave from Narnia to the uttermost amply expresses Reepicheep’s strong longing, but East where the sun rises. the Dryad, who introduces this song to him, is a fairy When it comes to adventurous voyages, this from Greek and Roman mythology. Not just this Dryad volume appears to be influenced by Homer’s epic, but also many other fabulous creatures from such The Odyssey. VDT is similar to The Odyssey in that mythologies are found all through CN , such as fauns, the main characters are involved in a long voyage nymphs, centaurs and even Bacchus and Silenus. Not and finally return safely to the homeland after a lot of only do they come from Greek and Roman mythology; hardships and trials at a number of places along the we also find dwarves, giants and dragons from Norse way. mythology. These jumbled borrowings from different The lines quoted from the very end of this volume world mythologies and legends, however, may give concerning Reepicheep, who plays a lively part through us the sense that the Chronicles lack uniformity the whole story, are very impressive: and logical coherency even though they are locally effective. This is the very point that J. R. R. Tolkien No one in that boat doubted that they were criticized Narnia, but Lewis does not appear to have seeing beyond the End of the World into Aslan’ been deterred by such criticism. Then, what made him s country. At that moment, with a crunch, the adopt so many pagan mythologies and legends? It has boat ran aground. The water was too shallow been already known by some biographers4 that he now for it.“This,” said Reepicheep,“is where I had been familiar with many of those things since his go on alone.” (265-66) earliest childhood and kept on gathering knowledge and information about them. Did he do this just to For Reepicheep this is not only an exciting adventure please the children who were his main readers? Does but also a pilgrimage to Aslan’s country. The role mention of such mythologies merely show how strong of Reepicheep as a pilgrim naturally reminds us of a hold they had on the western imagination? If their Banyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, from which the effect was so big, he would like to make use of them VDT has some influence. for story-telling effect even though the author’s Lewis makes clear in Chapter 2 why Reepicheep is purpose is another. So why did he not try to give his so filled with longing for Aslan’s land: work a unified impression just as Tolkien did by using only Norse mythology in The Lord of the Ring ? It is “But do you think,” said Lucy,“Aslan’s country clear that the center of what Lewis wanted to tell us would be that sort of country ― I mean, the is the moral truth of Christian doctrine. That is vividly sort you could ever sail to?”“I do not know, expressed in the last conversation of this between Madam,” said Reepicheep.“But there is this. Aslan and the children: When I was in my cradle a wood woman, a Dryad, spoke this verse over me: “You are too old, children,” said Aslan,“and you must begin to come close to your own world “Where sky and water meet, now.”“It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Where the waves grow sweet, Lucy.“It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. Doubt not, Reepicheep, And how can we live, never meeting you?”“But To find all you seek, you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan.“Are There is the utter East. ― are you there too, Sir?” said Edmund.“I am,” said Aslan.“But there I have another name. I do not know what it means. But the spell You must learn to know me by that name. This of it has been on me all my life.” (21-22) was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you Indeed, the first sign of arrival in Aslan’s land is may know me better there.” (269-70)

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enraptured the young Lewis and that connected Though this is rather a long quotation, the underlined with his growing sense of‘sweet desire’ or part,“another name”, means Jesus without a doubt. inconsolable longing so important in his writings In addition to this, Aslan said that the reason why he as an adult. (ibid. 5) brought his young heroes and heroines to Narnia is to allow them to know Jesus better through a series of In this way, Lewis came to be involved in the profound exciting and pleasurable but also dangerous adventures. influences of diverse mythologies from all over The same thing seems to be true for us readers; that Europe. Just as the poem the Dryad repeatedly read is, the reason Lewis wrote this story is to get us to to the young Reepicheep gave him a lifelong longing know Jesus Christ better. If this is true, why did he for Aslan’s land and at last led him to start his run the risk of being criticized for using such various pilgrimage to the farthest east, Lewis’ youthful literary mythologies and legends that have pagan religious experience also played a role in determining the series backgrounds? One of the possible reasons may be that of decisions he made that guided the voyage of his Lewis’ cultural identity comes out as it is. It is often writing career. said that ancient Greek (and Roman) civilization and Moreover, the fact that his maternal grandfather Christianity are the basis of the Western civilization. was a Christian pastor and his paternal one was an It is natural that Lewis should be influenced by both enthusiastic evangelist may have had both direct and these two cultures as a westerner, and it follows indirect influences on the soul of young Lewis. After that it is not hard to imagine how those influences his conversion at the age of 32, it goes without saying composed an important part of his identity. Moreover, that Christianity played a central role in his authorial he became familiar with various mythologies through concerns. his nursemaid’s reading and had a deep influence Though it is impossible to make clear the structure from the books written by Beatrix Potter. From the of an artist’s identity, it may be easier to show that nursemaid’ reading, he seems to have got a bunch of various legends and myths help to inform the centrally information about Irish mythology. Regarding this, Christian identity or self of Lewis. We may not be Duriez says: able to apply such an approach to everyone, but it seems possible to show that when an author produces This allegiance was reinforced by the tales told to him a work, he is forced to reflect on his identity. Lately, by his nurse, Lizzie Endicott, rooted, he tells us, in‘the I have been reading D. H. Lawrence’s posthumous peasantry of County Down’ the fundamental source in novella The Man Who Died , in which“the man who fact of the later land of Narnia. As well as explaining died” gets married with an Isis devotee and thinking of during a snowstorm that‘the old woman in the sky Lawrence’s imaginative self captured by Christianity was plucking her goose’, the nurse told him folk and or Christ in spite of his blasphemous interpretation fairy tales of Ireland. (4)6 of it. I am compelled to think that way also by the fact that“the man who died” appears to be Jesus Duriez also mentions Potter: and Lawrence’s posthumous essay on St. John’s Apocalypse is also iconoclastic. Likewise, you should be Into this imaginative world of Lizzie Endicott’ able to rationally think that CN as a whole have given s storytelling came Lewis’s discovery of the us the impression that it is only seemingly inconsistent early Beatrix Potter books about talking animals, as a result of pouring all aspects of his pre-Christian stories like The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and and Christian identity into it. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin7 ― the latter the volume that gave him a clear experience of 2)A story of imperfect characters attaining maturity beauty and what he later described as‘the Idea of Autumn’. This was one of several Aslan is, no doubt, the hero of the whole Chronicles qualities (like northernness, which he discovered of Narnia , but when it comes to each volume, a in Scandinavian and Teutonic mythology) that different child is depicted as a practical hero each time.

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Digory in the Magician’s Nephew (MN ), Lucy in LWW , the relationship between this world and the next. Shasta in The Horse and His Boy (HHB ) and Caspian in Furthermore, Lewis’s understanding of the afterworld CP play a main role in each volume respectively. Every is deepened and developed in the next volume The hero, however immature, gets important lessons and Last Battle (LB ). grows spiritually through big trials. So CN share the theme of growth from innocence to experience with 2)Lewis’s idea about fantasy many other children’s stories such as Harry Potter series. Viewed from that point, the hero in LWW is There is also a part strongly reflecting Lewis’s possibly Edmund rather than Lucy and in PC Lucy idea about fantasy in this volume. It is the scene where rather than Caspian, because they learned the most Puddleglum is using what little power he still has to lessons in their respective volumes. So, all the stories of resist and challenge the magic power of the Witch. Let CN share something in common with the stories of The me quote some of his words in that scene to the Witch: Old and New Testaments of the Bible , in which almost all the characters are initially depicted as imperfect One word. All you’ve been saying is quite like Abraham, Jacob, David and Peter, but grow into right, I shouldn’t wonder. ･･･ But there’s Biblical giants through trials. The frameworks of both one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we The Bible and CN are very similar in that the very have only dreamed, or made up, all those things main character is surrounded by fallible people who ― trees and grass and sun and moon and stars achieve heroic status through their behavior in each and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I volume. can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real The Silver Chair (SC) ones. (190)

1)Lewis’s idea about the afterworld Lewis’s thoughts about fantasy appear to be unfolded here. It is true that CN is an imaginary fiction and In SC , you can also have a glimpse of Lewis’s the Narnian world is created in a human’s mind. understanding of the afterworld. There is a scene in Therefore, it is to be called fantasy. Lewis may, which Caspian Ⅹ is resurrected by Aslan’s self- however, want to say fantasy has a capability to defeat sacrificial act as he sheds his own blood with a thorn the real world and make it hollow. In other words, (suggestive of Christ’s crown of thorns). This parallels he may want to say that while reality tells us truths the Serpent stinging Prince Rilian’s mother in the at times, you can touch truths, find and learn what is hand (57). I cannot afford to quote the whole part but important in another world or imaginary one. It seems the section in which Caspian talks to Eustace, who is that Lewis wrote this long-running story from that upset to see his old friend resurrected, will suffice: standpoint.

“Oh,” said Caspian.“I see what’s bothering The Horse and His Boy (HHB) you. You think I’m a ghost, or some nonsense. But don’t you see? I would be that if I 1)Main theme of the story: from slavery to freedom appeared in Narnia now: because I don’t belong there any more. But one can’t be a ghost in It seems to have a lot of lessons all the more one’s own country. I might be a ghost if I got because it does not influence directly the historical into your world. I don’t d know. But I suppose stream of Narnia. The most important of these it isn’t yours either, now you’re here.”(253-54) concerns Shasta’s gradual moral growth through his experiencing of various difficulties. After he This is a little bit difficult part to understand, but successfully begins his escape, he goes through many Caspian says that he, who has died, is now in his own hardships like repeatedly falling off the horse and land under Aslan. This shows us Lewis’s view on spending a night among the royal tombs. Despite those

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trials, or rather owing to them, it is touching to see him a slave and being forced to do things is that turning into a good rider and his wonderful personality when there is no one to force you any more you developing. For example, when Bree tells him to eat find you have almost lost the power of forcing breakfast, Shasta said,“Oh bother breakfast. Bother yourself.(146) everything. I tell you I can’t move.”(20) This shows how exhausted he is mentally and physically, but some Here Lewis seems to mention the spiritual (or time later, the narration says,“These were great days psychological) effects of slavery. A person who acts for Shasta, and every day better than the last as his always under another person’s direction gets to be muscles hardened and he fell less often.” (24) Not only unable to act without such direction at some time or his riding skill is improved but also his many efforts other. Interpreting it a little broadly, even when you and hurts caused by the repeated falls from the horse are given freedom, you may be unable to make the make him grow spiritually. Moreover, when they are most of it. That is a fearful thing, isn’t it? It follows being chased by the lion, Shasta bravely jumps off Bree that inspiring courage and strong will and building a and stands facing the lion. (152-153) In this way, though spirit of independence are necessary if we are to fully the life of Shasta is characterized by frequent trials and enjoy freedom. adversities, all of these finally turn into nourishment for his growth. 2)Biblical motifs However, we may also regard“escape to freedom” as another important aspect of the story. Shasta is As I mentioned above, there seem to be a lot of brought up by a Calormene fisherman called Arsheesh instructive teachings and Biblical motifs in the book. and is terribly treated. As Lewis relates,“his life was I will introduce the most theological and important of already little better than slavery”. (8) In addition, those here. Arsheesh turns out not to be his father and Shasta In Chapter 11, there is a scene where Aslan comes attempts to escape with the help of Bree. As for Bree, out to show himself to Shasta not as a lion but as Aslan he used to be a resident of Narnia but was kidnapped himself for the first time. In the scene, Shasta asks, and taken to Calormen against his will and, always “Who are you?”, and Aslan answers,“Myself”. This unhappy, his nostalgia for Narnia grows so strong that reminds us of Aslan’s words,“I give you myself.” in he too finally decides to escape. The noble Calormene The Magician’s Nephew (MN 140). You can associate girl, Aravis, who meets them on the way, also decides it with Aslan’s great presence or the realization of to escape from her parents to avert a bad marriage Christ’s promise“I give you myself.” Moreover, it is arranged by her mother-in-law. also interesting that Aslan answers in three kinds of In this way, this story has an exciting plot in which voices. I will quote the lines below: the main characters together take a thrilling trip to be delivered from bondage. (In this plot there are “Myself,” said the Voice, very deep and low yet more echoes of Exodus which may also resonate so that the earth shook: and again“Myself,” with Lewis’s personal experience of turning from loud and clear and gay: and then the third time atheism to Christianity.) Talking of bondage, there is an “Myself,” whispered so softly you could hardly interesting paragraph which shows us Lewis’s idea hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all about freedom and bondage. While they are in a hurry round you as if the leaves rustled with it.(176) for Archenland, Bree gets exhausted and persists in taking a rest in spite of the others’s disagreement. What do these three voices represent? Of course, There Lewis writes: Lewis the novelist does not add any explanation about it because that would spoil the emotional impact. ････ if Bree had had a Tarkaan on his back at However, it seems likely that they symbolize the that moment to make him go on, he would have Trinity. To me,“the Voice, very deep and low so that found that he was good for several hours’ hard the earth shook” is God the Father’s,“loud and clear going. But one of the worst results of being and gay” is Jesus the Son’s and“whispered so softly

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you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come go and fight himself instead of sending you to be from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it” is killed? Poor Darkies!” (150) the Holy Spirit’s. In particular, the last voice which is soft and quiet like a breeze appears to suggest such And also Griffle, their boss, utters some words to Bible verses as: encourage his followers in Chapter 12.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear “Keep it up, boys!” came Griffle’s voice.“All its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes together. Carefully. We don’t want Darkies any from or where it is going. So it is with everyone more than we want Monkeys ― or Lions ― or born of the Spirit. (NIV, John 3:8) Kings. The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs.” (158)

Thus, the Holy Spirit is often compared to wind and It seems a little controversial that Calormen soldiers it is possible enough that Lewis had that paragraph in are called“Darkies”. Though it has some dramatic mind. effect in making the dwarfs’ selfishness conspicuous, Other than these things, I would like to add the fact I doubt it is good enough in terms of education. In that throughout the whole story, God’s unchangeable Japanese version, it is translated into“Kuro-chan” or love and care are shown by the words and deeds of “Kuro-suke” which sounds strongly discriminative. The Aslan in protecting the three travelers in their Exodus. English original was published in 1956 and the Japanese version in 1966, so the social awareness about racial The Last Battle (LB) problems was not so sharp as today. However, Lewis’ s racist tendency may possibly be in the background. I 1)Some problems in terms of education wonder how disagreeable it is for English natives.

The Chronicles of Narnia are a series of fantasy 2)The mixture of Christianity and Plato’s philosophy: novels which have been loved not only by many a shadow land and a real heaven Christians but also by children in many parts of the world. Especially, the educational value given through Lewis’s mixture of Christianity and Platonism the main characters’ mental and spiritual growth clearly comes out in this volume, The Last Battle . He is regarded by some critics as extremely high. To expresses it clearly through Lord Digory in Chapter 15, my regret, however, it is also true that there are “Further up and Further in”: some questionable scenes in terms of education. That tendency appears to be rather strong in this volume, “Listen, Peter. When Aslan said you could LB , in spite of the honor of its being awarded the never go back to Narnia, he meant the Narnia Carnegie Medal in 1957. Here I would like to argue you were thinking of. But that was not the real about one of the problems, so to speak, a racial Narnia. That had a beginning and end. It was problem. only a shadow or a copy of the real Narnia The last battle against the Calormen starts in which has always been here and always will be Chapter 11. The Calormen soldiers capture Narnians here: just as our own world, England and all, is alive and throw them into the stable as a sacrifice for only a shadow or copy of something in Aslan’s Tash who is supposed to be there. Among them are real world. (211-12) a group of dwarfs. Because of their distrustful nature, they would not join either the Narnian army or the Here we are told that the world inside the stable door Calormen’s but are attacking both. In that scene, they is the real Narnia and the world outside is just its yell at the Calormen soldiers. shadow or copy. It makes clear the meaning of Lord Digory’s mysterious remark about the thatched “Had enough, Darkies?” they yelled.“Don’t stable in Chapter 13,“Its inside is bigger than its you like it? Why doesn’t your great Tarkaan outside.” (177) It shows an understanding about this

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world and that world and, at the same time, shows that C. S. Lewis 9 and Through The Wardrobe 10 may be it is very much based on Plato’s idea that is explained very useful for you to survey CN theme by theme. As more clearly in Digory’s statement:“It’s all in Plato, I mentioned in Introduction, I am planning to write a all in Plato: bless me, what do they teach them at these thesis on the problem of pains and sufferings found in schools!” (212) There are pros and cons in whether CN and Lewis’s life mainly using MN , The Problem you think of this idea as an effective explanation about of Pain and A Grief Observed . The trial to make this Heaven or just a confusion. In fact, Colin Duriez says research note will surely help form the thesis. that the name“Shadow Land” is“the name given to this world by Aslan to mark its contrast to the real, Notes new world of his new country. In this contrast Lewis 1.ST consist of the three books, Out of the Silent makes powerful use of Plato” (A Field Guide to Narnia , Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength 190). He also says about the relationship of Lewis’s 2.CN consist of seven volumes which are translated thought and Plato’s in another chapter: into 41 languages including Japanese that was published in 1966. Plato, a famous Greek philosopher born about 3. This remark of Lewis’s is in page 23 of his book, Of 427 BC in Athens, was admired by Lewis and Other Worlds is important to the imaginative structure of 4. This remark of Lewis’s is in page 516 of The the Chronicles.…His work provided much Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Vol. 3 imaginative inspiration for Lewis, though Lewis 5. Kathryn Lindskoog mentions the matter in page 134 was not a Platonist as such.…Belief in the of her book, Journey Into Narnia immortality of the soul, as held by Lewis and 6. Quite a few biographers and researchers of C. the Christian tradition, is not in itself Platonism, S. Lewis mention the influence from such pagan nor is imaginative use of the Platonic idea of this mythologies, for example, Colin Duriez, Paul F. Ford, world as a copy of a more real one. (58) Peter J. Schakel and so on. 7. Duriez argues about wide range of background In other words, Lewis insists on using Plato’s idea subjects about CN in the book, A Field Guide to of the cave to make the Christian doctrine easier to Narnia visualize for children, and also to make sure there is no 8. Kilby, Clyde S., He wrote several books about Lewis’ confusion or heretical factor. It is true, however, I feel s works from the viewpoint of Christian doctrine, for an irresistible suspicion that there is some confusion in instance, Images of Salvation in the Fiction of C. S. Digory’s / Lewis’s phrase,“It’s all in Plato, all in Lewis , 1978, Harold Shaw Publishers Plato”. 9. Quite a few researchers united efforts to make this companion and eventually we now have the fruit of a valuable version comprehensively edited. Conclusion 10. It is unique in that professional authors collaborated As we see various factors in CN volume by volume, in completing this one book. Because it is not a there are so many ways Lewis puts, introduces, collection of theses, you may well get instructive and and weaves his own philosophy and other ideas into suggestive ideas of CN through reading this book. the story. Old thoughts from Ancient Greek, pagan mythologies, and even his prejudices and biases are inserted directly and sometimes subtly between lines. Works Cited It is so complex that you can never argue about this matter in a summarized form. However, there is a Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , bigger possibility in researching how he develops 1950, HarperCollins Publishers, New York different ideas inCN if you narrow the subject down Lewis, C. S. Prince Caspian , 1951, HarperCollins into one theme like salvation as Kilby8 did. In that Publishers, New York sense, those books like The Cambridge Companion to Lewis, C. S. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 1952,

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HarperCollins Publishers, New York Lewis, C. S. The Silver Chair, 1953, HarperCollins Publishers, New York Lewis, C. S. The Horse and His Boy, 19 5 4 , HarperCollins Publishers, New York Lewis, C. S. The Magician’s Nephew, 19 5 5 , HarperCollins Publishers, New York Lewis, C. S. The Last Battle , 1956, HarperCollins Publishers, New York Lewis, C. S. The Problem of Pain , 1940, HarperCollins Publishers, London Lewis, C. S. A Grief Observed , 1961, HarperCollins Publishers, London Lewis, C. S. Of Other Worlds, Essays and Stories , 2002, Mariner Books Lewis, C. S.The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Vol. 3: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy,1950-1963 , 2007, HaperOne Lewis, C. S. The Screwtape Letters , 1942, Geoffrey Bles, United Kingdom Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity, 1952, Macmillan Publishers, New York Lattimore, Richmond. The Oddysey of Homer , 2007, Harper Perennial Modern Classics Bunyan, John., Thomas, James. The Pilgrims Progress in Today ’s English, 1971, Moody Publishers Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings (trilogy), 1937- 49, Geo. Allen & Unwin Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter Series (composed of seven novels), 1997-2007, Bloomsbury Publishing Lawrence, D. H. The Man Who Died , 1994, The Ecco Press, Ontario Lawrence, D. H. Apocalypse , 1931, Penguin Books, England Lindskoog, Kathryn Ann, Journey Into Narnia , 1998, Pasadena, CA Duriez, Colin, A Field Guide to Narnia , 2004, InterVarsity Press, Phoenix Mill Brennan, Harbie, et al., eds. Through the Wardrobe , 2008, BenBella Books, Dallas

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