Jumping to unexpected pools

Reflections on The Magician’s Nephew

I’m not going to wait for the end of this entry to say it: I found the first (or rather the prequel) book as the most quotable as of now. You see, The Magician’s Nephew is not only an allegory of the creation story (first few chapters of Genesis) but also shows man’s condition.

Science.. and the worship of it

Other than the main characters, we are introduced to Uncle Andrew Ketterley and Queen Jadis of Charn- the villains of the story, the reasons why they have had the hard time. And as I try to look what is this book trying to say at that point where the villains are causing problems, I find it very suitable as an allegory to science and naturalism. Here’s why:

In the same way that Polly and Digory found Tardis, (or they being found by Aslan) through the mad science on which they are used, we may discover meaning and cause and source of life- God, in our material observations.

In the same way Uncle Andrew revere Queen Jadis (also, drinking and finding her a very pretty ‘gel’), we have the tendency to “worship” science and elevate it as the measure of ALL things (and sometimes, make ourselves believe that even if it (naturalism) is stern or sinister, it is beautiful).

In the same way Queen Jadis used the Deplorable Word to destroy all of Charn, we can also use the technology of the atomic bomb to destroy the world.

And of course, In the same way Uncle Andrew and Queen Jadis ascribed to themselves a “high and lonely destiny”, the magicians of our world (naturalists) can ascribe to themselves this same rule.

“Men like me who possess hidden wisdom, are freed from common rules just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Ours, my boy, is a high and lonely destiny.”

In these words from Uncle Andrew, Digory thought:

“All it means,” he [Digory] said to himself, “is that he thinks he can do anything he likes to get anything he wants.”

(parenthesis mine)

Queen Jadis is, in fact (in this line of interpretation), is not a mere villain like Uncle Andrew. I see Jadis as the “science made god and (therefore) gone bad”.

Lewis narrates:

Both the men and women looked kind and wise, and they seemed to come of a handsome race. But after the children had gone a few steps down the room they came to faces that looked a little different. These were very solemn faces…When they had gone a little further, they found themselves among faces they didn't like… The faces here looked very strong and proud and happy, but they looked cruel. A little further they looked crueler. Further on again , they were still cruel but they no longer looked happy. They were even despairing faces: as if the people they belonged to had done dreadful things and also suffered dreadful things.

When the children saw Queen Jadis:

…with a look of such fierceness and pride that it took your breath away. Yet she was very beautiful too… Digory said he had never in all his life known a woman so beautiful. It is only fair to add that Polly always said she couldn’t see anything specially beautiful about her.

It is allegorical (again, to this line of interpretation) to the idea that science is merely a study of the physical world in the old days. Later on, as we could see now, it was elevated into some sort of religion.

Consider yourselves warned

During the creation and beginning of Narnia, Uncle Andrew knew it was a song he’s hearing even before the stars appeared but he tried to repress it. He tried to fool himself by saying that those were only growls. He succeeded, but in the end it was a very sad decision as no one can no longer comfort him of his agony and fear of the animals and the Maker of Narnia.

“But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either; he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him, he would hear only growlings and roarings.”

It paralleled the verses below quite well:

“But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices.” (Psalm 81:11-12)

In fact, even before this, the villains felt opposite from their good companions- they felt something they don’t want, or make them feel miserable, fearful or so (“things he did not want to think and feel.” in Uncle Andrew’s case) in Aslan’s song (or even presence). In the end, the Witch (Queen Jadis) ran towards the forests and Uncle Andew suffer a whole lot from the talking animals.

I guess that’d be enough for villains.

Know Whom you must know, and other things

In my experience of reading Narnia I often found myself shedding tears(or even in the verge of it), touched, or sometimes happy because it “makes sense!”, “exactly”, or “I know where this allegory was inspisred!”. One of the parts that touched my heart was when Aslan asked the first King of Narnia, Frank I (the cabby), “Do you know me?” and the conversation continued:

“Well, no sir,” said the Cabby. “Leastways, not in an ordinary manner of speaking. Yet I feel somehow, if I may make so free, as ‘ow we’ve met before.”

“It is well,” said the Lion. “You know me better than you think you know, and you shall live to know me better yet.”

We should ask ourselves that question. Do we know Him? The One who created us?

By the way, cockney accent was quite hard to read.

There are other things, of course, like the part where the horse said that Aslan prefers to be asked even if he knows the request without it. (Parallel to the balance, or as a theologian may call it, “tension” between Omniscience of God and the necessity of prayers. As in Matt. 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you…”)

Also, the parts where the Cabby tried to comfort his companions that there’s nothing to fear if you’ve lead a good life (when they fear that they are dead) and where Digory chose to die and go to Heaven rather than to live forever (in this life) knowing that everyone’s dead. Both of them have the hope for eternal life.

I think Christians supposed to have that, and we really ought to have that, like our ancestors, most especially the martyrs.

This part is.. *tears*

…during the first time I read it.

“But please, please—won’t you—can’t you give me something that will cure Mother?” Up till then he had been looking at the Lion’s great front feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion’s eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.

You see, Digory’s mother is sick, and it sorrowed him so much and there came a time when he wanted to find something that could cure his mother in Narnia.

Again, this is the most quotable book I have read so far.. and it is not that stressful to read and no many characters to remember and imagine. I feel like it comes naturally that the reader can easily understand it. Aslan told Polly and Digory a warning about our world, I’ll leave that for you to read.

By the way, that encounter between Aunt Letty and Jadis is funny. ☺