Before I talk about Prince Caspian, I guess I should say a little about the first book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I don't know how anyone can not love this book, this story. It is such a beautiful picture of imagination, redemption, courage, adventure and childhood joy. I love Aslan in such a way that even as an adult I can almost imagine he is real, and in a sense he is. Lewis's depiction of the Great Lion as a messianic figure may be nothing new, but it is especially poignant. As a child it was easier for me to understand the love and sacrifice of Christ as seen by the literary character of Aslan. In short, I think even to this day I understand Christ best when I see or read about Aslan....the longing his character describes in me in well, indescribable. Certainly if I ever wished a fictional character to be real, it is Aslan.
On to Prince Caspian. Architypically this is the story of a boy coming of age, but of course it really is so much more. For some reason no matter how many times i read this book (or listen to it) I have no trouble easily remembering the first half to two-thirds of the story as well as the very end, but somewhere in there near the middle to end things get a little fuzzy. I have no idea why. I find the beginning of Prince Caspian very sad in a way. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy suddenly find themselves drawn back into Narnia, something they must have been longing for since they left. When they arrive, however, they aren't even sure if they are in Narnia any more. The woods have grown up, the peninsula has turned into an island, the orchard gone wild and their beloved Cair Paravel has turned into ruins. Their friends are gone and they didn't even return as the mighty kings and Queens 9at at least the age) that they had left Narnia. As a child I was certainly disturbed by all this, as an adult I find it very poignant.
Prince Caspian himself as a boy I find a bit uninteresting, but I think he improves upon age. I think the Hollywood producers must have found him a bit dull myself seeing as how he is going to be depicted in the upcoming movie. I do like the other characters that surround him, Trumpkin, Truffle Hunter ( great name!) and Dr. Cornelius. I think though, that I'm looking forward to getting past all of the introductory information and moving on to the heart of story. I'm so familiar with the story that the intro stuff gets repetitive.
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Your point about the sadness relating to the children's return is well taken, and happens or can happen to all of us in reality. Its similar to going back to high school or more appropriately for me college. Returning to Swallow Robin, would be just as poignant for me. I have many memories of great adventures there, however even though its only been, what, 6 years? It would be like a millenia has passed as the people will all have changed. Even meeting people I haven't been in touch with since that time could bring that about as so much changes that we just aren't aware of. Its only those people that we can keep in touch with and watch as they grow and change that we can avoid that shock from jumping back into lives at different points. This isn't always true as some people will basically be the same, however others will changed drastically, and that's difficult. Okay, I'm really rambling right now, but when Emily wrote that about the sadness of the kids returning to Narnia, I couldn't help but draw a parralel about returning to a place like Swallow. (I don't know about you guys, but that was a great time of life for me, and I'm glad that through this blog there's 3 more of you that I can hang onto through the years. I guess that makes ya'll my Edmund, Lucy and Susan or something like that)
I totally agree, Chris. I have been back to Swallow Robin and it's not the same. I love being on Taylor's campus, but it's different. For me, there's no Ollie and that makes a huge difference.
So much of those great years are the people and I'm so very glad that we do still keep up.
*raises hand* Can I be Edmund? I love him in Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
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