Podcast #104: ‘The Silver Chair’ Book Commentary (Part 4)
Rilian and Glumpuddle have reached the end at last! Our commentary on the fourth Chronicle of Narnia is complete. We intend to eventually do commentaries for the remaining three books as well, but for the next episode, we will turn our attention to the upcoming film. Is there anything you would like to see (or not see) in the movie? Scenes, characters, lines, themes? What are you most excited about? What are you most concerned about? We want to hear from you! Send an e-mail or audio file to podcast@narniaweb.com to help guide the discussion in the next episode.
Chapters discussed:
12. The Queen of Underland (7:00)
13-14. Underland Without the Queen, and The Bottom of the World (20:30)
Audio question from Manise (26:20)
15. The Disappearance of Jill (31:21)
16. The Healing of the Harms (34:14)
Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
"Glumpuddle said" will there ever be an end to this confusion…sigh. Doesn't this mean your doing my favorite book next in a review?!? Oh I hope so! The Silver Chair next I hope!
How I wish we could bring Lewis back and beg him to write some more. Hugh, makes me think of that song "When we all…get to heaven!" I think I'll have to give the Anglicans a ring lol!
Wow!!! Very good podcast. Bitter sweet. I'll be so sad the day the last "Last Battle" podcast comes out. Can't wait for more Narnia news! Oh, and Glumpuddle, praying for you and whatever your going through. Thanks guys! Keep up the good work!
I did enjoy this podcast and am looking forward to the next one about what should be included in the forthcoming movie. You made some really good points about the last bit where Aslan has to shed blood before Caspian X can return to life. This part was really well done in the G rated BBC movie, as you say. So why was there so much difficulty in the American-produced VDT movie about Aslan shedding blood or clothes in the Eustace undragoning? Personally I didn't like the ending of the BBC Silver Chair movie, not because of Aslan shedding blood, but because the end result was a far too young Caspian. I would have preferred someone the same age as Ben Barnes or Samuel West, and a bit of a fade-out instead of what looks like an outdoor invisible lift. I also see difficulties with corporal punishment being exercised on the bullies, however they might have deserved it.
I am so so happy to hear there is another 2 narnia films ! I keep watching all the others wishing there was a new one coming out ! I am so in love with aslan ! When ever I see him on scream now all I want to do is cry of happiness ! And no film has ever made me feel like that ! Thankyou for everything you put into these films ! Your hard work is much respected and recognised ! X
It's so sad that pevensie Family Is not included on "The Silver Chair"
I loved the part of "The Silver Chair" where Puddleglum says "That doesn't let us off from following the signs". Great podcast! It really makes you think about difficult decisions and the right thing to do.
Hooray! Been waiting for this one. =) Thank you so much for taking the time to make these podcasts; I've really enjoyed following this commentary and am very much looking forward to the commentary for HHB. Love that book to pieces.
Regarding Puddleglum's monologue, I read something this year that really made me rethink my interpretation of it. I think it's easy for many people—particularly critics—to look at it and say, "Oh, Puddleglum's just saying that it's better to believe things that aren't true as long as they make you feel good", but I find that to be a huge oversimplication of what's really going on. I think they also may be missing out on some huge theological themes.
One of Lewis's most profound influences was an author and pastor named George MacDonald. Lewis admired MacDonald's religious teachings so much, he compiled and published an anthology of them. I've been working my way through MacDonald's series of Unspoken Sermons this year, and when I read the sermon entitled "The Eloi" in the first series, I was struck by how much I was reminded of Puddleglum's triumph against the Witch.
"The Eloi" is about Jesus's cry on the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" It was MacDonald's belief that in that terrible moment, Jesus had become blinded to the presence and will of God. He felt completely alone; abandoned. And yet Jesus still cried out to the Father as his God.
MacDonald writes, "Thus the Will of Jesus, in the very moment when his faith seems about to yield, is finally triumphant. It has no feeling now to support it, no beatific vision to absorb it. It stands naked in his soul and tortured, as he stood naked and scourged before Pilate. Pure and simple and surrounded by fire, it declares for God. The sacrifice ascends in the cry, My God. The cry comes not out of happiness, out of peace, out of hope. Not even out of suffering comes that cry. It was a cry in desolation, but it came out of Faith. It is the last voice of Truth, speaking when it can but cry. The divine horror of that moment is unfathomable by human soul. It was blackness of darkness. And yet he would believe. Yet he would hold fast. God was his God yet. My God—and in the cry came forth the Victory, and all was over soon."
I don't meant to say that Puddleglum's monologue was meant to be the same as Jesus's cry on the cross. Perhaps an echo, though, because much of MacDonald's sermon is occupied with teaching the reader to follow the example of Christ and continue reaching for God even when we cannot feel His presence or will at all. "Let us then arise," MacDonald writes, "in God-born strength every time that we feel the darkness closing, or become aware that it has closed around us, and say, 'I am of the Light and not of the Darkness.'"
It's possible I'm off-base with this theory, but knowing what incredibly high regard Lewis had for MacDonald, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the teachings of "The Eloi" were on Lewis's mind when he penned Puddleglum's most triumphant moment.
Great podcast. I disagree with glumPuddle (Puddleglum in human form ;-)) on one point. After the green witch is killed he said that he hope the pace of the movie would pick up after that. My biggest fear of the movie is that they will do that. The big crisis ends with the death of the witch. The escape is an entirely different story element. Rilian wants to be like his father in VDT and go on the big adventure. With great privilege goes great responsibility. He must return to Narnia to be king and rule. He can not avoid the responsibility. It is his destiny. I really hope that the movie does not stoop to turning this beautiful scene into "The Great Escape" (pun intended).
Awesome job guys. Loved the podcast and yes so agree with all the above. Further up and further in, mates.
Yeah . Im also disappointed that they will not include for the nxt film. They should be there, because they are the real heroes. Very disappointed
Great. But I'm a little bit disappointed, because the pevensie will not in the upcoming film.
I always thought that it was like saying, that even if God didn't exist and we were all following a lie (Christianity), that it was still a good deal better than not believing in him. Because without God… there really isn't any purpose that unites the generations past and future that die, because everyone's going to die and that's that. But because there is life after death, there is purpose, even if we don't quite understand it all yet. Like there is so much to Aslan that we don't understand, there is so much about God we will never fully understand. The beautiful mystery.
I agree.
They probably won't… but if they somehow did get cameos in the Silver Chair, I hope they can kind of hint at Susan having turned her back on Narnia, so that we'll be ready for the announcement in the Last Battle "Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia".
But they're the one who complete the Narnia. Probably, when can we see them again ? I suppose that they will be in the nxt film after the silver chair ?
Yeah that's one thing, I wish the director or anyone who will make the film in the future would change the story. Let Susan enter the world of Narnia for the last time. Pevensies are the real Kings and Queens of Narnia ! 🙂 wish they would include the Pevensie in The Silver Chair, just show them 😀
I would love to see at least Lucy get a cameo. I see her as meeting Caspian's ship when it returns and helping his journey to Aslan's Country. She could tell him that he gets to go to our world for a short time.
Unfortunately no, for all sorts of reasons. The only one where Susan & Lucy can really appear again is in HHB. But Jill wears her Narnian clothes at a party at the end of Silver Chair. It could be a welcome home party for Susan's safe return from America. I expect she will spoil things somewhat by her reaction to Jill's attire, to any reference to Narnia and by comparing glamorous Hollywood to the ordinariness of her UK surroundings.
I agree with you. I was just fantasizing. I really hope the movie is very close to the book. I could see them putting the back story at the beginning of the movie. In that case they could delete the parliament of owls. This book could be the easiest of the Chronicles to adapt. The movie could have some fun at the end of the movie. The ending is not important, just to show they lived happily ever after. 😉
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Your podcasts always address issues and questions I've had myself so thanks for that, also I can't wait for more news on the production of the Silver chair! will keep checking back. Great question Manise!
Oh I can't wait for the next movie! I hope it comes out soon and real good too! 🙂
Nice. I like the reader's voice.
But, but its too unfair, why did CS Lewis did it to Susan :(( im quitr too disapppinted. I have another question, do the pevensie appear aftercthe silver chair ? Hoping that the pevensies will show up in the silver chair.
But, but its too unfair, why did CS Lewis did it to Susan :(( im quite too disapppinted. I have another question, do the pevensie appear after the silver chair ? Hoping that the pevensies will show up in the silver chair.
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Dude, read the books. The Pevensies only play an major part in 3 of the 7 books. So no they do not complete Narnia, they are not the heroes, Aslan is. The Pevensies only play a major part in the less than half of the series.
If you think the Pevensies are the most important part of the series, if you think they are the heroes, well then… your kind of missing the point. Aslan is the hero. Without Aslan, Edmund would be dead and nobody would make it to Aslan's country.
Susan eventually denies Aslan and decides to try to become her own hero, try to save herself. That's why she doesn't get to enter Aslan's country.
Please just read the books
But, but I dont get it, I mean, they can make the film including the Pevensies. Why do they need to remove them ? I wish someone would continue the book, like, give a chance for Susan to enter Aslan's country. I like them very much. I dont read all of this books. But Im quite too disappointed 🙁 . Sorry for being childish. I wish that they are also included in the upcoming film.
You will never come back, just like Susan and Peter
And when the time Pevensie left after the war ended…, I miss them with all my heart, as I know all Narnian will miss them…till the end of time. The saddest thing I ever end that the Pevensies will never come back :'( why do CS Lewis did it to them 🙁 pls make them a cameo.
*I ever heard.