[These are my notes for leading a discussion on the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Feedback welcome. Sorry for the extent that they're decipherable only to me. I haven't had time to edit them for public consumption]
From dedication of the book: "My Dear Lucy, I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be your affectionate Godfather, C. S. Lewis."
We're a bunch of adults who have decided to watch a 'kids' film, involving talking animals and a secret other world. Is Lewis right that you grow out of fairy tales, and then grow into them again? Why?
- Escapism?
- Sentimental longing to relive childhood?
- Do they enable us to understand the real world in a way which realist fiction or abstract argument can't?
** WATCH FILM **
Any parts of the film you particularly enjoyed, or thought didn't work?
- Tilda Swinton
- Colours of Narnia, particularly when Lucy and Edmund first enter. Snow.
- Soundtrack
- London scenes. Character development. Parallels of war in England and Narnia.
- Why Aslan had to die.
Once all four children enter Narnia, it is largely the actions of Edmund that drive the story. What motivates Edmund to join the White Witch?
- Absence of his father (running back to save his photo in air raid; "Wouldn’t have to go away if Dad was here" at station). Does this excuse him?
- Book: new school is blamed
- Estrangement from siblings, in particular from Peter.
- Problem with authority: Doesn't like authority of Peter and Susan over him ("You think you’re Dad, but you’re not" when Peter tells him off for mocking Lucy’s belief in Narnia; "Yes Mum" his response to Susan when she suggests they go to bed)
- Desire to be king (Doesn't like it when he thinks Witch will make Peter king as well; sits on Witch's throne: “like it?” she asks - “yes” Edmund replies).
- Half-believes she is right (thinks that faun may be lying about her, that and that it is Tumnus who is a criminal).
- Enjoys the Turkish Delight and wants more (book: "this was enchanted Turkish Delight and... anyone who had tasted it would want more and more of it, and would even, if tthey were allowed go on eating it till they killed themselves")
- In the end he doesn't get anything that he betrayed his family for. No throne, no food.
If Edmund is flawed, is Peter any better?
- self-righteous
- quick to round on Edmund at any opportunity (gets angry at air raid about photo Edmund goes back for, gets angry about cricket ball, gives Edmund girls coat out of wardrobe, "I know")
- He likes authority too. Not happy to ask Professor for help, "we can handle it".
- Confession to Aslan: "It’s my fault really. I was too hard on him"
Aslan sacrifices himself to save Edmund. Self sacrifice is a common theme in films. The centaur and rhino sacrifice themselves in this film to save Peter. Is Aslan's self-sacrifice different in any way?
- Planned? No, it is often planned in stories.
- He is in control though in a way that you don't often get. He has to satisfy the Deep Magic. That is the problem, not the Witch.
- Only he could "turn death backwards", be resurrected, break the Deep Magic's hold over Narnia, because he is the only innocent one - and god?
- Why does he have to die? What does it achieve?
[OPTIONAL QUESTION:
Tilda Swinton says about the film: "It's about finding self-sufficiency in difficult circumstances and finding the capacity to dig deep, survive and prevail."
Is her interpretation of the film correct?
- Yes, digging deep and courage important themes.
- No, self-sufficiency is far from promoted (Children need each other and other animals, need Aslan - “Only Aslan can help your brother now” Mr Beaver on Edmund going to the witch’s palace, Aslan's desire not to be alone as he goes to his death, contrast the Witch who needs no-one and doesn't want to - even says to dwarf who asks if she will kill him: "not yet"). We are created to need others, and particularly to need Christ (and his death). Self-sufficiency is not an ideal to aspire to.
]
Running theme in film is who is telling the truth. Lucy and Edmund contradict on existence of Narnia. Lucy: "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia thought she has no right to be queen at all". Faun has book on his shelf "Is Man a Myth?" Edmund on Mr Beaver: "how do we know we can trust him?" What does film say about how we can know what is true?
- Edmund at least really knows in deep-down that witch is evil. He lies to himself.
- The Professor's advice to Peter and Susan on whether to believe Lucy: "If she’s not mad and if she’s not lying then she must be telling the truth"
- Ultimately, belief in truth is presented in a very personal way.
- Some are ignorant of truth so doubt it ("Is man a myth?").
- Truth is inescapable reality whatever stance people take.
