The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

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It's a hit!

Everytime I read this book (any of the Narnia books, really), I find a new bit that has special meaning to me, or a new mental illustration of a sc... (show more)

Everytime I read this book (any of the Narnia books, really), I find a new bit that has special meaning to me, or a new mental illustration of a scene, or a new love for one of Lewis' wonderful characters.

The most recent reading of this book made me dwell on the stars in Narnia - fallen, retired, and bright in the sky. The birds bringing the fireberry from Aslan's Kingdom for Ramandu's regeneration and rejuvenation held special significance, bringing to mind the vision recorded in Isaiah 6, where the seraph touches the hot coal to Isaiah's lips to take away his sins and make him able to be in the presence of the Almighty.

Thus is Lewis' enduring genius, that the strands of fable of a fantastic voyage among mythical lands are woven with the threads of allegory, faith, and meaning to make a tapestry that can be seen afresh at each viewing. (show less)

 

 

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No, it's a flop!

I liked this book and I'm glad I read it. But one thing I can say about Voyage of the Dawn Treader that I didn't appreciate and that I didn't thin... (show more)

I liked this book and I'm glad I read it. But one thing I can say about Voyage of the Dawn Treader that I didn't appreciate and that I didn't think is exactly consistent with what I was hoping is C.S. Lewis' worldview (and Aslan's M.O.) is that in this book there is one group of beings for which Aslan has appointed a caretaker who acts basically as a dictator and who has magic powers to bolster/guarantee his caretaking. This is not the same as what I understand God (Aslan) to really be all about which is people are allowed to determine their own fates, we are in control of our own destinies. So to the extent I read it correctly and am remembering it accurately, that aspect of "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was a disappointment. (show less)

 

 

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  The third of The Chronicles of Narnia in the order in which they were published (and, at the moment, my preferred order), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader begins with what may be one of the best opening lines in all of literature: “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” This Eustace, a very “modern,” “grown-up,” selfish and peevish little bully, happens to be related to our old friends the Pevensies from the previous books. The two youngest children, Edmund ... (show more)

  The third of The Chronicles of Narnia in the order in which they were published (and, at the moment, my preferred order), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader begins with what may be one of the best opening lines in all of literature: “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” This Eustace, a very “modern,” “grown-up,” selfish and peevish little bully, happens to be related to our old friends the Pevensies from the previous books. The two youngest children, Edmund and Lucy, are vacationing with the Scrubbs when our story begins. The three of them are drawn together into a painting of a ship in Lucy’s bedroom, and find themselves in Narnia aboard the ship of another old friend—Prince, now King, Caspian—who is on a voyage east to find what became of seven Telmarine lords whom his uncle Miraz sent away year before. But the mouse Reepicheep has a yet greater ambition, to sail to the very end of the world, to Aslan’s country, and meet whatever adventure awaits them there.

  In nature, this story is episodic, but to bind it together Lewis provides not only a great and glorious quest, but also two of the greatest characters in all of the Chronicles: Eustace, and Reepicheep. Both provide some comic relief near the beginning of the book—Eustace’s journal entries are particularly hilarious, as are his repeated demands to speak to the British consul—but both are characters of such great depth. Reepicheep, like several other characters in Prince Caspian, is a creature of faith. He wants nothing more than to go to Aslan’s country, and none of the dangers and fears along the way can conquer that desire. He is fearless, wise, and brave, even if he is only two feet high! Eustace is, to put it kindly, a beast, but he is so selfish he thinks instead that everyone around him are beasts. Only when he becomes one externally does he realize how greatly he needs help on the interior. I love the subtle and realistic way Lewis treats his reformation:

  It would be nice, and fairly nearly true, to say that “from that time on Eustace was a different boy.” To be strictly accurate, he began to be a different boy. He had relapses. There were still many days when he could be very tiresome. But most of those I shall not notice. The cure had begun.

  Actually, all the characters are beautifully drawn. I am amazed at how much Lucy grows as a person in each additional book, and Edmund too. Caspian is more well-rounded here than he was in the last volume, and becomes more so at the end when he is unable to gain what his heart most greatly desires. For him, and for the others, this is a voyage that will change the rest of their lives.

  Of course, the adventures they encounter are varied and fascinating as well, and only become more beautiful and exciting the further east they go. As a child I was incredibly excited by the episode in which Caspian frees the Lone Islands from tyranny and a brutal slave trade, and today I find I still am. And who can forget Eustace’s experiences on Dragon Island? Or Deathwater Island with its terrible power and beauty? Or the invisible, “uglified,” always-agreeing dufflepuds? (The last was one of my sister’s favorite episodes in the book, and we both laughed many times over lines like “And what I say is, when chaps are visible, why, they can see each other.”) Or the horrors of the Dark Island, or the wonders of Ramandu’s Island? And then there are the wonders of that last sea, where the water is sweet, covered in lilies, and bathed in light. And, finally, a glimpse of Aslan’s country itself.

  I know many Narnia fans consider this there favorite Chronicle, almost as many as accord The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe that title. But for some reason the Caspian books were always my least favorites when I was a child, and I haven’t quite “rediscovered” this book the way I did with Prince Caspian. Still, this is a beautiful sea voyage story with deep themes, lovable characters, and exciting adventures. Highly recommended. (show less)

   

   

  by Nathan Graham on Aug 05, 2009 at 06:05PM

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  Another really good work from the genius of C.S. Lewis. It was a bit harder to follow at some points when compared to the previous Narnia books, but it was truly quite a piece of literary work. Several aspects of it made it truly an enchanting and exciting work to read. There are new mythical creatures encountered, new sights to see, and new brilliance and creativity that can come from the mind of only C.S. Lewis himself.

  I really liked a lot of the symbolism that enriches Narnia, and this... (show more)

  Another really good work from the genius of C.S. Lewis. It was a bit harder to follow at some points when compared to the previous Narnia books, but it was truly quite a piece of literary work. Several aspects of it made it truly an enchanting and exciting work to read. There are new mythical creatures encountered, new sights to see, and new brilliance and creativity that can come from the mind of only C.S. Lewis himself.

  I really liked a lot of the symbolism that enriches Narnia, and this book is extremely full of it. Anywhere you go in the book, you will find hidden symbols and plot devices that require some dept and knowledge to decode, and the last of them was certainly the most beautiful of them all.

  The Chronicles of Narnia is a wonderful series. Nobody can ever be too young or too old to read them. Therefore, read them! (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Jul 13, 2009 at 06:28AM

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