Roses are Pink

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

"Things never happen the same way twice, dear one"

CopyofCopyofopen_book.jpg picture by wintercreek

"Aslan, why didn't you come roaring in and save us like last time?" ..."Things never... happen the same way twice, dear one".

Aslan ,of course, was right....things never do happen the same way twice. We, like Lucy, expected Aslan to return to Narnia in the same way he did last time, setting everything right. But this is not the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, this is Prince Caspian. And as Aslan reminds Lucy, "Things never happen the same way twice".

I have now seen Prince Caspian for the fourth time, and I loved every minute of it. The quality of the movie was very good, similar to the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in that respect. I'm certainly glad I saw it more than once because I missed so many things the first time!

I had been warned about Prince Caspian being a darker film then The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. After seeing it, I would have to disagree. Yes, there were more battles, not to mention half of the movie seemed to take place at night, but the storyline wasn't any more sinister than the book. Although some scenes are rather terrifying, the werewolf scene, for example. It wasn't so much that the movie was more scary, but that Narnia itself is a more dangerous place to be. Or perhaps as Trumpkin points out, "Narnia may be a more savage place than you remember."

I found the movie, in it's entirety, to be very much like the book. I just reread it, and I was once again suprised at how many of the movie lines were right out of the book.There were some different battle scenes which did not take place in the book, but I think were good in filling in the places that were cut from the movie or were to vague in the book. I thought that it was very good at capturing the plot and feeling of the book...this isn't the same Narnia we are used too.

I also liked how throughout most of the movie it followed Lucy's views and perspectives. In this way it was very similar to the book, and the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It really lead us to feel the way Lucy does, in response to her siblings, Aslan, and the narnians.

Prince Caspian was setting up for Lucy and Edmund in the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Edmund was really good, completely turned around from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He was very much King Edmund, although he still teased Peter and Susan. I can't wait to see what they do with Edmund and Lucy in the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, not to mention Eustace.

Before the opening night, I was concerned about the addition of a romance between Susan and Caspian. Thankfully I was suprised that it wasn't really as bad as I had expected. In the way it was done it just made Susan look bad, especially because she rather instagated the whole thing. It really seemed to be setting up for her complete denial of Narnia in the later books.

"My sister Susan," answered Peter shortly and gravely, "is no longer a friend of Narnia." "Yes," said Eustace, "and whenever you've tried to get her to come and talk about Narnia or do anything about Narnia, she says, 'What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children.'" "Oh Susan!" said Jill. "She's interested in nothing nowadays except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up." "Grown-up, indeed," said the Lady Polly. "I wish she would grow up. SHe wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can"

- the Last Battle

I also liked how Lucy teased Susan, also preparing for Lucy's jealousy of her sister in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

"Then it changed and Lucy, still beautiful beyond the lot of mortals, was back in England. And Susan (who had always been the beauty of the family) came home from America. The Susan in the picture looked exactly like the real Susan only plainer and with a nasty expression. And Susan was jealous of the dazzling beauty of Lucy, but that didn't matter a bit because no one cared anything about Susan now."

-Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Upon first seeing Susan fight in the battles in Prince Caspian I thought this to be quite different than the book. Especially considering what Father Christmas tells the girls in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. "But battles are ugly when women fight.". Although Lucy fights in battles in the Horse and His boy.

"She's not like Lucy, you know, who's as good as a man, or at any rate as good as a boy. Queen Susan is more like an ordinary grown-up lady. She doesn't ride to the wars, though she is an excellent archer."

-The Horse and His Boy

Though this does seem to contradict itself, and my point about Susan. But we must remember, not only Narnia has changed. Susan is not quite the same "Queen Susan the Gentle". She is much more Susan Pevensie, and besides "The Queen's grace will do as she pleases".

I loved Aslan even more in this one than I did in the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, if that is possible. As Lucy pointed out, he seemed more wonderful. "Every year you grow, I grow". I think as the movies are proggressing we are really getting to see Aslan's character more and more. I especially liked how the points Aslan has made in the book are repeating in the movie. What he tells Lucy, "We never know how things would have happened", for example, is similar to what he tells Aravis and Shasta in The Horse and His Boy.

"Child," said the Lion, "I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own."

-The Horse and His Boy

Aslan aslo made the children, particularly Peter, have to have faith in him, for really the first time. They have never had to wait for Aslan before, once again, "things never happen the same way twice, dear one".

As for Prince Caspian the movie looking like the book felt, I think it was very good.

The casting was of course very good, Prince Caspian was excellent. I really liked how the Telmarines were very unlike any other Narnians we have seen. Out of the four Pevensies, Edmund and Lucy have really grown up, although watching the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe again, so have Peter and Susan, but Ed and Lu have really .... grown in to being Kings and Queens. They are going to be so very good in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

The costumes were lovely, I really liked how most of them had a different style than the costumes from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, they looked more...Telmarine. Even the old Narnians (Trumpkin, Centaurs, and others) looked as if they had been going sort of wild for the past several hundred years.

The "extra" characters were also well played. Trumpkin was at first more sarcastic than I remembered, but upon reading the book again he really wasn't. He aslo helped demonstrate a more savage narnia. As for Reepicheep, Lucy said everything, "Oh my goodness*, He is so cute!", exactly like I had always pictured him in the book. The centaurs were very different than the ones in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, they were much fiercer, and more wild looking. All of the creatures looked as if Aslan had not been there for a long time. As if they had almost forgotten about him.

I really loved what they have done with the Chronicles of Narnia as movies thus far, and I cannot wait to see the rest of them.

"Welcome, Prince," said Aslan. "Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?" "I-I don't think I do, Sir," said Caspian. "I'm only a kid." "Good," said Aslan. "If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not. Therefore, under us and under the Hight King, you shall be King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands."

Rebekah Rose

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Sunday, January 27, 2008

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Posted in Narnian Series

ONCE THERE WERE FOUR CHILDREN.....

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NARNIA... the land beyond the wardrobe door, a secret place frozen in eternal winter... a magical country waiting to be set free.

Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the Professor's mysterious old house. At first, her brothers and sister don't believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter and Susan step through the wardrobe themselves. In Narnia they find a country buried under the evil enchantment of the White Witch. When they meet the Great Lion, Aslan, they realize they've been called to a great adventure and bravely join the battle to free Narnia from the Witch's sinister spell.

-from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S.Lewis

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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is my very favourite book, and I hope to do it justice in this review.

The story is set during WWII England. Four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent from London to a large, old house in the country, "because of the air-raids". While exploring the various nooks and crannies in the house, the youngest, Lucy stumbles across a large, and mysterious-looking wardrobe. Finding it unlocked, she continues further, only to find that there is no back to the Wardrobe. Lucy follows a light coming from an English style lampost when she discovers the magical world of Narnia, which is under a spell of a hundred years winter. There she meets the unsuspecting faun, Mr. Tumnus. Following secret orders given by none other than the wicked White Witch (Jadis), Tumnus invites Lucy to his home for tea. Mr. Tumnus befriends Lucy, letting her return to the Lampost, against the Witch's orders. Lucy excidedly describes Narnia to her siblings, only to discover that the Wardrobe has a solid back once more.

Through a series of events, unbelieving Edmund follows Lucy back into Narnia, where he meets the White Witch, and joins her side. Several days later, Peter and Susan, (who don't know that Edmund has ever been there) stumble upon Narnia, along Lucy and Edmund. Once there, the children discover that they are there to fullfill a prophecy that will save all of Narnia from the Witch. Peter, Susan, and Lucy go on to join Aslan, where as Edmund betrays them and joins Jadis. Edmund is later saved by Aslan's army. Unfortunatley, The White Witch is unwilling to forgive his treachery and demands his life as payment.

Aslan unselfishly saves Edmund by giving his own life as a replacement. Aslan's army, led by Peter, attacks the Witch and her forces. With the help of Aslan, they are victorious and defeat the Witch. The children fulfill the prophecy, and become the Kings and Queens of Narnia. The happy years of their reign are known (in Narnia mind you) as the Golden years.

Many years later they stumble back into England, exactly as they had so many years before found Narnia.

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Character Sketches

Peter: The eldest child in the Pevensie family, Peter is given the unspoken responsibility of protecting his younger siblings, and later Narnia. After slaying the Witch's chief of police, Peter is Knighted 'Sir Peter Wolf's -Bane by Aslan. He becomes High King of Narnia, above his brother and sisters, and 'King Peter the Magnificent'. He is also in, Prince Caspian, and The Last Battle.

"I'm longing to see him even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point."

-Peter Pevensie refering to meeting Aslan

Susan: The oldest girl, in the family, Susan trys to act mature and be "logical" . She generally to look out for her brothers' and sister's welfare, but usually comes acrossed as bossy. Lucy and Susan are the only ones to witness Aslan's death at the round* table. After the conquer of the White Witch and her minions, Susan becomes the beautiful Queen Susan the Gentle of Narnia, along with her brothers and sister. Unfortunately, later in life Susan apparently stops believing in Narnia, and consequently Aslan (Jesus). She is also in The Horse and his Boy, and Prince Caspian.

"Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."

- Susan Pevensie on the brink of meeting Aslan

Edmund: Edmund is the rebellious little brother. He resents his brother for telling him what to do, and basically, for just being older than himself. Edmund likes to "be beastly to anyone smaller than himself", including his younger sister, Lucy. He is the second of the children to enter Narnia (Lucy being first of course), where he joins the Witch's side, out of greed and spite. Edmund is at first afraid of Aslan, and tries to convince himself of the White Witch's innocence and goodness. Upon betraying his family he begins to feel some guilt (mainly because he is treated poorly), as a result, he does not recieve a gift from Father Chrismtas. Edmund eventually realizes his wrong doing, and joins his brother and sisters at Aslan's camp. The Witch will not so easily give up her captive, therefore Aslan gives the ultimate sacrifice for Emund (symbolic of Christ dying for the forgiving of our sins). Hence forth, Edmund becomes a good and faithful follower of Aslan, and from then on, he almost always trusts Lucy. He is crowned 'King Edmund the Just'. He returns in The Horse and his Boy, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Last Battle.

"When I’m King of Narnia the first thing I shall do will be to make decent roads."

- Edmund Pevensie complaining

Lucy: The youngest and most faithful of the Pevensies, Lucy believes in Aslan from the very beginning. She is described as very truthful, happy, and trusting. Lucy, along with her sister Susan, witness Aslan being sacrificed by the White Witch and her army of dark creatures. At the coronation, Lucy becomes "Queen Lucy the Valiant". She reappears in The Horse and his Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Last Battle.

"You are the nicest faun I've ever met."

- Lucy Pevensie to Mr. Tumnus

The White Witch:

"Jadis is the embodiment of all evil. She's the most beautiful woman you'll ever see in your life. The devil dresses up his temptations in beauty, so Jadis also represents that side of Satan's favorite temptations......" — Douglas Gresham

"You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny."

-Jadis, in the Magician's Nephew

"I see you are an idiot, whatever else you may be. Answer me, once and for all, or I shall lose my patience. Are you human?"

-The White Witch, upon meeting Edmund

Aslan:

"Who's Aslan? Why, don't you know? He's the King—the King of the whole wood, and the Son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. He's wild, you know. If there's anyone who can appear before him without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly. He isn't safe... But he is good. He'll often drop in, only you musn't press him to stay. He's not like a tame lion. Yes, Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion."
— The Chronicles of Narnia

* Round table? I meant stone table. I just wrote that to see if you were paying attention. ;)

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Horse and his Boy post coming soon.Thank you for reading.

Love to hear from you,

Rebekah Rose

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Saturday, December 1, 2007

C.S.Lewis

Posted in Narnian Series

C.S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis ,known to his friends as Jack (A beloved dog of his childhood), was born in 1898, and was an strong atheist until he became a Christian when he was about thirty. He wrote several books on his conversion, his life, and Christianity. Some of the most renown are, Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and Surprised by Joy. He also wrote the immensely popular children’s series The Chronicles of Narnia.

Later in life he married a fellow Christian with two sons, Joy Gresham, tragically, she died four years later from cancer. Lewis’ stepsons inherited his estate at his death.

C.S. Lewis remained a strong and faithful Christian for the rest of his life and is highly esteemed in the world of Christian literature.

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This was a short paragraph I wrote for school, and I thought while I'm on the subject of Narnia, I should do a post on C.S.Lewis.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this post, and Narnia in general,

Rebekah Rose

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