Oh, I love your point about the Golden Age mysteries! Never thought of it that way before.
This is one of my least favorite of all the Narnia books, for similar reasons, and also because all of the unsubtle, overt moral lesson-giving. (Though, to be fair, likely at least one bit of that lesson-giving — the part where Aslan explains why a friend might have said mean things behind one's back, out of fear — did make a deep impression when I first read it as a child.)
Reepicheep (sp?) is splendid in this one, however. Such a wonderful portrayal of gallantry and a genuinely curious mind.
I never liked this one much, I think maybe because I don't like the "dreadful child being brought to see the error of his ways" plotline. I prefer the books with a bunch or pair of children, all with strengths and weaknesses, working together with a lot of squabbling for a common end, rather than some unnaturally superior children (Edmund and Lucy) reforming a truly ghastly one (Eustace). I do love the Dufflepuds and the Magician's book though.
I think the 'fat foreign children' are in the Soviet Union or possibly Mao's China. Eustace's parents are Lefties of some kind, Socialists or even Marxist and by inference Atheist too. Eustace has been educated at a liberal AS Neil type Free School. I do find find the political prejudice in the portrayal of Eustace a bit creepy though it's possible to ignore it and enjoy the story anyway.
That whole first paragraph where his parents are dismissed as liberal, vegetarian, teetotal and so on is tiresome but I agree that it doesn't ultimately detract from the story. CS Lewis has it in for schools of all kinds across the sequence but it's pretty clear in Surprised by Joy that much of his school days were miserable so it's not really a surprising bit of editorial.
Edward Eager does this in Half Magic, too. He even adds that the nasty father can read Sanskrit, as another sign of what is wrong with him. I hated that, growing up as a vegetarian, etc kid, and had to climb over that rock every time I reread it, which was often because I loved the book otherwise.
Catching part of the television adaptation of this book sent me in search of the book itself, which I very much enjoyed after goodness knows how many years. Your thoughtful essay adds another dimension. Thank you, Shelly. 😊
Oh, I love your point about the Golden Age mysteries! Never thought of it that way before.
This is one of my least favorite of all the Narnia books, for similar reasons, and also because all of the unsubtle, overt moral lesson-giving. (Though, to be fair, likely at least one bit of that lesson-giving — the part where Aslan explains why a friend might have said mean things behind one's back, out of fear — did make a deep impression when I first read it as a child.)
Reepicheep (sp?) is splendid in this one, however. Such a wonderful portrayal of gallantry and a genuinely curious mind.
Reepicheep is a wonderful character!
I never liked this one much, I think maybe because I don't like the "dreadful child being brought to see the error of his ways" plotline. I prefer the books with a bunch or pair of children, all with strengths and weaknesses, working together with a lot of squabbling for a common end, rather than some unnaturally superior children (Edmund and Lucy) reforming a truly ghastly one (Eustace). I do love the Dufflepuds and the Magician's book though.
I agree with that assessment! I was expecting to really enjoy this one but it fell a bit flat and I wonder if that's part of the reason why.
I think the 'fat foreign children' are in the Soviet Union or possibly Mao's China. Eustace's parents are Lefties of some kind, Socialists or even Marxist and by inference Atheist too. Eustace has been educated at a liberal AS Neil type Free School. I do find find the political prejudice in the portrayal of Eustace a bit creepy though it's possible to ignore it and enjoy the story anyway.
That whole first paragraph where his parents are dismissed as liberal, vegetarian, teetotal and so on is tiresome but I agree that it doesn't ultimately detract from the story. CS Lewis has it in for schools of all kinds across the sequence but it's pretty clear in Surprised by Joy that much of his school days were miserable so it's not really a surprising bit of editorial.
Edward Eager does this in Half Magic, too. He even adds that the nasty father can read Sanskrit, as another sign of what is wrong with him. I hated that, growing up as a vegetarian, etc kid, and had to climb over that rock every time I reread it, which was often because I loved the book otherwise.
Catching part of the television adaptation of this book sent me in search of the book itself, which I very much enjoyed after goodness knows how many years. Your thoughtful essay adds another dimension. Thank you, Shelly. 😊
That's lovely to hear - thank you.