Hello! Here is the last part of the Magician's Nephew. Covers chapters 9-15.
Title: The Magician's Nephew
Author: C.S. Lewis
Published: Originally published in 1955, has been re-printed many times over the years. The particular copies I am reviewing are the same ones Dad read to us over the years, they are pretty old and falling apart! :-) (My brother Andrew has a newer copy with all the books in one collected version, however, I am still reading the old ones. :-) ) Anyway, this particular copy is printed from Collier Books in either 1970 or 1978.
Background Information: See other posts on C.S. Lewis and Narnia. The Magician's Nephew is probably my favorite book in the Narnia series, or possibly The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (hee! or I may change my mind after re-reading the series :-) )
The group continues to watch the Lion and eventually the Queen gets angry and argues with Uncle Andrew. She threaten everyone with the lamp post and eventually throws and hits the lion with it. Amazingly, the lamp post doesn't hurt the lion and she "shrieks and runs away." (the lamp post also becomes "alive" i.e. "lit." When the group notices this, Uncle Andrew begins talking and realizing that he feels much younger here and that he could start commercializing. He says at one point:
"I have discovered a world where everything is bursting with life and growth. Columbus, now, they talk about Columbus, But what is America to this? The commercial possibilities of the country are unbounded." (p. 111) He also starts thinking about he can bring iron to Narnia, bury it, and start growing railways, battleships, etc. During the course of his rantings he mentions that it is "the land of youth," Digory gets excited and wonders if he could bring something back for his mother and make her well. He runs off to go talk to the Lion. (also, Digory and Polly are disgusted with Uncle Andrew's commercial plans)
However, when Digory gets close enough, he realizes that there is a meeting going on, and he shouldn't interrupt. The Lion, continues doing various things, and finally he says "Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters." (p. 116) The book says, "The children had long felt sure that he could speak: [the Lion] yet it was a lovely and terrible shock when he did." (p. 117) The animals reply, "Hail, Aslan. We hear and obey. We are awake. We love. We think. We speak. We know." (one animal also pipes up and says) "But, please, we don't know very much yet" (p 117). :-) We also learn that the Cab driver's horse, Strawberry can now speak!
The animals talk and the "first joke" occurs, after awhile, Aslan tells the animals: "Narnia is established. We must next take thought for keeping it safe." he goes on a little more and then says "For though the world is not five hours old and evil has already entered it." (p. 119) Aslan goes off to talk to some other animals, when he leaves, the remaining animals are confused, and they say..."What did he say had entered the world?--A Neevil--What's a Neevil?--No, he didn't say a Neevil, he said a weevil--Well what's that?" (p. 119--120) I love that!
Digory, Polly, and the cab driver then talk to the animals, the animals are very confused at first. :-) The Cab driver and his horse have an interesting discussion. Digory gets impatient to see Aslan (the Lion) and Strawberry gives Digory a ride. Polly and the Cab Driver follow.
Meanwhile, Uncle Andrew is terrified of the animals and missed the part where Aslan gave them speech. Thus, he manages to block out their words, and all he hears when the talk are grunts and growls. Uncle Andrew then runs, the animals are curious and chase him. The animals wonder what he is, could he be a Neevil? They argue about it for awhile and come to the conclusion that he is a tree. :-) So they plant him! (to learn more details about this hilarious event, you can read the book :-) )
Anyway, Digory catches up to Aslan and asks for something to give his mother. Aslan has a discussion with him and learns more about how the Queen i.e. now referred to as the Witch came to Narnia and Digory's involvement. Aslan also speaks to the Cab Driver, this discussion results in bringing the Cab Driver's wife to Narnia and the two of them will become Narnia's first King and Queen. After this discussion is finished, Aslan asks Digory--"Are you ready to undo the wrong that you have done to my sweet country of Narnia on the very day of its birth?" (p. 141) Digory says yes, and more discussion occurs between Aslan and Digory. Mostly about Digory's mother, Narnia, the Witch/Queen and how Digory will undo the wrong.
Aslan tells Digory where he must go and when he gets there he must: "Pluck an apple from that tree and bring it back to me." (p. 143) Aslan, then asks Strawberry if he would like to be a "winged horse." Strawberry agrees and Aslan changes him and Strawberry's name is changed to "Fledge." Fledge takes Polly and Digory to the mountains where the apples are. Before they get there, they stop for the night, and Fledge eats grass and the children realize they are hungry. They don't have any food except for some toffee Polly has. (toffee is candy) Digory and Polly each have 4 pieces and plant the last piece. In the morning the toffee has turned into a "toffee tree" with fruit! They eat that for breakfast. :-) After refreshing themselves they continue on in their journey. They arrive at the destination and Digory goes on alone to get the apple, before he enters he sees a sign that says:
"Come in by the gold gates or not at all,
Take of my fruit for others or forbear.
For those who steal or those who climb my wall
Shall find their heart's desire and find despair." (p. 157)
Digory finds the tree, and the apples are silver, he is tempted to take one for himself, however he resists, and Lewis notes: "But I think Digory would not have taken an apple for himself in any case. Things like Do not Steal were, I think, hammered into boys' heads a good deal harder in those days than they are now. Still, we can never be certain." (p. 159) (if he wrote that in the 1950s--what would he say now?!)
As Digory is about to head back he sees the Witch and she is eating the apples. Digory remembers the sign, and even though the Witch looked stronger and, "...in a way, triumphant: but her face was deadly white, white as salt." (p. 160) Digory runs to avoid her and catches up to the others. Before they can leave the Witch catches up them and begins trying to tempt Digory to eat the apple and have eternal life/youth. He remembers his promise, and how is mother taught him the importance of promises, and resists. Digory says: "I don't know that I care much about living on and on after everyone I know is dead. I'd rather live an ordinary time and die and go to Heaven." (p. 161) The Witch then tries a different tactic. She tells Digory that he should take an apple to his mother, and that he is not a very good son if he doesn't. This bothers Digory a lot, and is considering it until the Witch begins talking about how no one would ever know and that he could leave Polly behind. This gets Digory's attention, and disgust and he says no, and Digory, Polly, and Fledge leave.
The three of them return to Aslan and the other Narnia Animals, Aslan tells Digory: "Well done, Son of Adam. For this fruit you have hungered and thirsted and wept. No hand but yours shall show the seed of the Tree that is to be the protection of Narnia." (p. 166)
The tree is planted, then the new King and Queen are crowned. We learn more about Uncle Andrew and the "adventure" he had with animals.
The tree has now grown at an amazing speed and we learn that because the Witch ate an apple, Aslan says that "all the rest are now a horror to her. That is what happens to those who pluck and eats fruits ant the wrong time and in the wrong way. The fruit is good, but they loathe it ever after." (p. 174) Aslan then gives Digory an apple from the newly planted tree, and since this is different, and given in the "right way" this apple will heal his mother.
The last chapter!
Aslan returns Polly, Digory, and Uncle Andrew back to their world (without the use of the Rings). Before they go Aslan tells them that the pools that originally got them to Narnia are now gone. Aslan sends them back, and when they arrive they realize hardly any time has past in their world! Digory goes immediately to his mother and feeds her the apple, his mother health is restored and Digory plants the core of the apple in the yard. Polly and Digory go to bury the rings next to the core of the apple, however in the night, the apple core had already started to grown into a tree! They still bury the rings very close to the tree.
The last few pages go on about the "happy ending" and how everything works out. Digory's father returns and they all move back to the country. Polly and Digory remain friends, and later Digory becomes a Professor and we learn more about him in another book. Years later, the apple tree that Digory planted gets blown down in a storm. The books has this to say on the second the last page:
(Digory in regards to the special apple tree)
"He couldn't bear to have it simply chopped up for firewood, so he had part of the timber made into a wardrobe, which he put in his big house in the country. And though he himself did not discover the magic properties of that wardrobe, someone else did. That was the beginning of all the comings and going between Narnia and our world, which you can read of in other books." (p.185)
I hope you enjoyed this review! I had a lot of fun re-reading and trying to summarize it for you. :-) Look for discussion questions soon!
Title: The Magician's Nephew
Author: C.S. Lewis
Published: Originally published in 1955, has been re-printed many times over the years. The particular copies I am reviewing are the same ones Dad read to us over the years, they are pretty old and falling apart! :-) (My brother Andrew has a newer copy with all the books in one collected version, however, I am still reading the old ones. :-) ) Anyway, this particular copy is printed from Collier Books in either 1970 or 1978.
Background Information: See other posts on C.S. Lewis and Narnia. The Magician's Nephew is probably my favorite book in the Narnia series, or possibly The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (hee! or I may change my mind after re-reading the series :-) )
The group continues to watch the Lion and eventually the Queen gets angry and argues with Uncle Andrew. She threaten everyone with the lamp post and eventually throws and hits the lion with it. Amazingly, the lamp post doesn't hurt the lion and she "shrieks and runs away." (the lamp post also becomes "alive" i.e. "lit." When the group notices this, Uncle Andrew begins talking and realizing that he feels much younger here and that he could start commercializing. He says at one point:
"I have discovered a world where everything is bursting with life and growth. Columbus, now, they talk about Columbus, But what is America to this? The commercial possibilities of the country are unbounded." (p. 111) He also starts thinking about he can bring iron to Narnia, bury it, and start growing railways, battleships, etc. During the course of his rantings he mentions that it is "the land of youth," Digory gets excited and wonders if he could bring something back for his mother and make her well. He runs off to go talk to the Lion. (also, Digory and Polly are disgusted with Uncle Andrew's commercial plans)
However, when Digory gets close enough, he realizes that there is a meeting going on, and he shouldn't interrupt. The Lion, continues doing various things, and finally he says "Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters." (p. 116) The book says, "The children had long felt sure that he could speak: [the Lion] yet it was a lovely and terrible shock when he did." (p. 117) The animals reply, "Hail, Aslan. We hear and obey. We are awake. We love. We think. We speak. We know." (one animal also pipes up and says) "But, please, we don't know very much yet" (p 117). :-) We also learn that the Cab driver's horse, Strawberry can now speak!
The animals talk and the "first joke" occurs, after awhile, Aslan tells the animals: "Narnia is established. We must next take thought for keeping it safe." he goes on a little more and then says "For though the world is not five hours old and evil has already entered it." (p. 119) Aslan goes off to talk to some other animals, when he leaves, the remaining animals are confused, and they say..."What did he say had entered the world?--A Neevil--What's a Neevil?--No, he didn't say a Neevil, he said a weevil--Well what's that?" (p. 119--120) I love that!
Digory, Polly, and the cab driver then talk to the animals, the animals are very confused at first. :-) The Cab driver and his horse have an interesting discussion. Digory gets impatient to see Aslan (the Lion) and Strawberry gives Digory a ride. Polly and the Cab Driver follow.
Meanwhile, Uncle Andrew is terrified of the animals and missed the part where Aslan gave them speech. Thus, he manages to block out their words, and all he hears when the talk are grunts and growls. Uncle Andrew then runs, the animals are curious and chase him. The animals wonder what he is, could he be a Neevil? They argue about it for awhile and come to the conclusion that he is a tree. :-) So they plant him! (to learn more details about this hilarious event, you can read the book :-) )
Anyway, Digory catches up to Aslan and asks for something to give his mother. Aslan has a discussion with him and learns more about how the Queen i.e. now referred to as the Witch came to Narnia and Digory's involvement. Aslan also speaks to the Cab Driver, this discussion results in bringing the Cab Driver's wife to Narnia and the two of them will become Narnia's first King and Queen. After this discussion is finished, Aslan asks Digory--"Are you ready to undo the wrong that you have done to my sweet country of Narnia on the very day of its birth?" (p. 141) Digory says yes, and more discussion occurs between Aslan and Digory. Mostly about Digory's mother, Narnia, the Witch/Queen and how Digory will undo the wrong.
Aslan tells Digory where he must go and when he gets there he must: "Pluck an apple from that tree and bring it back to me." (p. 143) Aslan, then asks Strawberry if he would like to be a "winged horse." Strawberry agrees and Aslan changes him and Strawberry's name is changed to "Fledge." Fledge takes Polly and Digory to the mountains where the apples are. Before they get there, they stop for the night, and Fledge eats grass and the children realize they are hungry. They don't have any food except for some toffee Polly has. (toffee is candy) Digory and Polly each have 4 pieces and plant the last piece. In the morning the toffee has turned into a "toffee tree" with fruit! They eat that for breakfast. :-) After refreshing themselves they continue on in their journey. They arrive at the destination and Digory goes on alone to get the apple, before he enters he sees a sign that says:
"Come in by the gold gates or not at all,
Take of my fruit for others or forbear.
For those who steal or those who climb my wall
Shall find their heart's desire and find despair." (p. 157)
Digory finds the tree, and the apples are silver, he is tempted to take one for himself, however he resists, and Lewis notes: "But I think Digory would not have taken an apple for himself in any case. Things like Do not Steal were, I think, hammered into boys' heads a good deal harder in those days than they are now. Still, we can never be certain." (p. 159) (if he wrote that in the 1950s--what would he say now?!)
As Digory is about to head back he sees the Witch and she is eating the apples. Digory remembers the sign, and even though the Witch looked stronger and, "...in a way, triumphant: but her face was deadly white, white as salt." (p. 160) Digory runs to avoid her and catches up to the others. Before they can leave the Witch catches up them and begins trying to tempt Digory to eat the apple and have eternal life/youth. He remembers his promise, and how is mother taught him the importance of promises, and resists. Digory says: "I don't know that I care much about living on and on after everyone I know is dead. I'd rather live an ordinary time and die and go to Heaven." (p. 161) The Witch then tries a different tactic. She tells Digory that he should take an apple to his mother, and that he is not a very good son if he doesn't. This bothers Digory a lot, and is considering it until the Witch begins talking about how no one would ever know and that he could leave Polly behind. This gets Digory's attention, and disgust and he says no, and Digory, Polly, and Fledge leave.
The three of them return to Aslan and the other Narnia Animals, Aslan tells Digory: "Well done, Son of Adam. For this fruit you have hungered and thirsted and wept. No hand but yours shall show the seed of the Tree that is to be the protection of Narnia." (p. 166)
The tree is planted, then the new King and Queen are crowned. We learn more about Uncle Andrew and the "adventure" he had with animals.
The tree has now grown at an amazing speed and we learn that because the Witch ate an apple, Aslan says that "all the rest are now a horror to her. That is what happens to those who pluck and eats fruits ant the wrong time and in the wrong way. The fruit is good, but they loathe it ever after." (p. 174) Aslan then gives Digory an apple from the newly planted tree, and since this is different, and given in the "right way" this apple will heal his mother.
The last chapter!
Aslan returns Polly, Digory, and Uncle Andrew back to their world (without the use of the Rings). Before they go Aslan tells them that the pools that originally got them to Narnia are now gone. Aslan sends them back, and when they arrive they realize hardly any time has past in their world! Digory goes immediately to his mother and feeds her the apple, his mother health is restored and Digory plants the core of the apple in the yard. Polly and Digory go to bury the rings next to the core of the apple, however in the night, the apple core had already started to grown into a tree! They still bury the rings very close to the tree.
The last few pages go on about the "happy ending" and how everything works out. Digory's father returns and they all move back to the country. Polly and Digory remain friends, and later Digory becomes a Professor and we learn more about him in another book. Years later, the apple tree that Digory planted gets blown down in a storm. The books has this to say on the second the last page:
(Digory in regards to the special apple tree)
"He couldn't bear to have it simply chopped up for firewood, so he had part of the timber made into a wardrobe, which he put in his big house in the country. And though he himself did not discover the magic properties of that wardrobe, someone else did. That was the beginning of all the comings and going between Narnia and our world, which you can read of in other books." (p.185)
I hope you enjoyed this review! I had a lot of fun re-reading and trying to summarize it for you. :-) Look for discussion questions soon!
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