“Prince Caspian” by C.S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes
Harper/Collins Publishing, New York, 1951, 238 pages, grades 5-7.
In the late 1940s to mid-1950s, C.S. Lewis wrote one of the most inspiring series of Christian fantasy ever produced. It is known as the Narnia Chronicles. A number of the books have been made into movies. These movies have been very well received by the public.
The central character in the books is Aslan, the magnificent, redeeming lion. Though the series is sometimes numbered differently, the fourth book, Prince Caspian, has the four central characters again returning to Narnia to fight the forces of evil that are overwhelming the country. There, they meet the deposed Prince Caspian and assist him in the struggle to regain the throne.
The book starts out with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy sitting at a railroad station getting ready to go back to school. Suddenly, they are tugged through time to an island near Narnia. It has only been a year since they had been pulled back to England, after having defeated the White Witch and become the rulers of Narnia.
Soon they save a dwarf named Trumpkin from being executed by King Miraz’s lackeys. Miraz, having murdered his brother, King Caspian, now rules Narnia, with a cold and calculating hand. The four children and Trumpkin walk to their old imperial palace at Cair Paravel and find it in ruins. This helps them see that hundreds of Narnian years have passed since their reign.
As the children try to understand what has happened, the childless King Miraz hires Dr. Cornelius to become the tutor for his nephew, Prince Caspian. Cornelius is half human and half dwarf and knows the history of Narnia, including the reigns of the four children.
While Miraz tolerates his successor, Prince Caspian, this changes when the queen gives birth to a son. Now Miraz plans to kill Prince Caspian. With his life in danger, the young prince flees into the forest, hotly pursued by Miraz’s henchmen.
The children learn of these terrible events and try to join the embattled Prince. As they attempt the journey, they realize they can’t do this on their own. Lucy, always the most sensitive of the four, wakes in the night and senses the presence of holiness. She knows it is Aslan, the ruler of the world. She looks for the beautiful lion and tries to rouse the others to follow her. But they think Lucy is making this up. They follow their own wills and problems begin.
Eventually, they drink in the fragrance of Aslan and allow him to lead them. A number of exciting adventures follow.
What happens during this clash of good and evil? Does Prince Caspian regain his throne? What happens to those practicing evil like King Miraz? Why is it so important to surround yourself with good thoughts and intentions? How does love conquer hate? Why is all of this not possible without the magnificent assistance of Aslan? Who does Aslan represent? To find out, go to the library and read this fine work, “Prince Caspian” by C.S. Lewis.
C.S. Lewis was a professor at Cambridge and Oxford. His close friend J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” did not like the Narnia Chronicles. Lewis and Tolkien disagreed over the value of allegory in fiction. In allegory, a writer will create a fictional character or animal to symbolize the truth of the human condition. Tolkien did not favor allegory, whereas Lewis utilized it.
Fortunately, Lewis disregarded Tolkien’s advice and published the books. Ever since their publication, the Narnia Chronicles have been favorites of children worldwide. I hope you get a chance to read this excellent story. It will make you want to run into Aslan’s embrace. Enjoy!
