I didn't read the Chronicles of Narnia until I was a grown-up, and I fell in love with it.
I've even written some fan fiction and posted it at my FEEDBOOKS site.
Here are some questions that many readers ask:
__________________________________
QUESTION #1: Who Is Aslan - Really...?
C. S. Lewis once answered this question in a letter to a child:
"As to Aslan's other name, well I want you to guess. Has there never been anyone in this world who
arrived at the same time as Father Christmas, said he was the son of the Great Emperor, gave
himself for someone else's fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people, came to life again, and
is sometimes spoken of as a Lamb (see the end of the Dawn Treader). Don't you really know His
name in this world? Think about it and let me know your answer!" (Paul Ford, COMPANION TO
NARNIA (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 2005) pg 5)
I don't think Mr. Lewis could have been any more plain than that!
I've recently read an internet blog from a young woman in Japan who has been a baptized follower of
- ahh - of Aslan for some time. She took her mother to see the new motion picture Voyage of the
Dawn Treader, and the end touched her mother's heart - Aslan tells Lucy that it's time for her to know
Him by the name He goes by in her world and assures Lucy that He is always watching. Her mother
told her that of all the gods in the world there is only one who promises to always be watching and
caring over us. Mother and Daughter are now both baptized followers of - ah - Aslan.
__________________________________________________________
QUESTION #2: In What Order Should I Read the Chronicles of Narnia?
The first time you read the Chronicles of Narnia, you should read them in the order in which C. S.
Lewis wrote and published them:
1950 ... The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
1951 ... Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
1952 ... The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
1953 ... The Silver Chair
1954 ... The Horse and His Boy
1955 ... The Magician's Nephew
1956 ... The Last Battle
Reading in this order gives the reader the chance to learn about Narnia and Aslan in the same order C.
S. Lewis first developed and introduced it; the readers' knowledge and understanding unfolding the
way C. S. Lewis first discovered and reported it.
The second time you read the Chronicles, however, try reading them in chronological order so you can
get a feel for the flow of history:
Narnia Year 1 ... The Magician's Nephew
1000-1015 ... The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
1014 ... The Horse and His Boy
2303 ... Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
2306 ... The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
2356 ... The Silver Chair
2555 ... The Last Battle
After that, you decide which way you enjoy reading them, and read them in that order!
I myself alternate between the published order and the chronological order.
_____________________________________________________
QUESTION #3: Has Someone made a CHRONOLOGY CHART?
____________________________________________________
QUESTION #4: Was C. S. Lewis a Sexist and a Racist?
No - and HERE'S WHY.
____________________________________________________________
QUESTION #5: Why did C.S. Lewis put pagan gods in Christian literature?
We must remember that C.S. Lewis was writing fantasy, not scripture. Fantasy always has a variety of
creatures and characters that children of all ages can identify with and enjoy. Greek and Roman
mythology is full of 'spirits' that represent every facet of daily life and Nature, and the mythological
'gods' were nothing more than 'chief spirits'.
Mr. Lewis explained "that it is only in God's name that the spirits of nature can rule their domains
with 'beauty and security.' Without God, they would disappear or 'become demons.'" (Paul Ford,
COMPANION TO NARNIA (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2005) pg 228-229)
It's important to note that all the mythological beings in Narnia showed obedience and subservience to
Aslan. Without specifically stating it, C.S. Lewis taught that all of Nature and daily life was subject to
and served that one Great Being, thus putting all of Mankind's mythology and its myriad of spirits and
'gods' in its rightful place: in obedience to that God which Mankind did not create but was created by
Him. Children of all ages can learn from this!
______________________________________
QUESTION #6: Are there stories left to write?
Please go to my FEEDBOOK SITE to read my Narnia novels - I've found a few places in Narnia
history to tell some good stories..
Mr. Lewis replied to letters written to him by children, and he often encouraged them to write the
stories they were asking him to write. An example is a letter he wrote in 1962:
"Why not write stories for yourself to fill up the gaps in Narnian history? I've left you plenty of hints
- especially where Lucy and the unicorn are talking in 'The Last Battle'. I feel I have done all I can!"
(Paul Ford, COMPANION TO NARNIA (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 2005) pg 443)
It was reading this quote that convinced me to finally write the Narnia stories that have been trapped in
my head since I first read the Chronicles of Narnia.
Having said this, I'm sure HarperCollins Publishers would appreciate it if I mentioned that they alone
have English-language publishing rights for Mr. Lewis' works, including the Chronicles of Narnia - to
include the whole Narnia world, characters, and concept. Stick with writing fan fiction and you'll be
safe. They make great gifts for the grandchildren.
Every time I read the Chronicles of Narnia, I find something new that needs a story, so there is plenty
there to write about.
Go to an internet search engine and type in "Narnia fan fiction" and see how many other people have
found Narnia stories to tell. But be warned: a lot of them are not of the same moral and spiritual
caliber as C. S. Lewis' writing!
Here are some of the untold Narnia stories I see just in C. S. Lewis' writings:
QUESTION #7: Are there other books by C. S. Lewis I ought to read?
If you appreciate the use of fable and allegory that C. S. Lewis and John Bunyan share, there are at
least two more C. S. Lewis books you need to read. THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, 1942, are
supposedly letters between an underling demon to his 'exalted' uncle on what to do and what not to do
to ensure the human he's assigned to is kept back from admittance into the Heavenly Realms. In THE
GREAT DIVORCE, 1946, one boards a bus that leaves an allegorical Hell and is bound for Heaven.
Before reaching it, however, most people disembark, not willing to give up - divorce themselves from -
some little treasure or baggage that will keep them from entering Heaven. Both these books are a must-
read.
_______________________________________________________
Here are some Narnia and C.S. Lewis-related websites:
http://www.narniaweb.com ...good place for up-to-date new on the movies
http://www.narniafans.com ... news for all things Narnia and C. S. Lewis
Narnia wikpedia ... electronic enclycopedia
Paul F. Ford's C.S. Lewis site ... a scholarly view of Lewis and Narnia
Into the Wardrobe ... good site
C.S. Lewis Foundation ... "living the legacy" of the man
Harper Collins site ... the publisher who owns the rights to the man's works
I've even written some fan fiction and posted it at my FEEDBOOKS site.
Here are some questions that many readers ask:
__________________________________
QUESTION #1: Who Is Aslan - Really...?
C. S. Lewis once answered this question in a letter to a child:
"As to Aslan's other name, well I want you to guess. Has there never been anyone in this world who
arrived at the same time as Father Christmas, said he was the son of the Great Emperor, gave
himself for someone else's fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people, came to life again, and
is sometimes spoken of as a Lamb (see the end of the Dawn Treader). Don't you really know His
name in this world? Think about it and let me know your answer!" (Paul Ford, COMPANION TO
NARNIA (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 2005) pg 5)
I don't think Mr. Lewis could have been any more plain than that!
I've recently read an internet blog from a young woman in Japan who has been a baptized follower of
- ahh - of Aslan for some time. She took her mother to see the new motion picture Voyage of the
Dawn Treader, and the end touched her mother's heart - Aslan tells Lucy that it's time for her to know
Him by the name He goes by in her world and assures Lucy that He is always watching. Her mother
told her that of all the gods in the world there is only one who promises to always be watching and
caring over us. Mother and Daughter are now both baptized followers of - ah - Aslan.
__________________________________________________________
QUESTION #2: In What Order Should I Read the Chronicles of Narnia?
The first time you read the Chronicles of Narnia, you should read them in the order in which C. S.
Lewis wrote and published them:
1950 ... The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
1951 ... Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
1952 ... The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
1953 ... The Silver Chair
1954 ... The Horse and His Boy
1955 ... The Magician's Nephew
1956 ... The Last Battle
Reading in this order gives the reader the chance to learn about Narnia and Aslan in the same order C.
S. Lewis first developed and introduced it; the readers' knowledge and understanding unfolding the
way C. S. Lewis first discovered and reported it.
The second time you read the Chronicles, however, try reading them in chronological order so you can
get a feel for the flow of history:
Narnia Year 1 ... The Magician's Nephew
1000-1015 ... The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
1014 ... The Horse and His Boy
2303 ... Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
2306 ... The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
2356 ... The Silver Chair
2555 ... The Last Battle
After that, you decide which way you enjoy reading them, and read them in that order!
I myself alternate between the published order and the chronological order.
_____________________________________________________
QUESTION #3: Has Someone made a CHRONOLOGY CHART?
____________________________________________________
QUESTION #4: Was C. S. Lewis a Sexist and a Racist?
No - and HERE'S WHY.
____________________________________________________________
QUESTION #5: Why did C.S. Lewis put pagan gods in Christian literature?
We must remember that C.S. Lewis was writing fantasy, not scripture. Fantasy always has a variety of
creatures and characters that children of all ages can identify with and enjoy. Greek and Roman
mythology is full of 'spirits' that represent every facet of daily life and Nature, and the mythological
'gods' were nothing more than 'chief spirits'.
Mr. Lewis explained "that it is only in God's name that the spirits of nature can rule their domains
with 'beauty and security.' Without God, they would disappear or 'become demons.'" (Paul Ford,
COMPANION TO NARNIA (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2005) pg 228-229)
It's important to note that all the mythological beings in Narnia showed obedience and subservience to
Aslan. Without specifically stating it, C.S. Lewis taught that all of Nature and daily life was subject to
and served that one Great Being, thus putting all of Mankind's mythology and its myriad of spirits and
'gods' in its rightful place: in obedience to that God which Mankind did not create but was created by
Him. Children of all ages can learn from this!
______________________________________
QUESTION #6: Are there stories left to write?
Please go to my FEEDBOOK SITE to read my Narnia novels - I've found a few places in Narnia
history to tell some good stories..
Mr. Lewis replied to letters written to him by children, and he often encouraged them to write the
stories they were asking him to write. An example is a letter he wrote in 1962:
"Why not write stories for yourself to fill up the gaps in Narnian history? I've left you plenty of hints
- especially where Lucy and the unicorn are talking in 'The Last Battle'. I feel I have done all I can!"
(Paul Ford, COMPANION TO NARNIA (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 2005) pg 443)
It was reading this quote that convinced me to finally write the Narnia stories that have been trapped in
my head since I first read the Chronicles of Narnia.
Having said this, I'm sure HarperCollins Publishers would appreciate it if I mentioned that they alone
have English-language publishing rights for Mr. Lewis' works, including the Chronicles of Narnia - to
include the whole Narnia world, characters, and concept. Stick with writing fan fiction and you'll be
safe. They make great gifts for the grandchildren.
Every time I read the Chronicles of Narnia, I find something new that needs a story, so there is plenty
there to write about.
Go to an internet search engine and type in "Narnia fan fiction" and see how many other people have
found Narnia stories to tell. But be warned: a lot of them are not of the same moral and spiritual
caliber as C. S. Lewis' writing!
Here are some of the untold Narnia stories I see just in C. S. Lewis' writings:
- C. S. Lewis hints that Professor Kirke's manor has a mysterious past, much of which he doesn't
even know. Is any of it Narnia-related...? - What happened to the small chest Uncle Andrew inherited from his godmother? Was there
unused dust in it? What else was in it? - What happened to Susan following the railway accident that took her family?
- What happened to the rings Peter and Edmund were carrying in "The Last Battle" - did Susan
inherit them and what did she do with them? - Who built Cair Paravel and when?
- Are Telmarines the survivors of the HMS Bounty who were never found?
- How was Calorman founded?
- How was Archenland founded?
- What role do talking Beasts play in Archenland?
- The Hermit in Archenland – what's his story?
- All of the islands in the Eastern Sea have to have interesting histories.
- A book on the voyage of the Seven Nobles would be interesting.
- Is the Green Witch a daughter of the White Witch? If so, who's the father? Are their more
daughter witches in the North and what are their colors? - What about the war against the giants led by King Peter?
- What about Caspian X's war against the giants?
- What about Caspian I's invasion of Narnia?
- What does the deposed Governor Gumpas and the slaver Pug do when Caspian X puts both of
them out of business while visiting Narrowhaven on the Dawn Treader? - Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy reigned for 15 years! We know they sailed the sea and fought
a war against giants; what did they do with the rest of those 15 years...?
QUESTION #7: Are there other books by C. S. Lewis I ought to read?
If you appreciate the use of fable and allegory that C. S. Lewis and John Bunyan share, there are at
least two more C. S. Lewis books you need to read. THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, 1942, are
supposedly letters between an underling demon to his 'exalted' uncle on what to do and what not to do
to ensure the human he's assigned to is kept back from admittance into the Heavenly Realms. In THE
GREAT DIVORCE, 1946, one boards a bus that leaves an allegorical Hell and is bound for Heaven.
Before reaching it, however, most people disembark, not willing to give up - divorce themselves from -
some little treasure or baggage that will keep them from entering Heaven. Both these books are a must-
read.
_______________________________________________________
Here are some Narnia and C.S. Lewis-related websites:
http://www.narniaweb.com ...good place for up-to-date new on the movies
http://www.narniafans.com ... news for all things Narnia and C. S. Lewis
Narnia wikpedia ... electronic enclycopedia
Paul F. Ford's C.S. Lewis site ... a scholarly view of Lewis and Narnia
Into the Wardrobe ... good site
C.S. Lewis Foundation ... "living the legacy" of the man
Harper Collins site ... the publisher who owns the rights to the man's works
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| Questions about C. S. Lewis' World of Narnia |