EFL Movie Study Guide for:
Narnia: Lion, Witch & Wardrobe
Full title: The
Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
狮王,女巫,衣橱
Story:
Four British children
(Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie) go to the countryside to escape
World War 2 bombing. There, they magically travel to Narnia, a land full
of enchantment, epic
battles and talking
animals—including centaurs (half man/horse) and fauns (half man/goat) from
Greek mythology. Jadis, the White Witch, has made it “always winter but
never Christmas,” and she entices one of the siblings to
join her side, even though it means betraying his brother and
sisters. The ancient laws of Narnia say that whenever someone is
treacherous his blood becomes the witch’s property (i.e., she gets to
kill him on the Stone Table). Aslan, the rightful king of Narnia, chooses
to give his own life to save the life of the treacherous boy. After that,
the children lead the “good” creatures of Narnia in a fight against the
Witch and her followers. The story is based on the beloved tale by Oxford
University professor C.S. Lewis; his seven-book series has sold over 85
million copies (in 29 languages) since the 1950s. (The Disney version is
about 2 hours; fantasy/adventure, Oscar in 2006)
Setting:
starts and ends in England, during World War 2, but most of the action
takes place in a magical land called Narnia
People and proper nouns:
Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—the four main characters, from
oldest to youngest
Aslan—the oversized Lion who is “Lord of Narnia” and “son of the great
Emperor”
The White Witch (Jadis)—formerly “the Emperor’s hangman” and now calls
herself queen of Narnia
Nouns/verbs
(vocabulary):
to betray（出卖，背叛):
[vt] to bring harm or be disloyal to someone who trusts you (your family,
country, co-workers, etc.), often by helping an enemy
bow (弓?):
a pre-gun weapon that fired arrows (矢)
with the help of a bent piece of wood and tight string
centaur: a brave creature that is half man
and half horse (from Greek mythology)
dagger: a small knife
dryad: a female “tree spirit” (from Greek
mythology)
dwarf: a person (in legends and fairy
tales) who looks like a small man (in many stories, these people work
underground, as miners)
to entice (勾引):
to persuade a person or animal to do sth by offering something they want
(like offering a bone to a dog)
extinct: a plant or animal (like dinosaurs)
that no longer exists
fantasy（幻想):
[c, fantasies] a type of story based on imagination, featuring
magic or unusual worlds, creatures, experiences, etc.
faun: a creature that is half man half goat
(from Greek mythology)
to fraternize: to be friendly with an enemy
(i.e., with someone your leaders think of as an enemy)
gonna: oral English, meaning "going to"
(you should never write the word "gonna" because it is not really a word)
gryphon/griffin: a mythical animal with a
lion’s body and an eagle’s wings and head
hide and seek: a children’s game, where
several children hide and one tried to find them; the last one “found”
wins
horn: an instrument (originally made from
an animal’s horn) used to warn others (esp. an army) or to play music
huge: extremely large
logically: in a well-reasoned way that
shows clear thinking and judgment
lullaby (lullabies): a song sung at
bedtime, to try to help children go to sleep
minotaur: an animal (in legends and fairy
tales) that is half bull and half man, and that eats people
to patronize: to talk to sb as if they are
stupid when they are not (often when pretending to show respect)
prophecy: a saying that tells of events
(revealed by God or a spirit of some kind) that will come true in the
future
sacrifice（牺牲，献身):
[n(c&u] & vti] to give up your desires, safety, or even your own life in
order to help others (such as by putting yourself between them and harm)
sarcastically: saying things that are the
opposite of what you mean, in order to make an unkind joke or to show that
you are annoyed
shield (盾?):
a strong, flat piece of metal or wood, used to protect a soldier from
others’ swords or arrows
sibling: brother or sister, or descendant
of a common ancestor. In Narnia, Peter and his siblings are also called
“sons of Adam and daughters of Eve,” and Narnia had an old prophesy (预言)
that four human siblings would come someday to bring peace and justice
back to Narnia.
sword (剑?):
a long, sharp knife-like weapon
treacherous (背叛朋友):
dangerous because you think you can trust it/him but really you cannot
treason: the crime of being disloyal to
your country or its government
traitors (叛徒?):
someone who acts in a disloyal way, especially if disloyal to his
government or other leaders (which is called treason)
Turkish delight: an expensive type of candy
(see dialog 9)
wardrobe: a piece of furniture used to hang
clothes in (esp jackets, coats, long dresses, and suits)
“Try me.”: Tell me, even if you think I
won’t believe you. I want to hear about it.
“You haven’t got it in you.”: You are not
brave, strong, smart (etc.) enough to do this
Sentences/dialogs from the movie:
(see below the “discussion” section)
Main discussion Questions:
1. Peter and Susan were surprised when the
professor believed Lucy’s story. What reasons did he give?
(see dialog 10). Have you ever heard something you felt was too
hard to believe—but it was true? Tell us about it. To what extent does
what you DO (your character) affect the way people react to what you SAY?
2. Father Christmas gave gifts to the
children in preparation for a battle--because he knew they would soon need
them! What would you want him to give you?
That is, what do you think you need to be better prepared to face the
challenges ahead in your life?
3. What was supposed to happen to Edmund
according to “the deep magic” regarding
traitors? (See dialog 26) We don’t know why the witch was “the
Emperor’s executioner,” but we agree that society needs rules, and needs
someone who enforces those rules. But—like Edmund—we are not normally
punished for all of our mistakes, poor judgments, and other “sins.” If
someone else—like Aslan—willingly took your punishment so you could
“go free,” how would that change your life? Talk about how it changed
Edmund.
4. Let’s talk about Aslan. What are some of
Aslan’s traits that you like the most? Is there anything about Aslan’s
actions or personality that surprised you? What did Aslan do that you
liked the most? Does he remind you of anyone (who you know, or from
history)?
5. Many people think that “the Kingdom of
Heaven” is like Narnia—it is “another world” that you can only see or
enter if you have faith. They think Aslan is a lot like Jesus. Do you
believe in Heaven? Why or why not? Peter and Susan didn’t “believe in”
Narnia until the professor showed them that “logically” it could exist. If
you don’t believe in Heaven, what would it take to convince you that it
was real? If you do believe in Heaven, what do you think the rules are for
who gets to go there? Who is allowed to make those rules? Where can people
find out about these rules? (For a story related to this question, read my
article about Mindyburg.)
(See “Additional Questions” below)
Michael has a few
copies of this book (in English and Chinese) in his “leading library.” If
you live nearby, ask him about them!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dialogs from the film: (many
are
from
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363771/quotes)
Blue quotes are particularly important.
Advertisement Tagline: Some journeys take us far from home.
Some adventures lead us to our destiny.
1. [As German planes bomb
their home in London, during World War 2.]
Mrs. Pevensie: Edmund!
Get away from there! Peter! [to Edmund] What do you think you're doing?
Peter! Quickly, to the shelter! Now!
[Edmund disobeys, and
runs back into the house to get a photo of their father; Peter has to go
rescue him, and the window explodes while they are in the house.]
Peter Pevensie
[criticizing his brother]: Why can't you think about anyone but yourself?
You're so selfish! You could have got us killed! Why can’t you just do as
you’re told?
2. [The
children take a train to live in the countryside; this really happened, to
get the children out of London during the bombing.]
Susan [waiting at a train station]:
The professor knew we were coming.
Edmund: Perhaps we've been
incorrectly labeled.
[Someone arrives in a horse-drawn
carriage.]
Peter: Mrs. MacReady?
Mrs. MacReady: I'm afraid so.
3. [The next day, they are playing
inside, because it is raining outside.]
Susan: Gastrovascular... Come on,
Peter. Gastrovascular.
Peter: Is it Latin?
Susan: Yes.
Edmund: Is it Latin for "worst game
ever invented"?
[Susan shuts her dictionary]
Lucy: We could play hide and seek?
Peter (sarcastically):
But, we're already having so much fun.
4. [While they
are playing, Lucy hides in the
wardrobe, and enters Narnia for the first time. There, she
meets Mr. Tumnus, who tells Lucy that he is a
faun.]
Mr. Tumnus: And what about you? You
must be some kind of beardless dwarf?
Lucy: I'm not a dwarf! I'm a girl.
And actually, I'm tallest in my class.
Mr. Tumnus: You mean to say that
you're a daughter of Eve?
Lucy: [confused] Well, my mum's
name is Helen...
Mr. Tumnus: Y-Yes, but, you are in
fact... human?
Lucy: Yes, of course.
Mr. Tumnus: What are you doing
here?
Lucy: Well, I was hiding in the
wardrobe in the spare room, and…
Mr. Tumnus: Spare Oom? Is that in
Narnia?
Lucy:
Narnia? What’s that?
Mr. Tumnus: Well, dear
girl, you’re in it. Everything from the lamppost, all the way to Castle
Cair Paravel on the Eastern Ocean, every stick and stone you see, every
icicle is Narnia.
Lucy: This is an awfully
big wardrobe.
Mr. Tumnus: War Drobe? I’m sorry,
please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus.
Lucy: [holds out her hand] Pleased
to meet you Mr. Tumnus, I'm Lucy Pevensie. [Mr. Tumnus looks at her hand
curiously.] Oh, you shake it.
Mr. Tumnus: Why?
Lucy: I... I don't know. People do
it when they meet each other.
Mr. Tumnus: Well… How would it be
if you came and had tea with me?
5. Mr. Tumnus: [sees Lucy looking at
picture] Now, that... that is my father.
Lucy: He has a nice face. He looks
a lot like you!
Mr. Tumnus: No. No, I'm not very
much like him at all, really.
Lucy: My father's fighting in the
war.
Mr. Tumnus: My father went away to
war too. But that was a long, long time ago, before this dreadful winter.
Lucy: Winter’s not all bad. There’s
ice skating, snowball fights… and Christmas!
Mr. Tumnus: Not here. No, we
haven’t had a Christmas in a hundred years.
Lucy: What? No presents for a
hundred years?
Mr. Tumnus: Always winter, never
Christmas.
6. Mr. Tumnus: Now, are you familiar
with any Narnian
lullabies?
Lucy: Sorry, no.
Mr. Tumnus: Well that's good,
because this probably won't sound anything like one.
7. Lucy [after being asleep
in Mr. Tumnus’ house for a while]: Oh, I should go.
Mr. Tumnus: It's too
late for that, now. I'm such a terrible faun.
Lucy: Oh, no. You're the
nicest faun I've ever met.
Mr. Tumnus: Then I'm
afraid you've had a very poor sampling.
Lucy: You can't have
done anything that bad.
Mr. Tumnus: It's not
something I have done, Lucy Pevensie. It's something I am doing.
Lucy: [curiously] What
are you doing?
Mr. Tumnus: [whispers
and in tears] I'm kidnapping you. It was the White Witch. She's the one
who makes it always winter, always cold. She gave orders. If any of us
ever find a human wondering in the woods, we-we're supposed to turn it
over to her!
Lucy: But, Mr. Tumnus,
you wouldn't. I thought you were my friend.
8. Lucy [after being in Narnia for
hours]: It's all right! I'm back! I'm all right!
Edmund [trying to play Hide and
Seek]: Shut up! He's coming!
Peter [seeing Lucy and Edmund
standing there]: You know, I'm not sure you two have quite got the idea of
this game.
Lucy: Weren't you wondering where I
was?
Edmund: That's the point. That was
why he was seeking you!
Susan: Does this mean I win?
Peter: I don't think Lucy wants to
play anymore.
Lucy: I’ve been gone for hours.
[She explains, and they examine the
wardrobe—finding nothing unusual; then they accuse her of imagining
Narnia.]
Lucy: I wouldn't lie about this!
Edmund [sarcastically]:
Well, I believe you.
Lucy: You do?
Edmund: Yeah, of course. Didn't I
tell you about the football field in the bathroom cupboard?
Peter [as Lucy starts to cry]: Will
you just stop. You just have to make everything worse, don’t you?
Edmund: It was just a joke.
Peter: When are you
gonna learn to grow up?
Edmund: Shut up! You think you're
dad, but you're NOT!
Susan [sarcastically]: Well, that
was nicely handled.
9. [Later, Edmund follows
Lucy into the wardrobe, where he—alone—meets the White Witch. She
convinces him that she is the Queen of Narnia, and pretends to be nice to
Edmund to win his confidence. She even says that he could become Narnia’s
king someday.]
Jadis The White Witch: I
can make anything you like.
Edmund: Can you make me
taller?
White Witch: Anything
you want…to eat.
Edmund: Turkish Delight?
[this is an expensive, imported candy]
White Witch [telling
Edmund to bring his brother and sisters to meet her]: Beyond these woods,
you see those two hills? My house is right between them…. Until then, dear
one, I’m gonna miss you.
10. [After coming back, Edmund lies,
saying that there was no such thing as Narnia. Lucy runs down the hall,
crying, and runs into the professor, which makes Mrs. MacReady angry.]
Professor Kirke: You seem to have
upset the delicate internal balance of my housekeeper.
Peter: We're very sorry, sir, it
won't happen again.
Susan: It's our sister, sir. Lucy.
Professor Kirke: The weeping girl?
Susan: Yes, sir. She's upset.
Professor Kirke: Hence the weeping.
Peter: It’s nothing. We can handle
it.
Professor Kirke: I can see that.
Susan
[talking about Lucy]: It’s our sister. She thinks she's found a magical
land... In the upstairs wardrobe.
Professor Kirke: [eyes
widening with interest] What did you say?
Peter: Um, the wardrobe.
Upstairs. Lucy thinks she's found a forest inside.
Susan: She won't stop
going on about it.
Professor Kirke: What
was it like?
Susan: Like talking to a
lunatic.
Professor Kirke: No, no,
no. Not her, the forest?
Susan: [stares] You're
not saying you believe her?
Professor Kirke: You
don't?
Susan: But, of course
not. I mean,
logically it's impossible.
Professor Kirke: What do
they teach in schools these days?
Peter: Edmund said they
were only pretending.
Professor Kirke: And
he’s usually the more truthful one, is he?
Peter: No. This would be
the first time.
Professor Kirke: Well,
if she’s not mad [i.e., crazy] and she’s not lying, then “logically” we must assume
she’s telling the truth.
Peter: You’re saying
that we should just believe her?
Professor Kirke: She’s
your sister isn’t she? You’re a family. You might just try acting like
one.
11. [After breaking a window by
accident, the children are running from “The MacReady” and decide to hide
in the wardrobe. Then they all end up in Narnia together.]
Peter: I don't suppose saying
"we're sorry" would quite cover it?
Lucy: No, it wouldn't. [Then she
hits him with a snowball] But that might!
[Peter makes Edmund apologize for
lying about not having been in Narnia]
Lucy: [sarcastically quoting
Edmund] That's all right. Some little children just don't know when to
stop pretending.
12. [They find that Mr. Tumnus has been
arrested for “treason”
and “fraternizing
with humans.” Peter: Maybe we could call to the police.
Susan [waving the document that
tells about these “crimes”]: These ARE the police!
[They argue about whether they
should help the faun; Edmund doesn’t think so, calling him “a criminal.”
Susan: Did that bird just "pssst"
us?
[They go outside, and see something
moving nearby. When it finally comes out…]
Lucy: It… It’s a beaver.
Peter [not knowing that Narnia’s
animals can talk]: Here, boy, tsk, tsk, tsk. [Peter holds out a hand.]
Mr. Beaver: I ain't going to smell
it if that's what you want. [they laugh] Lucy Pevensie?
Lucy: Hey, that’s the hankie I gave
to Mr. Tumnus.
Mr. Beaver: He got it to me just
before they took him…
[He tells them to follow him to a
safer place to talk; they argue about whether they should trust him.]
Peter: He said he knows the
faun.
Susan: He's a beaver, he shouldn't
be saying anything!
13. Mr. Beaver: There's a
right bit more than hope. Aslan... is on the move.
Edmund: Who's Aslan?
Mr. Beaver: …Well, he’s
only the King of the whole wood. The top geezer. The real King of Narnia.
[He explains that Aslan’s return and their arrival are part of a
“prophecy.”] “When Adam's Flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in
throne, the evil time will be over and done.”
Susan: You know that
doesn't really rhyme.
Mr. Beaver: You’re kinda
missing the point! [The beavers say the children are here to defeat the
witch and restore peace to Narnia.]
Peter: I think you've
made a mistake. We're not heroes!
Susan: We're from Finchley! [upset,
and trying to depart] Thank you for your hospitality, but we really
have to go.
Mr. Beaver: Oh, you can't just
leave.
Lucy: He's right. We have to help
Mr. Tumnus.
[Still trying to leave, they
discover that Edmund has left them]
Peter: I'm gonna kill him.
Mr. Beaver: You may not have to.
Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?
14. [Deceived into thinking
that the White Witch liked him and wanted to help him, Edmund sneaks out
of the Beaver house and goes to the witch’s castle. Maugrim—a wolf—is
guarding the door.]
Maugrim: Be still,
stranger, or you'll never move again. Who are you?
Edmund: I'm Edmund. I
met the Queen in the woods. She told me to come back here. I'm a Son of
Adam!
Maugrim: Hmmm, my
apologies, fortunate favorite of the queen. Or else, not so fortunate.
[Maugrim comes back, and
takes Edmund to see the queen, who is angry that Edmund didn’t bring his
siblings—because she wants to kill them all.]
Jadis The White Witch:
Tell me, Edmund. Are your sisters deaf?
Edmund: No.
White Witch: And your
brother, is he unintelligent?
Edmund: Well, I think
so. But Mum says...
White Witch: [shouting]
Then how dare you come alone!
15. [Mrs. Beaver is packing food before
they flee from the wolves]
Peter: What's she doing?
Mrs. Beaver: Oh, you'll be thanking
me later. It's a long journey, and Beaver gets pretty cranky when he's
hungry.
Mr. Beaver: I'm cranky now!
16. [After escaping from Maugrim’s
wolves, Peter et al find a group that has been turned to stone by the
witch’s magic. Mr. Beaver’s best friend, a badger, is one of the “stone”
creatures.]
Peter: What happenend here?
Fox [who didn’t arrive with Peter]:
This is what becomes of those who cross the witch.
Mr. Beaver: You take one more step,
traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters!
Fox: Relax. I'm one of the good
guys.
Mr. Beaver: Yeah? Well, you look an
awful lot like one of the bad ones.
Fox: An unfortunate family
resemblance. But we can argue breeding later. Right now we've got to move.
[Peter and the others quickly hide
in a tree, while the Fox stays below to protect them.]
Fox [to Maugrim’s angry wolves]:
Greetings, gents. Lost something, have we?
Maugrim: Don't
patronize me! I know where your allegiance lies. We're looking
for some humans.
Fox: Humans? Here in Narnia? That's
a valuable bit of information, don't you think?
Maugrim [to Fox, who is now in the
mouth of a wolf]: You're reward is your life. It's not much. But still...
Where are the fugitives?
Fox [hesitating, and in pain]:
North. They ran north.
[The wolves run off, and soon after
that we see Mrs. Beaver nursing Fox, who was injured by the Wolves]
Fox: They were helping Tumnus. The
Witch got here before I did. Ouch! I wish I could say their bark was worse
than their bite. Ow!
Mrs. Beaver: Stop squirming! You're
worse than Beaver on bath day.
Mr. Beaver: Worst day of the year.
17. White Witch [to Tumnus, in her
prison, next to Edmund]: Do you know why you're here, Faun?
Mr. Tumnus: Because, I believe in a
free Narnia.
White Witch: You're here because
*he* turned you in... for sweeties.
18. Peter [looking out over Narnia, to
where they are heading]: It’s so far.
Mrs. Beaver: It's the world, dear.
Did you expect it to be small?
Susan: Smaller.
19. [After walking/running a long way,
the children are all getting tired.]
Mr. Beaver: Come on, humans. While
we're still young!
Peter: If he tells us to hurry one
more time, I'm gonna turn him into a big, fluffy hat.
20. [The children meet an old man, in a
dark red suit; this is the European version of “Santa Claus,” who is
called “Father Christmas” in England—where the children are from.]
Susan: I thought there was no
Christmas in Narnia.
Father Christmas: No. For a long
time. But the hope that you have brought, your Majesties, is finally
starting to weaken the Witch’s power. Still, I dare say you could use
these…
Lucy: Preasents!!
Father Christmas gives
each child the following:
--Lucy: The juice
of the Fire Flower (representing “healing”; one drop cures any injury),
and a daggar, saying, “Battles are ugly affairs”
--Susan: Arrows
and a bow (representing “trust”), and a horn, saying that when it is
blown, “Wherever you are, help will come”
--Peter: a sword
and shield (with a red lion on it, representing “faith” in Aslan), saying,
“These are tools, not toys”
Father Christmas: Now I must be
off. Winter is almost over…. Long live Aslan, and Merry Christmas!
Lucy: [to Susan, after Father
Christmas departs] I told you he was real!
21. [Mr Beaver is carefully testing the
strength of the ice. It starts to crack beneath him]
Mrs. Beaver: You've been sneaking
second helpings, haven't you?
Mr. Beaver: Well, you never know
which meal's gonna be your last. Especially with your cooking.
22. Fox: Forgive me, your
Majesty.
White Witch: Oh, don't
waste my time with flattery.
Fox: Not to seem rude,
but I wasn't actually talking to you. [he looks at Edmund]
[the White Witch is
about to kill the Fox, when Edmund interupts]
Edmund: Wait! No, don't.
Beaver said something about The Stone Table. And that Aslan had an army
there.
White Witch: An army?
Thank you, Edmund. I'm glad this creature got to see some honesty...
before he dies! [Jadis turns the Fox into stone, then slaps Edmund] Think
about who’s side you’re on, Edmund. Mine, or theirs [pointing at the
now-stone-fox]. [To her wolves] Go on ahead. Gather the faithful. If it's
a war Aslan wants, it's a war he shall get.
23. [Peter et al meet Aslan and explain
why Edmund is missing. Beaver says, “He betrayed them, your Majesty.”
Peter and Susan explain that it was “their fault” because “We were too
hard on him.” Then Aslan talks to Peter, saying that he wants Peter to
become Narnia’s king, and that he would try to rescue Edmund.]
Aslan: This may be harder than you
think.
Peter: Aslan, I'm not who you all
think I am.
Aslan: Peter Pevensie, formerly of
Finchley. Beaver also mentioned that you planned on turning him into a
hat. [they chuckle] Peter, there is a Deep Magic,
more powerful than any of us, that rules over all of Narnia. It defines
right from wrong, and governs all our destinies. Yours and mine.
24. Ginarrbrik: [taunting
Edmund, who has been tied to a tree and gagged] Is our little prince
uncomfortable? Does he want his pillow fluffed? Special treatment for the
special boy! Isn't that what you wanted?
25. Maugrim [surprises Susan and Lucy]:
Please don't try to run. We're tired...
Wolf: ...And we'd prefer to kill
you quickly.
[They blow Susan’s horn and climb a
tree; Peter arrives, and faces Maugrim, holding a sword]
Maugrim: C'mon. We've been through
this before. We both know you haven't got it in you.
[Aslan and others arrive, and
Oreius is about to attack the wolves]
Aslan: No! Stay your weapons. This
is Peter’s battle.
Maugrim [to Peter]: You may think
you're a king, but you're going to die like a dog!
26. [The White Witch arrives
to claim Edmund, whom she calls “the traitor”]
Aslan: His offence was
not against you.
White Witch: Have you
forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?
Aslan: [almost in a
roar] Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was
written.
White Witch: Then you’ll
remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property.
Peter: Try to take him,
then.
White Witch: Do you
really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king? Aslan
knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be
overturned and perish in fire and water! That boy will die on the Stone
Table as is tradition. [to Aslan] You dare not refuse me.
[Aslan talks to the
witch alone, agreeing to sacrifice himself to save Edmund—though the
others don’t know this yet. As the witch starts to leave, she says…]
White Witch: How do I
know your promise will be kept?
[Aslan simply roars in
response.]
27. White Witch: You know,
Aslan, I'm a little disappointed in you. Did you honestly think by all
this that you could save the human traitor? You are giving me your life
and saving no one. So much for love. [she turns to the evil crowd]
Tonight, the Deep Magic will be appeased, but tomorrow, we will take
Narnia forever! In that knowledge, despair... and die! [She stabs Aslan to
death, and the crowd cheers.] The great cat is dead!
28. Peter: Aslan's gone.
Edmund: Then you'll have to lead
us. [pause] Peter, there's an army out there, and it's ready to follow
you.
Peter: I can't.
Edmund: Aslan believed you could.
And so do I.
29. Gryphon: They come, your
highness, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own.
Oreius: Numbers do not
win a battle.
Peter: No... but I bet
they help. [to Oreius right before battle] Are you with me?
Oreius: To the death.
Peter [about to charge
into battle]: For Narnia and for Aslan!
---------Stop
reading here if you want to be surprised when you see the end of
the movie!---------------
30. Aslan [talking to Lucy
and Susan at dawn]: If the Witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice, she
might have interpreted the Deep Magic differently. That when a willing
victim who has committed no treachery, is killed in a traitor's stead, the
Stone Table will crack, and even death itself would turn backwards.
31.
Aslan [during the coronation ceremony, making Peter and his siblings
kings and queens]: To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy
the Valiant. To the great Western Wood, King Edmund the Just. To the
radiant Southern Sun, Queen Susan the Gentle. And to the clear Northern
Sky, I give you King Peter the Magnificent. Once a king or queen of
Narnia, always a king or queen. May your wisdom grace us until the stars
rain down from the heavens. [the crowd cheers]
32. [Tumnus and Lucy are
watching Aslan walk on the beach, away from them, sad because they know he
is leaving.]
Mr. Tumnus: Don’t worry.
We’ll see him again.
Lucy: When?
Mr. Tumnus: In time. One
day he’ll be here and the next he won’t. But you mustn’t press him. After
all, he's not a tame lion.
Lucy: No... but he is
good.
33. [last lines]
Professor Kirke: What were you all
doing in the wardrobe?
Peter: You wouldn't believe us if
we told you, sir.
Professor Kirke: [As he tosses the
cricket ball that had been hit through the window, to Peter] Try me.
[later—after the credits start—the
Prof. is alone with Lucy, who is trying to use the wardrobe to enter
Narnia]
Professor Kirke: I don't think
you'll get back in that way. You see... I've already tried.
Lucy: Will we ever go back?
Professor Kirke: Oh, I expect so.
But it'll probably happen when you're not looking for it. All the same...
best to keep your eyes open.
[Aslan roars]
_________________________________________________________________________________
Some of these questions were adapted from
various websites; other sites can introduce more things about the story
and it’s author: www.narnia.com/ www.narniaoutreach.com/freestudyguides.asp
cslewis.drzeus.net/
www.arvadacenter.org/docs/Narnia_Study_Guide.pdf
www.merelewis.com/
www.homeword.com/Freebies/Files/Narnia_Discussion_Guide.pdf
For a fun activity, think about your
favorite story, parable or myth, and rewrite it as if it happened in
Narnia. For example, you could tell the story of “the prodigal fawn” (like
“the prodigal son” or “Mr Ye loves centaurs” (like叶公好龙).
Here are some passages from the Bible you
might find interesting, along with chapters in this story:
Isaiah 52: 7-8 Chapter 8:
“Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight”
Mark 15: 16-39 Chapter 14: The
Triumph of the Witch
Mark 15: 40-42 Chapter 15:
Deeper Magic From Before the Dawn of Time
Romans 8: 18-23 Chapter 11: Aslan
is Nearer
Additional questions:
A1. In Narnia there was a curse that made
it always winter. How would you feel if it was always winter? What
difference would it make to you if there was no Christmas or Spring
Festival during the winter?
A2. This story starts in London, England,
during World War 2. The city was bombed heavily. How would you feel if
your city was being bombed? How would your parents feel? Did the parents
who lived in London do the right thing by sending their children to the
countryside?
A3. Put yourself in the children’s shoes.
You know people “back home” will think you are lying or crazy if you tell
about your adventure, so would you lie and say it didn’t happen (like
Edmund) or tell people about Narnia (like Lucy)? Why?
A4. Perhaps Narnia was like the world of
these children’s dreams. If YOU slipped through a secret passage into
another world, what would your “dream world” look like?
A5. When you first met Peter, Susan,
Edmund, Lucy, Mr. Tumnus, and the White Witch, how did you feel about each
of them? Did your feelings change about them as the story continued? Why?
Which character is the most like/unlike you? Explain.
A6. If you were Edmund, would you take the
candy? Why or why not? Edmund was tempted and drawn away by his favorite
thing: Turkish Delight. What is your favorite thing? How much are you
willing to sacrifice to get or keep it?
A7. According to the book this story came
from, the children had different feelings when they first heard the name
Aslan. Edmund felt mysterious horror. Peter felt brave. Susan felt as if
she heard beautiful music. Lucy felt like it was the first day of summer
vacation. What do these feelings reveal about their diverse personalities
and virtues/sins? Tell the group how the movie made you feel.
A8. We can see a change in each character,
from the beginning to the end of the story. Describe this change. How do
you think your life would be different after an adventure like this?
The end of the book says: These two Kings
and two Queens governed Narnia well, and long and happy was their reign.
They made good laws and kept the peace and saved good trees from being
unnecessarily cut down. Peter became a tall and deep-chested man and a
great warrior, and he was called King Peter the magnificent. Susan grew
into a tall and gracious woman, and was called Susan the Gentle. Edmund
was great in council and judgement; he was called Edmund the Just. As for
Lucy, she was always happy and carefree, and her own people called her
Lucy the Valiant (英勇).
A9. In what ways does this story teach us
about forgiveness (宽恕)?
The Bible says that forgiveness is one of the most important things in
life, because without it we cannot have healthy relationship on earth, nor
can we go to Heaven. How important is
forgiveness to you? Should Aslan, Peter, Susan and Lucy have forgiven
Edmund? Why or why not?
A10. How did you feel when you learned that
Aslan had given his life in exchange for Edmund’s? How did you feel when
Aslan was killed? How did you react when the Stone Table broke and Aslan
came back to life? For thousands of years, many people (including the
Chinese and those who wrote the Bible) believed that a perfect sacrifice
could “buy” forgiveness, rightousness and Heaven’s favor. In other words,
they believed that love “poured out in sacrifice” could cover sin/evil.
What do you think about this idea?
Facts about the author. C.S. Lewis (鲁益师
著1898-1963)
was born in Belfast, Ireland, and was educated in England. He fought in
World War I, and later became a distinguished professor at Oxford
University (he wrote part of the Oxford Encyclopedia). He wrote
children’s books as well as Christian literature. Another movie about his
life is called Shadowlands. Prof. Lewis’ book, The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe, is a fantasy story about talking animals that
performed heroic deeds in an imaginary world. His first image of Narnia
occurred at age 16, when he got the mental idea of “a faun carrying an
umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood.” He wrote the story for his
Godchild, Lucy Barfield. (You become a Godparent when a friend asks you to
sponsor his/her child’s baptism; many Godparents maintain close
relationships with their Godchildren.)
A11. Michael Fabian wrote: “It is clear
that C.S. Lewis allowed his own faith experience to color his writing, as
all great writers do.” Prof. Lewis was a devout Christian. What parallels
can you see in this story to people or ideas from the Bible?
A12. In 1955, a mother wrote to C.S. Lewis
(the author), saying that Laurence (her 9 year-old) seemed to love the
fictional character Aslan more than he loved the historical person Jesus.
Here is Lewis’ reply to her: “Laurence can’t really love Aslan more than
Jesus, even if he feels that’s what he is doing. For the things he loves
Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said.
So that when Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving
Jesus: and perhaps loving Him more than he ever did before.” (Lyle W.
Dorsett and Marjorie Lamp Mead, eds. C.S. Lewis Letters to Children,
New York, Scribner, 1996). Many Christians love the Narnia stories because
there are things about Jesus that they didn’t recognize until they saw
them in Aslan. What sort of things?
A13. Is the story of Narnia an allegory? An
allegory is a story in which the characters and events are symbols that
stand for truths about human life. Explain your answer.
A14. What do you think of this quote from the story’s author? “All that is
not eternal is eternally out of date.” – C.S. Lewis
