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"What else could we do? We don't want any other King. We're your people. If it were only the Ape and the Calormenes who were against you, we would have fought till we were cut into pieces before we'd have let them tie you up. We would, we would indeed. But we can't go against Aslan."
"Do you think it really is Aslan?" asked the King.
Okay... it is mid August and I finished this book at the end of July. Better late than never. I think my blog posts of the Chronicles of Narnia would be incomplete without the last book, even if I didn't find it quite the rocket read that some of the others were.
Tirian had never dreamed that one of the results of an Ape's setting up a false Aslan would be to stop people from believing in the real one.
So this book introduced a belief in an Aslan that wasn't a real Aslan. Interesting. And then when the fake Aslan was uncovered, the belief was still supported. Wow... That part of the story is helpful to my journey now. I may have disconnected from the 2000 year old story, but to be the one to broadcast it to those who believe it... not such a beneficial thing to do. Yes, the story has a real Aslan... and in the minds, hearts and beliefs of so many... there is a real Jesus living (and breathing?) today. Maybe all I can do is wait like everyone else.
The sweet air grew suddenly sweeter. A brightness flashed behind them. All turned. Tirian turned last because he was afraid. There stood his heart's desire, huge and real, the golden Lion, Aslan himself, and already the others were kneeling in a circle round his forepaws and burying their hands and faces in his mane as he stooped his great head to touch them with his tongue. Then he fixed his eyes upon Tirian, and Tirian came near, trembling, and flung himself at the Lion's feet, and the Lion kissed him and said, "Well done, last of the Kings of Narnia who stood firm at the darkest hour." CSL
This is the warm part of the story... Aslan finally shows up. He is delinquent for most of the story and it makes one wonder if he is an adequate picture of Jesus. We are 2000 years past the promise (according to the gospel of Matthew)... and people are still waiting for Jesus to show up.
"Aslan," said Lucy through her tears, "could you—will you—do something for these poor Dwarfs?"
"Dearest," said Aslan, "I will show you both what I can, and what I cannot... CSL
This is why Thomas Jay Oord's book really moved me into a different trajectory. There were some things that Aslan couldn't do. Thank you C.S. Lewis... for making Aslan... lion.
"So," said Peter, "Night falls on Narnia. What, Lucy! You're not crying? With Aslan ahead, and all of us here?"
"Don't try to stop me, Peter," said Lucy, "I am sure Aslan would not. I am sure it is not wrong to mourn for Narnia. Think of all that lies dead and frozen behind that door."
"Yes and I did hope," said Jill, "that it might go on for ever. I knew our world couldn't. I did think Narnia might."
"I saw it begin," said the Lord Digory. "I did not think I would live to see it die."
"Sirs," said Tirian. "The ladies do well to weep. See I do so myself. I have seen my mother's death. What world but Narnia have I ever known? It were no virtue, but great discourtesy, if we did not mourn." CSL
C.S. Lewis gives, not only his characters, but his readers a chance to mourn the ending of Narnia. I guess I was surprised. Lewis doesn't leave room for continued imagination and that is what most readers of fiction like. Even through the author doesn't write the continued storyline, readers still want to imagine the characters going beyond.
"This is absolutely crazy," said Eustace to Edmund.
"I know. And yet——" said Edmund.
"Isn't it wonderful?" said Lucy. "Have you noticed one can't feel afraid, even if one wants to? Try it." CSL
I highlighted this because the idea of not feeling afraid even when I wanted to... well... I don't know if I ever want to feel afraid. It seems just a response, not really a desire. But having the courage when fear is more expected, now that is what this might be trying to convey.
This wasn't my favourite book of the series. I don't know what is my favourite. But I can tell you the characters that I most admired - Aslan (when he did show up) Eustace and Bree. A elusive, cuddly when he wanted to be, lion; a pesky cousin and a beautiful talking horse that had more character than the human that rode him.
Will I recommend the books? Definitely not to children. I think I said before, the whole royalty motif isn't my favourite. But I am glad I read them, because now I can say I did.
And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. CSL