The Magician's Nephew | Chapter 2: Digory and His Uncle

Chapter Summary:

The second chapter of The Magician's Nephew opens by explaining the origin of the magical rings. Uncle Andrew tells Digory about his godmother, Mrs. Lefay. Before Mrs. Lefay died, she had told (a much younger) Uncle Andrew to take a small box from her home and destory its contents without opening the box.

Uncle Andrew disobeys Mrs. Lefay's final request, and discovers that the ancient box contains dust from another world, originally brought to the island of Atlantis, long ago. (How he discovers what the dust is, and how Mrs. Lefay inherited it, is unclear.) 

After a lifetime of learning about magic, Uncle Andrew found a way to convert the dust into magical rings--the yellow ones send beings into the other world, and the green ones allow beings to return to our world. 

Uncle Andrew then reveals to (a very impatient) Digory that the only way to bring Polly back is for someone to travel to the other world (via a yellow ring) carrying two green rings--one for each individual to return to our world. Uncle Andrew makes it clear that this is Digory's responsibility. Digory, feeling angry, bretrayed, and manipulated, complies.

Reflection:

I think Chapter 2 of The Magician's Nephew teaches an interesting lesson, particularly to adult readers. That lesson is an unfortunate one, but it's a lesson that we all encounter at some point in our lives: Adults can be bullies, too.

Now at this point we don't have a whole ton of back-story about Uncle Andrew; all we know is that he has spent a lifetime of research perfecting these magical rings, and for the first time he has managed to manipulate another human being into traveling into the other world--something that he would never, ever do himself. When Digory reveals this hypocracy, Uncle Andrew replies, "You don't understand. I am the great scholar, the magician, the adept, who is doing the experiment... It's like asking a general to fight as a common soldier" (p. 17). Throughout the entire chapter, Digory is keenly aware that Uncle Andrew is being a bully, and this awareness only strengthens when Digory realizes that he, too, has been manipulated in the situation (only he can bring Polly back).

Only once does Uncle Andrew demonstrate that he has enough humanity to understand the cruelty he has inflicted on these two children--but he only understands when the situation is related back to him (just like a true narcissist). When Digory agrees to go retrieve Polly, he first says, "I'll go. But there's one thing I jolly well mean to say first... You're simply a wicked, cruel magician like the ones in the stories. Well, I've never read a story in which people of that sort weren't paid out in the end, and I bet you will be. And serve you right" (p. 17).

It's a sad lesson that Digory has learned, and it's a sad lesson that we all continue to learn every day. Adult bullies are definitely out there: The individual who cuts you off in heavy rain and traffic because you dare to go below the speed limit. The friend from middle school who calls your cell phone 60 times during your rehearsal dinner because she's upset that she isn't invited to your wedding (yep, that happened). The people who commit hate crimes. Those who abuse, frighten, or manipulate children and animals (Uncle Andrew & Uncle Andrew). The list goes on and on.

The lesson is not a joyful one to learn--and it certainly displeases Digory. But this chapter is also a lesson in awareness. If you surround yourself (as an adult or child) with people who are aware of the negative impacts of bullies, you are less susceptible to the impact of those bullies. Unfortunately for Digory, he is alone in the attic with Uncle Andrew. Unlike Digory, I was with all of my best friends, family, and wife-to-be during my rehearsal dinner, and that's why my bully was not nearly as triumphant as Uncle Andrew.