The Magician's Nephew | Chapter 7: What Happened at the Front Door

Chapter Summary: 

Chapter 7 begins with Queen Jadis impatiently requesting her transportation, while Aunt Ketty scolds Jadis for her disrespect. Jadis attempts to use her magic to turn Aunt Ketty to dust, but finds that her magic doesn't work on earth, and settles with throwing Aunt Ketty across the room instead.

Queen Jadis and Uncle Andrew leave the house together just as Digory comes downstairs. Figuring that the best thing to do is wait for their return, Digory sits and waits. While he is waiting, he hears the house maid tell a visitor that nothing in this world could do much to heal Digory's mother. Digory wonders whether there really is a Land of Youth out there that has a way to heal his mother.

Suddenly a chariot arrives, with Queen Jadis riding atop, whipping the horse carrying her. She crashes the chariot into a lightpole, and is immediately surrounded by neighbors, police, and others, including Uncle Andrew and the Cabby (the owner of the chariot and horse). Digory joins the crowd. The Cabby explains to the police that he wants his horse back. Jadis threatens the crowd.

Meanwhile, Polly is grounded to her bedroom at home for two hours for getting wet/muddy while with Digory.

Reflection:

I found myself wondering what to reflect upon after reading this chapter (so much so that I even skipped on to reading the next chapter before writing this summary & reflection). And I just figured out why I was having so much trouble reflecting on this chapter--it's because a great portion of the chapter, at least 35-40%, is spent simply waiting. Very little action/plot advancement occurs within the middle of this chapter, during which Digory stares out of his living room window, simply waiting for Uncle Andrew and Queen Jadis to return (with whatever form of disaster might accompany).

So, that's what today's reflection is on, I think--waiting. There are so many different forms of waiting. Two memories of waiting come to mind from my own life almost immediately. The first was the waiting that occurred prior to my wedding/honeymoon. So much anticipation! So much to do, and so much excitement! So many people to see, people to pay, people to thank, people to ask, people to accommodate, people to visit with. The waiting game was, in fact, part of the fun. If Laura and I were to have been engaged on June 30 and been married that afternoon, that would have certainly been efficient (and cost effective, most likely), but we would not have experienced the delightful waiting process--during which we learned, as a couple, how to make important decisions, how to say "yes" to some things and "no" to others, and how to formulate what we wanted out of marriage. This waiting was important.

The other memory that immediately came to mind was of sitting at The Placement Exchange--a huge job-interviewing convention for Student Affairs employees--waiting for the first interview of the convention to begin (this was March of 2012). There I sat, amongst hundreds of nervous strangers, in a massive waiting area. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and I don't use that cliche lightly. It was virtually silent, everyone was pale, and I doubt most people had had any breakfast at all. Trembling resumes waiting in everyone's hands; years of anticipation and excitement bottled into its final, fleeting seconds. 

And then Laura walked down the aisle.

And then Denise called out, "Jason Bushnell?"

And then Digory "heard a sound of galloping" (p. 38).

And the waiting was over.

Waiting is almost always a good thing. It's the excitement and anticipation about vacations, weddings, and accomplishments that make them so enjoyable and memorable. It's the striving toward a goal that makes the goal feel like an accomplishment, not the goal itself. If my goal were to earn a million dollars, I would likely feel much more satisfied having reached that goal after 20 years than if I had reached the goal in 1 day or 1 year (think of the lottery winners or professional sports players who burn through their money with no appreciation for its value). Even the waiting for something dreaded can be beneficial. Waiting for my first interview at The Placement Exchange was not necessarily fun, but it darn well ensured that I was as completely prepared as humanly possible. The waiting gave me the chance to reflect upon my options and discuss them with friends and family. Remember the old saying--good things come to those who wait! We will see if this is true for Digory.