Prince Caspian | Chapter 15: Aslan Makes a Door in the Air

Chapter Summary:

This chapter begins as Aslan (and Susan & Lucy) join the Old Narnians at the Fords of Beruna. Peter introduces Caspian to Aslan, and Aslan asks Caspian if he feels ready to be King of Narnia. When Caspian says that he is not, Aslan affirms his answer, and tells him that he is ready, and proclaims him king.

Suddenly, a procession of mice bring a fatally-wounded Reepicheep to the feet of Aslan. Aslan tells Lucy to heal Reepicheep, and she uses her cordial to do so. Reepicheep is quickly healed, but finds that his tail is missing. Reepicheep asks Aslan if there is anything that Aslan can do about his tail. Aslan hesitates, until he notices that the other mice are ready to cut off their tails in respect to Reepicheep. Reepicheep's tail then grows back.

The Telmarine soldiers are then taken and imprisoned. Then, a celebration and feast is held, in which the trees take part as well. The feast lasts late into the night, and then everyone sleeps.

The next day, messengers were sent to all the Telmarines to tell them that they could stay in Narnia under Caspian's reign or Aslan would send them to a different place. For those wanting to leave, Aslan would meet them at the Ford of Beruna in five days.

Five days later, Aslan tells a large group of Telmarines that they did not descend from Telmar originally, but came from the same world that Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy had come from. Aslan tells them that he will send them back--and they will find it a good world to inhabit. Aslan has set up a door for this purpose.

Many of the Telmarines are worried that Aslan is simply going to kill them, but one Telmarine speaks up, and offers to be the first to leave. Aslan instructs the man to walk through the door, and he does so--and disappears.

The Telmarines are shocked, and even more worried that Aslan is sending them to their death. The Telmarines want proof that the door leads somewhere good. At this point, Peter tells his siblings that this is their time to leave Narnia. They first go to change clothes. While doing so, Peter tells Edmund and Lucy that Aslan has said that Peter and Susan will not be returning to Narnia--that they are too old.

The children walk through the door, and end up back on the train on their way to school.

Reflection:

C.S. Lewis often saves his best for last--this is something I've noticed as I've moved through TCON series. Prince Caspian is no exception to this rule. Let's look at some of the most significant quotations and events in this last chapter. I think a good place to start is Aslan's brief but powerful description of what it is to be human. This comes just after Aslan has told Caspian the history of the Telmarines--that they came from the same world as Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy--and that they entered into Telmar, and then subsequently conquered Narnia. Here is the brief exchange, beginning with Caspian:

"'I was wishing that I came of a more honorable lineage.' 

'You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,' said Aslan. 'And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content.' 

Caspian bowed" (p. 284).

I cannot think of a more powerful and meaningful quotation from the series thus far. When Caspian says that he wishes he were of a more honorable heritage, he is essentially saying that he wishes he were not human--that his ancestors would be somehow connected to the Narnians, and thereby give him more of a right to rule them (at least this is how I read it). But then Aslan responds with a wonderful statement. What makes his statement wonderful is that it can apply to literally any reader--because any reader is going to be somewhere in between a beggar and an emperor. Aslan tells us that there is great honor and great shame in being human--and that instead of focusing on one or the other, we should simply be content. And after all, like Caspian, there is nothing we could do to change this even if we wanted to. What a notion, though--that Adam and Eve are people both of honor and of shame. The statement is simultaneously a complement and an insult, but altogether true as well. Absolutely fascinating, and a statement of absolute genius. Caspian, I think, agrees.

I think next, we ought to look at the moment when Peter reveals to Edmund and Lucy that he and Susan will not be coming back to Narnia. This is definitely a significant moment in the story, and will impact what we read about from this point forward (though if I recall, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader actually occurs chronologically before Prince Caspian). So, here we start with Peter, speaking to his siblings:

"'There were things he wanted to say to Su and me because we're not coming back to Narnia.' 

'Never?' cried Edmund and Lucy in dismay.

'Oh, you two are,' answered Peter. 'At least, from what he said, I'm pretty sure he means you to get back some day. But not Su and me. He says we're getting too old.'

'Oh, Peter,' said Lucy. 'What awful bad luck. Can you bear it?'

'Well, I think I can,' said Peter. 'It's all rather different from what I thought. You'll understand when it comes to your last time' (p. 285).

This is a great little section, for a number of reasons. First--it tells us some important things, not all of which are immediately obvious. Some of the things we learn are fairly apparent, though. For instance, we know that Aslan does not intend on Peter or Susan to come back to Narnia. And we know why--because they are too old. We also learn that Edmund and Lucy, too, will some day soon also never return to Narnia. 

Then, we move on to the things that are not as obvious. First, we learn that Peter and Susan are provided with additional knowledge--not for the ears of Edmund and Lucy--precisely because they will not be returning to Narnia. What this knowledge is, we do not know. Another interesting moment in this passage is Peter's response to Lucy, when she asks if he will be able to bear not returning to Narnia. Peter says "Well, I think I can" (p.285). Part of me wonders whether the "I" here was intentional. Susan is clearly standing with them, and she does not take part in the conversation. She also does not respond. This is significant, given what we learn about Susan in The Last Battle. Either way, Susan is not included when Peter says that he will be able to bear never returning to Narnia. 

And then the end of the quotation turns back to the knowledge that Aslan provided to Peter. Peter's final statement is rather cryptic and mysterious. It's really not clear what Peter is saying when he says "It's all rather different from what I thought" (p. 285)--all the reader can gather is that this statement somehow relates to the knowledge that Peter and Susan are provided by Aslan, knowledge that will remain secret until it is time for Edmund and Lucy to become aware of it.

There is much more that can be discussed about this chapter, but I can see that I've already gone on far too long. Some things just have to be left to the imagination.

Beginning with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, my plan is to continue these one-a-day installments, but the beginning of our busy season within my work at Baylor might require me to move to greater increments. I will try to keep up this pace for as long as I can...

Onward, to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.