The Last Battle | Chapter 3: The Ape in Its Glory

Chapter Summary:

King Tirian and the Unicorn Jewel free the horse from its reigns, and the Talking Horse says that everything occurring is by order of Aslan. Just then, Calormenes nearby notice what has occurred; King Tirian and Jewel flee the scene. After fleeing, Tirian and Jewel decide that what they have done is commit murder, and that they should give themselves up to their enemies in the name of justice. 

Tirian and Jewel return to their enemies, who capture them and take them to the top of a nearby hill, where there is a clearing and an ape sitting in front of a stable. The ape is Shift, and he is being called the Mouthpiece of Aslan. Tirian and Jewel are brought before him, and Shift says that he will deal with them later. 

Meanwhile, Shift addresses the Talking Animals that are gathered around him. First, he directs the squirrels to increase their supply of nuts for Aslan. Then, Shift tells them several things, some of which are prompted by questions by the Talking Animals, some of which are not. Shift tells them that he is speaking for Aslan (who is apparently hidden in the stable) because Aslan says he has been too easy on them before. Shift says that he himself is a man, not an ape. Shift explains that after the work at hand, the Talking Animals will be sent to Calormene to work as laborers (and their pay will go directly to Aslan). 

Finally, Shift tells the animals that the Calormene god Tash is the same as Aslan, and that Aslan is the same as Tash. A talking Cat asks Shift and a nearby Calormen to affirm that "Aslan means no more than Tash?" (p. 468) and both Shift and the Calormen affirm the statement. At this point, King Tirian cries out at Shift, calling him a liar. Immediately, three Calormen attack King Tirian and beat him into silence. Shift orders that Tirian and Jewel be taken away from him.

Reflection:

This is one of the most sad chapters in the history of TCON. This chapter shows what results when a dictator takes charge and builds a powerful regime around fear, terror, power, and mystery. There is little question in my mind that C.S. Lewis had Adolf Hitler in mind when he was writing the character of Shift. The parallels are just too clear. 

Unfortunately for us, the victims of Shift are the very characters that we have come to know and love--the Talking Animals of Narnia and even the King of Narnia himself. There is great sorrow in this chapter, as Shift is denying the animals of their right to food (the squirrels, to be exact) and the images of the Talking Animals eventually being sold into slavery is unprecedented and a bleak image of what the future could hold.

Luckily, there is always hope. One thing we can count on at the moment is that Aslan is certainly not present at the moment. Where he is, we don't exactly know. And even more interesting, we also have no idea when this is in Narnia. Are we 70 years after the previous novel--after the Reign of King Caspian the Eleventh (Prince Rilian) has ended? Or are we much, much, much further in the future? I think it's the latter, myself. Regardless, there is certainly hope that Aslan can still return and set everything right before it all goes terribly wrong.

There is also hope in the Talking Cat who speaks up in the end. This passage occurs just after Shift has said that Tash is the same as Aslan, and vice versa. Here is what happens:

"'Excuse me,' said the Cat very politely, 'but this interests me. Does your friend from Calormen say the same?'

'Assuredly,' said the Calormene. 'The enlightened Ape--Man, I mean--is in the right. Aslan means neither less nor more than Tash.'

'Especially, Aslan means no more than Tash?' suggested the Cat.

'No more at all,' said the Calormene, looking the Cat straight in the face.

'Is that good enough for you, Ginger?' said the Ape.

'Oh certainly,' said Ginger cooly, 'Thank you very much. I only wanted to be quite clear. I think I am beginning to understand'" (p. 468).

This is an interesting moment, and one that is not explained any further, in this chapter at least. I think the Talking Cat is very likely one of the few Talking Animals who really has a grasp of what is occurring. Clearly, the Cat is careful to make sure that they mean that Aslan is "no more" than Tash. I think the Cat understands that Aslan himself would never say such a thing, and therefore it is abundantly clear that Shift is a liar. But time will tell what comes of this. For now, we sit back and hope that there is a solution to the terror that has begun in Narnia. Unfortunately, history (earth history) tells us what happened if the terror is not stopped in time. We know the result too well.