Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - Research Paper Example

Good and Evil in Prince Caspian Prince Caspian, which is the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia, involve a battle between goodand evil, and much of it parallels the evil of colonization, implying that the colonized natives were the good, and the invaders were evil. Moreover, as in the first book, Aslan the lion represents the ultimate good. The good in the novel is obviously represented by Prince Caspian, Aslan and the children: Lucy, Susan, Peter and Edmund, the bad being represented by Miraz the usurper. Miraz was a part of the group of people, the Telamarines, who had reduced Narnia to a land that is not magical, as all the magical elements have been cleansed from the land. This means that the talking trees and the dwarfs and fauns and satyrs had long since been silenced or killed (Lewis, 54). Miraz had made the land into an island that had high taxes and stern laws, and he ruled over it with an iron fist. The trees were cut down, and the Telmarines were at war with wild things. This would be similar to what would occur in colonial times – as Nixon (558) notes, the colonizers came to the lands that they conquered and not only took the lands and killed the people living there, and enslaved the rest, but they didn't feel that the people on the lands were human. These people who lived on these lands were the other. Moreover, the colonizers also plundered the land for themselves, and this is similar to what the Telamarines did as well. This was a definite evil that occurred throughout colonization, and the invasion of Narnia by Caspian's ancestors is an allegory for this. Of course, assuming that the novel is an allegory regarding the evils of colonization, verses the good, which is represented by the people who have been colonized, it would be ironic, as The Chronicles of Narnia is widely regarded as a Christian series (Lewis, 1). As CS Lewis himself stated, Aslan is an allegory for Christ. In the first book he is rumored to be among the people, although nobody had ever seen them – they just took him on faith. Then, he did land and he defeated evil, but not before he sacrificed himself for Edmund, who ended up being one of the kings of Narnia, as Edmund was a part of the group of children who helped defeat evil in the first book. After he was killed, he came back to life, because of the deep magic that was before the dawn of time (Lewis, 185). What is ironic is that it is widely known that the settlers who plundered the lands of the natives in native lands were the Christians, while the natives had their own religion that did not involve Christ (Nixon, 558). Yet, the Telamarines in Prince Caspian did not believe in Aslan. They also did not believe in the stories about Lucy, Susan, Peter and Edmund, which means that they did not believe in the light and the good (Lewis, 182). Furthermore, it becomes obvious that the Telmarines did not believe in Aslan, for, when the battle begins, the Telmarines are afraid of Aslan, but not because they know that Aslan was a savior, but because he was a lion - “they had not believed in lions, and this made their fear greater” (Lewis, 205). Some of the creatures did believe in Aslan, but the dwarf guide for the four children did not- he didn't believe Lucy when she stated that she saw Aslan, and, at any rate, did not know about Aslan and Aslan's immortality – when Lucy saw the lion, the dwarf said that “he's be a pretty elderly lion by now...if he's the one you knew when you were here before!” (Lewis, 126-127). So, the conquered didn't all believe in Aslan, or Christ, either, although some clearly did. This is shown by the reception that Aslan got from the trees when he came back, as the trees were all “bowing and curtsying and waving long thin arms to Aslan...shouting 'Aslan, Aslan,' in their various husky or creaking and wave-like voices” (Lewis, 157). They were the conquered, who would be akin to natives, but they essentially believe in Christ. What this could be interpreted as is that Lewis is stating that the conquered natives are saved, even though they were not Christian, because they did have a belief in that which is good, and were determined to fight that which is evil. Because Aslan was a savior to the conquered Old Narnians. Another ironic aspect of this allegory is that the creatures refer to humans as “it.” The creatures referred to Caspian as “it,” (Lewis, 66), then Caspian, too, started to refer to other humans as “it” (Lewis, 86). This would imply that the Telmarines in this book would be considered the ones who are less than human. Once again, relating this tale to the plight of the colonizers, this would be the opposite of the way that the colonizers thought about the natives living on the lands, because the colonizers, thinking that the natives were not human, would think of them as “it.” Now, the colonizers, who are the Telmarines, are the “it.” While it is obvious that the overall theme of the book through the first part is allegorical for the evils of colonization, the book diverges around the middle, and it becomes more of a battle between good and evil, one that does not have a counterpart in the actual world. There is a battle to free Old Narnia from the grasp of the Telamarines, with the four children, aided by Aslan, leading the way (Lewis, 142-143). At this point, it once again becomes more of an allegory for the final battle that is to be fought between good and evil when Christ comes back to the world, as Aslan represents Christ. Aslan not just helps the children in his form, but he also helps them in their spirit – the idea of him is what gives them extra strength, just as the idea of Christ is what gives Christians strength. When Lucy sees Aslan, she is the only one who sees him, and Aslan appears to tell her that she must defeat the Telamarines, Lucy derives strength just from being with Aslan - “she could feel lion-strength going into her” (Lewis, 143). There is also a lesson in King Peter, who leads the parties in the wrong direction, despite the protestations of Lucy, who insists that she knows the right way to go. Lucy, at first, was the only one who saw Aslan, and, as such, there is the implication that Lucy is the one whose faith is strongest. She is the one who has the correct path, because she is the one who saw Aslan and knew that he still existed. Peter, who did not see Aslan for quite awhile, led the others down paths that they should not have gone on. The implication here is that Peter had not yet seen Aslan, and, like a Christian, he did not have Aslan in his heart, so he led the others down the wrong way. Peter acknowledges his error, however, when he finally does meet up with Aslan - “Oh Aslan...I'm so sorry. I've been leading them wrong ever since we started and especially yesterday morning” (Lewis, 153). In other words, if one has Christ in his heart, and has faith that Christ can guide one's life, then one will choose the correct path. If one does not believe in Christ and does not have faith, then that person will choose the wrong path, and it is only until they accept Christ on faith that they can get on better footing. Peter, upon seeing Aslan, saw the error of his ways, and this is the way that it is for Christians, suggests Lewis (153). In the end, Aslan orders the Telmarines to go back to the place where their ancestors came from, and leave the island. One man goes, and the implication is that the rest would follow. After all, after Aslan comes and tells the Telmarines to go back, the children's time in the world is up, and they have go back as well. Good defeated evil again (Lewis, 219). Conclusion While the good and the evil in this book parallel what we know in this world, with regards to colonization, there is also an element that does not have a parallel. As of yet, the evils that are perpetuated by colonization have not yet been remedied by a single being, such as Aslan, who really represents Christ. This is the main difference between this book and the real world. This perhaps is an allegory on what could happen if Christ were to return – he would right the wrongs that have happened in colonization, and perhaps even force the colonizers to leave and to repent for what they did. As such, this book is a fantasy, but it has very clear allegorical elements, and the implication is that our world needs a force for good, and, with the force for good, would come a force for change as well. Lewis, Clive Staples. "Deeper Magic from before the Dawn of Time. https://pure.ltu.se/ws/files/30939165/LTU-CUPP-04041-SE.pdf Lewis, CS. Prince Caspian. New York: Harper Collins, 1951. Nixon, Rob. "Caribbean and African Appropriations of" The Tempest"." Critical inquiry 13.3 (1987): 557-578. Read More