The Silver Chair - Frank Heinsohn
To quote C. S. Lewis, “The world does not need more Christian literature. What it needs is more Christians writing good literature.” This suggests that a bridge exists between Christian authors writing good literature and providing Christian insight in that writing. In my opinion one of Lewis’ finest examples of that is in The Silver Chair as part of The Chronicles of Narnia. I suspect that this book may be the least read of any in The Chronicles, but honestly it is my favorite. With this blogpost in mind, I reread The Silver Chair and once again did not come away disappointed.
Although the Bible is never quoted in the book, my opinion is that the underlying theme of the book is the verses that immediately follow the Shema, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead” (Deuteronomy 6:6-8, NASB 1995). Jill, one of the two children transported from England to Narnia, is given signs (instructions) that she is to memorize, recall in their specific order, and frequently say out loud in order that things will go well for her and Eustace while they are in Narnia. Unfortunately, they end up “muffing” all the signs other than the final one.
The Silver Chair is a book that demonstrates spiritual warfare at its worst and as such may the most appropriate in the chronicles for the person who is already a believer. That being said there are some who would say it is the darkest of the seven books and I would not disagree. But, how appropriate for this day and time as we seem to be returning to spiritual warfare out in the open today that at times seemed hidden behind the curtain of the spiritual realm. Immediately upon arriving in Narnia the two children see a ship leaving Narnia with the King of Narnia onboard heartbroken as his wife has been killed by a serpent and his son has vanished without a trace nearly 10 years ago. This raises a second theme, though somewhat hidden about The Silver Chair. That being the loss of a child or close loved one to the spiritual forces of darkness. I have read this book multiple times and for the first time became aware of this underlying theme. There are many believers who have this experience of a loved one who is under the spell of darkness. The King is departing by ship towards Aslan’s Country in order to see who should be his successor as the two children arrive from England into Narnia. Jill had learned from Aslan (the Christlike figure and ultimate ruler over all of Narnia) the signs that the two children from England are to use in helping the king in finding his son.
Another theme that caught my eye is early in the book when the children are in Experiment House (the horrible school that they attend in England) and facing bullying by some of their classmates. Eustace essentially asks his schoolmate Jill, and soon to be fellow traveler into Narnia, to pray with him to Aslan. This is also a minor theme, but reminds believers of the need for prayer.
The tale follows the adventures of the two children through Narnia and beyond in their search for the missing prince and as they muff all the signs with the exception of the final one. The children have a Narnian guide on their adventures. He is my favorite character in all of literature, the Marsh-wiggle Puddleglum. Having grown up with pluff mud between my toes on the marshy banks of the Folly River, who wouldn’t be a fan of a Marsh-wiggle. Granted I have never seen one, but I believe that is due to my lack of observation rather than to their lack of existence. I have seen the seasons change through the shades of the spartina marsh grass on the coastal plain where my inland friends experienced the hardwood leaf color changes with the seasons. I have hunted marsh hens during the full and new moon highest tides during Fall, but I have never seen a Marsh-wiggle.
I certainly can relate to this character who can see both the glass half full and half empty, simultaneously, even if he is considered by the rest of the Marsh-wiggles as too childish and optimistic. I believe I come by this quite naturally in that I inherited some of this trait from my father. He was a member of the Optimist Club of Charleston for at least 40 years, but I do not think that too many would have described him as the eternal optimist. I am an engineer by degree and training where we were taught in school to always evaluate the risk of engineering decisions. That is certainly a glass half empty prospect.
Puddleglum seems to recall and epitomize Ephesians 5:9 at a most critical moment, “for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” May we, may I be like this Marsh-wiggle in our daily lives and point out the Light of world. The One Who takes away the sin of the world. May we have His words on our hearts and teach them diligently to our sons and daughters and may we talk of them when we sit in our houses and when we walk by the way and when we lie down and when we rise up. For as the final book in The Chronicles suggest the final battle has been won by Jesus on Calvary some 2000 years ago for those who believe, repent and call upon the name of Jesus.