The Silver Chair Read-Along | Discussion 1

Welcome to the first discussion of The Silver Chair read-along! We already have so much to discuss from the first part of the book; an adventure is underway! Before we get started, though, if this is the first you've heard of the read-along, you can learn more about the schedule in this invitation post.

Today we're going to discuss chapters 1-6. If you've read them, go ahead and share your thoughts in the comments section or in your own post! (Feel free to use the image above, linking back to The Silver Chair read-along tag.) If you still have to catch up, you're welcome to check in whenever you're ready. :)

Off we go...

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The Silver Chair: Chapters 1-6

Discussion Format: your favorite quotes, general impressions, and four questions to answer for each week's reading

Favorite Quotes*

• "Scrubb saw that she wasn't quite herself yet and very sensibly offered her a peppermint."

• "I've an idea that all those circles and things are rather rot. I don't think he'd like them. It would look as if we thought we could make him do things. But really, we can only ask him."

• "You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you." 

• "Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances." 

• "The window looked west into the strange land of Narnia, and Jill saw the red remains of the sunset still glowing behind distant mountains. It made her long for more adventures and feel sure that this was only the beginning." 

• "Puddleglum's my name. But it doesn't matter if you forget it. I can always tell you again." 

General Impressions

Such an interesting start to Eustace and Jill's journey!

The more that's shared about the school they're attending, the more I dislike it. And yet, I love that Eustace has obviously grown and changed since his first time in Narnia in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and it's even noticeable to the bullies at his school. I also appreciate the depiction of Eustace, showing that while he's different, he's still imperfect and has his struggles. He's been changed, but so far he still displays some temper and doesn't perfectly keep his focus on Aslan's mission. He's still growing.

I'm curious to see how Jill and Eustace end up getting along as the story progresses. I like how Eustace reaches out to her at the beginning (imperfect but sweet as his gestures may be), and I like that Jill is open to believing his accounts of Narnia. She's easily distracted, but definitely up for an adventure. :)

Jill's first interaction with Aslan has a lot of food for thought. I love some of the lines (see my favorites above) and how they serve as such great spiritual reminders of God's sovereignty and our "mountaintop versus valley" experiences—and how we should cling to the truths in God's Word when we find ourselves in both life's day-to-day and incredibly difficult valleys.

Before meeting his character in The Silver Chair, I think I imagined Puddleglum being like Gloppy from the Candy Land board game... With his description as a Marsh-wiggle in the "Cast of Characters" section (which is included in other books in the series, from what I recall), as well as the nature of his name and where he lives, it just seemed like he must be some sort of swamp monster or something, LOL. I'm pleasantly surprised by how adorably frog-like he is! His attitude and words can be a bit much, but he seems to be a wise and generous creature. I'm looking forward to seeing how his role plays out in the mission/story.

Also, loved the reference to a group of owls being called a "parliament" and how that was demonstrated! Too fun.

Discussion Questions

Answer one, two, three, or all four of these questions in the comments section or in your own blog post!

1. What do you think of Jill's first impressions of Aslan and Narnia? If you were in her shoes, how might you react to the Lion and the new world in which you arrived?

2. Which scene or character has made you laugh (or smile) the most so far? What makes it (or him/her) so amusing?

3. How did the recounting of Prince Rilian's disappearance make you feel? If this is your first time reading the book, do you have any theories about what happened to him and why? If you've read the book before, did you notice anything new or more impactful when rereading this scene?

4. What do you think has been Jill and Eustace's greatest challenge so far on their journey? What do you think they might struggle with in the future based on how they've already acted?

Join us next Thursday for our second discussion! 

(Chapters 7-11)

*C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair (New York: HarperCollins, 2002), 3, 7, 23, 25-26, 42, 69.