The Silver Chair Read-Along | Discussion 2

Welcome to the second discussion of The Silver Chair read-along! (You can check out our first discussion HERE.) 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 7-11. 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. :)

And we're off!

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The Silver Chair: Chapters 7-11

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

Favorite Quotes*

• "Puddleglum's question annoyed her because, deep down inside her, she was already annoyed with herself for not knowing the Lion's lesson quite so well as she felt she ought to have known it."

• "It's no good, Pole. I know what you were thinking because I was thinking the same. You were thinking how nice it would have been if Aslan hadn't put the instructions on the stones of the ruined city till after we'd passed it. And then it would have been his fault, not ours. So likely, isn't it? No. We must just own up."

• "The children huddled close together on each side of Puddleglum. They had thought him a wet blanket while they were still above ground, but down here he seemed the only comforting thing they had."

• "There are no accidents. Our guide is Aslan; and he was there when the giant King caused the letters to be cut, and he knew already all things that would come of them; including this."

• "Oh, if only we knew!" said Jill. "I think we do know," said Puddleglum. "Do you mean you think everything will come right if we do untie him?" said Scrubb. "I don't know about that," said Puddleglum. "You see, Aslan didn't tell Pole what would happen. He only told her what to do. That fellow will be the death of us once he's up, I shouldn't wonder. But that doesn't let us off following the sign." 

General Impressions

Well, quite a lot happens to our three adventurers in these chapters! It definitely seemed obvious that all the talk of a giants' feast would include the three smaller creatures on the menu...but as they admit to themselves later on, their arrival at Harfang is filled with the children's hopes and expectations, not wisdom and caution and a focus on their mission.

I like the turn the story takes when Eustace and Jill finally wake up from their self-absorption (I can sadly relate to how it easy to get caught up in a quest for comfort!). It's great to see them work together, along with Puddleglum, in order to escape the giants' castle.

And um...the Deep Realm they unwittingly discover is creepy! (It also has me wishing I could remember more details from The Last Battle; surely some of the things we learn in this story about the sleeping creatures and Father Time come up again in the last book...?)

Then there's the Black Knight and our introduction to the silver chair and its significance. I'm so proud of Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum for choosing to stick to Aslan's sign rather than heed their own limited (and sometimes false) knowledge, uncertainties, and fears! And I love how Puddleglum is proving to be a great role model for the other two through his unwavering faith in who Aslan is, and through his unwillingness to be taken in by appearances or creature comforts.

It's a relief to have Prince Rilian set free from enchantments...but what a cliffhanger! I'm eager to see how the group escapes the Deep Realm.

Discussion Questions

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

1. Which character's journey/growth resonates with you the most so far? Do you relate more to Eustace, Jill, or Puddleglum—or perhaps Prince Rilian?

2. Did you find yourself liking the giants at any point in these chapters, or did they seem like villains to you from the beginning?

3. Which moment in these chapters made you feel the most emotion, be it frustration, relief, aversion, eagerness, or happiness?

4. What are your first impressions after meeting Prince Rilian and seeing the role of the silver chair in the story? If you've read the book before, do you remember what you felt when you read chapter 11 and discovered the truth about the Black Knight?

Join us next Thursday for our third and final discussion! 

(Chapters 12-16)

*C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair (New York: HarperCollins, 2002), 103, 123, 153, 160, 175.