The Silver Chair Read-Along | Discussion 3

Welcome to the third and final discussion of The Silver Chair read-along! (Be sure to check out our first and second discussions too!) 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 12-16. 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. :)

Onward...

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The Silver Chair: Chapters 12-16

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

Favorite Quotes*

• "There is nothing like a good shock of pain for dissolving certain kinds of magic."

• "This signifies that Aslan will be our good lord, whether he means us to live or die. And all's one, for that. Now, by my counsel, we shall all kneel and kiss his likeness, and then all shake hands one with another, as true friends that may shortly be parted. And then, let us descend into the city and take the adventure that is sent us."

• "I have heard of those little scratches in the crust that you Topdwellers call mines. But that's where you get dead gold, dead silver, dead gems. Down in Bism we have them alive and growing. There I'll pick you bunches of rubies that you can eat and squeeze you a cupful of diamond juice. You won't care much about fingering the cold, dead treasures of your shallow mines after you have tasted the live ones in Bism." 

• "On fine nights when the cold and the drum-taps, and the hooting of the owls, and the moonlight have got into their wild, woodland blood and made it even wilder, they will dance till daybreak. I wish you could see it for yourselves."

• "You think I'm a ghost, or some nonsense. But don't you see? I would be that if I appeared in Narnia now: because I don't belong there any more. But one can't be a ghost in one's own country."

General Impressions

I'm quite satisfied with the ending of The Silver Chair! Once again, Puddleglum shines with stalwart faith as he bravely stomps out the fire that was messing with the heroes' minds while conversing with the Witch. It seems to me like some of C.S. Lewis's theology finds its way into Puddleglum's words... Overall, I do love his character, and the children's parting with him is quite adorable. But let me backtrack to discuss other things. ;)

The time between the Witch's defeat (huzzah!) and the heroes' arrival in Narnia is interesting. I'm intrigued by the land of Bism, and while it's not necessarily a place I'd want to visit, I do love Lewis's creativity in presenting the nature of gems! (See my third quote above.) How cool would it be if there were live gems? What would they taste like? How would they shine? So neat to imagine!

I also love the scene when Jill realizes they've reached Narnia and sees the Great Snow Dance! I love the way it's all described, and how it takes a while for disoriented Jill to notice the glow is actually from the moon and they're free. Such relief! And when Jill and Eustace are given hot drinks to enjoy, I then had to prepare myself a cup of hot cider to savor too. :)

As for the very end of the story, I'm a bit torn but mostly happy. The scenes with Caspian's death and then the meeting with Aslan are poignant. Ultimately so hopeful! But it feels like things are fixed so simply for Eustace and Jill upon their return to their world—almost too easy and perfect? I guess that's not a bad thing, though, when it reminds us that our circumstances matter to the God who sees and knows them, and He is more than able to work miracles in our lives for His glory and in accordance with His will. How the character of Aslan addresses the issue of a terrible school and bullies in Eustace and Jill's life is...interesting. That line about the Head of the school ending up in Parliament is pretty funny (and snarky)!

I should add that I love the last lines of the book and how they invite the reader to come visit Narnia and see the evidence of our heroes' journey. Makes it feel all the more tangible and epic!

Discussion Questions

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

1. Which part of the chapter featuring the Witch ("The Queen of Underland") impacted you the most?

2. Would you have been tempted to visit Bism if offered the opportunity? Why or why not?

3. How did you feel about the ending of the story—for Narnia, for Caspian, for Eustace and Jill?

4. What was your favorite line or scene in the whole book? If you've read the other books in the Chronicles of Narnia series, how does this one rank in your opinion?

To Conclude

Thank you so much for joining The Silver Chair read-along! I always love sharing and comparing thoughts with you all on some classics, and it's been fun to try something different (although I did so love our Jane Austen read-alongs too!). I hope you enjoyed reading this book, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the other titles in this series. (For me, I think The Voyage of the Dawn Treader might still be my favorite, but The Silver Chair could be a close second! I did enjoy it quite a bit. Granted, it's been a while since I read the other books...)

Next up, I'm planning to host a read-along for Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery in March. Stay tuned for more details!

*C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair (New York: HarperCollins, 2002), 190, 200-201, 218, 232, 253-254.

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.

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.

You're Invited: The Silver Chair Read-Along

It's almost time for another read-along! I love the motivation these provide to complete some classics by reading and discussing them with you. :)

I ran a poll the last two days via Twitter to help me decide which book to pick...but the results were pretty even across the board! Out of eight votes, three went to Anne of Avonlea, three went to The Silver Chair, and two went to Emily of New Moon.

If I'm remembering correctly, The Silver Chair is the one book I have left to read in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. So, with the desire to finally finish the series (plus the fact that I'm currently reading Can't Help Falling by Kara Isaac, which features two Narnia fans as the main characters!), I've broken the tie and chosen The Silver Chair for January. I so hope you'll join the journey!

(I'm thinking I might host a read-along for Emily of New Moon in March, for those who are eager to discuss an L.M. Montgomery story. Stay tuned!)

Now, here are the details for this read-along...

• We'll read 1 chapter per day during the weekdays (for a total of 16 chapters). This will give us a few weekends to get ahead or catch up, if needed!

• Discussions will take place here on Thursdays (the 17th, the 24th, and the 31st). 

• The plan is to start reading on the 10th, but feel free to start sooner if you'd like! 

• Use the hashtag #SilverChairReadAlong on Twitter to share your thoughts or favorite quotes/scenes as you read.

I had so much fun hosting read-alongs for Jane Austen's main works: Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, Emma, Pride & Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Sense & Sensibility. Now we're off on a new adventure with a very different genre. I'm looking forward to comparing and sharing thoughts on The Silver Chair!