Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We haven't seen Prince Caspian, and I haven't heard much good about it, so I assumed we wouldn't see the newest Narnia film.

But four free tickets Dad got from Intel (through some program or other) gave us the opportunity to see any movie that was playing.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was the pick.

I know that a lot of conservative Christians disagree with these movies, but I happen to like them.

I've heard several people say that C.S. Lewis didn't mean the books to be allegories, but I'm not the only one who sees some very striking similarities between Narnia and the Bible.

In the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Edmund betrays his family and the Narnians, but Aslan takes his place on the Stone Table. "But when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Stone Table will crack and even death it'self will work backward."

Does the concept sound familiar?

And in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader I saw a lot of similarities between the Pevensies' journey and ours. They have to defeat the evil that is creeping into Narnia, but, as Coriakim says, "You are about to be tested, but you must not give in. To defeat the evil that is around you, you must first defeat the evil that is within you."

Dad pointed out that the "evil" brings out the worst in everybody as they are tempted.

Lucy wants to be beautiful and Eustace and Edmund want power and wealth.

Upon arriving at the Dark Island, the Dawn Treader's destination, someone asks, while peering into the thick grey fog that covers the whole island, "What do you suppose lies within it?"

"Our worst nightmares," says Edmund.

"And our darkest wishes," Caspian adds.

Its there that Edmund is tempted by the White Witch (in something of a vision). "I can make you a king," she says. "And you can rule with me. Just touch my hand..."

And Caspian, in his mind, hears his father chiding him for failure, while Caspian is wrestling with his fear of failing his people and his father.

As someone has once said, you must defeat your temptations, or they will destroy you.

So maybe C.S. Lewis didn't intend for his books to be like a parable or an allergory (I don't know the difference). Maybe he just took his ideas from the Bible.

You may be right in thinking this.

At the end of their journey, they see Aslan, who tells the Pevensies that they are too old to come back to Narnia. Lucy asks if they shall ever see him again. Yes, he says, at the end of time.

But he is always watching over them in their world, though he goes by a different name.

Does any one have any suggestions on who that might be?

I think there's only one answer to that.

And let's not forget every body's favorite, over-sized, cocky and noble-hearted mouse...

Reepicheep. :P