Part III

Jess Cassidy
Part III- Voyage of the Dawn Treader
In the second half of Dawn Treader we see more use of Catholic symbolism within the story and characters. During Lucy’s quest to find the spell for the Dufflepuds, she finds the Magic Book itself is a kind of looking glass. After her witness of the two friends eavesdropping on her, she becomes upset at the things that they say about her. During the time I first read these, I remember thinking how cool it would be to have a way to see what people are talking about. Now there is a way and the way is called Facebook. Aslan was not far off when he informed Lucy that it was wrong to eavesdrop, even if it was through magic. Could C.S. Lewis been predicting the technology of video chats?
Lewis also brings up many Christian symbols. The obvious is Aslan, and he is very much like Jesus. In the second half, during the Dark Island chapter, Lucy begs him to help save them, much like we do God in times of difficulty, “Aslan if you have ever loved us, please save us now (Lewis.” Edmund also gives of the Christ reference to the lion when he explains to Eustace, “Lucy sees him most often (Lewis).” Both have a savior type quality to them.
Caspian and the colonizing of the various places they go gives off an interesting view to what Lewis thought about overtaking lands. In one sense I see him as freeing others from oppression, but on the other hand he is trying ‘civilizing’ them at the same time. How he gets away with it is by reiterating that he is on a journey to find the lost royalty. That does not make it right, but he gives a good reason to make himself not seem so dictator-like.
The themes that Lewis brings up are relevant to what we have today. There are still many uncivilized people, or people we feel must be shown democracy. We have blurred the lines between what is private and what is public with Facebook, to where we have created our own Magic Book with writing on walls. Our ties to God have, in many ways become about showing off religion and not about celebrating our faith. Many people simply keep it in their back pockets and use it when it is convenient for them. In a way Lewis was predicting our technology, world, and faith.