The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Chapter 1-4

[Winter, Group Reads]

This is the discussion thread for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Chapter 1-4

[Mie]

I have seen the movie, so I know the story - and still I sit and think "oh oh" as I'm reading it, excited about what will happen :-)

Cute story to start a Saturday morning with!

[Taylor C]

Mie wrote: "I have seen the movie, so I know the story - and still I sit and think "oh oh" as I'm reading it, excited about what will happen :-)

Cute story to start a Saturday morning with!"

Hi Mie! Glad to see you here, and glad you are enjoying yourself. :)

[Becky]

I have seen bits and pieces of the movie but I think after reading the beginning of this I will have to watch the whole thing to see if Edmund is as mean in the movie as in the beginning of the book. I am glad that he found Narnia so that way he can stop teasing his sister.

I thought it was amazing when Lucy first entered Narnia and met the Faun. I can't wait to see where this magical adventure goes on to.

[Taylor C]

Becky wrote: "I have seen bits and pieces of the movie but I think after reading the beginning of this I will have to watch the whole thing to see if Edmund is as mean in the movie as in the beginning of the boo..."

It's a delightful movie. I hope you like it!

[Taylor C]

I've reached the end of chapter 4 this morning!! I think it has been a real treat so far. I'm also glad that much of the movie has been kept true from the book. I mean, it's practically word for word.

So I have high hopes for the coming chapters.

I really enjoy Questions of the Week when I lead Group Reads.
My question(s) for this week are:

Who is your favorite character so far?
If you could live in one season for the rest of your life which one would it be?

--I personally like Susan. It's not only my Mom's name, but she reminds me a lot of her. Susan is a charming woman, strong and a protector of her siblings. I love those traits in a character.

As far as what season I would pick all year, snow can just add to a landscape like no other. However, I'd have to pick Autumn. The various colors of the leafs against either a blue sky or a gloomy sky look beautiful no matter what.

[Winter, Group Reads]

Great questions! I will join in even though I read it last year.

Tough choice between Susan and Lucy. I'm going with Lucy for her ability to see wonders everywhere and enjoy them. She has a innocence and childlike wonder that is amazing.

Hm I would go with Winter because it is the time for Christmas which to me is when you're allowed to see the world with child eyes again. It's a time for traditions and family. Also there is little more beautiful than a really cold day with snow glittering as crystals and the sound of crunching when you walk.

[Mie]

My favorite is Mr Tumnus :-) He has a good heart and doesn't give in to his fear.

As for the season, this book is my worst nightmare - I hate the cold, and so I obviously love summer the most! Although every season has beautiful colors...

I always liked the movie, and like Taylor I am really happy, that it has stayed so close to the book so far :-)

[Paul Emily]

Taylor R wrote: "I've reached the end of chapter 4 this morning!! I think it has been a real treat so far. I'm also glad that much of the movie has been kept true from the book. I mean, it's practically word for wo..."

It is very true to the book, isn't it?! I don't think I'd really realised that until I read it again today. And where it isn't it's mostly just about making things longer and more developed without making them *long*. (view spoiler)[I do think they were better off leaving Father Christmas out though. Even if I do like that bit in the book it's still a tiny bit weird. I'd compare him to Tom Bombadil (nothing to do with Lord of the Rings again of course :P) except I actually like Tom now. More than I do Father Christmas in any case, even if I don't dislike him here or anything. It's complicated really. (hide spoiler)]

I'm honestly having a really hard time picking a favourite character, and that's not just because I've read the whole book now and I have hard time picking favourites in general anyway. Like I said in the general thread this isn't really a book about character as such.

Let me see now... looking back I'd probably have to go with Lucy. She's just got a good heart, and cares about people and sees the best in them even when they've let her down, and I really felt for her when everyone doubted her and she started doubting herself. Edmund's technically better as a written character, but right now he's too bitter and spiteful for me to like him, and later on while he improves a bit he just starts being written kinda incoherently instead. Peter sounds like he stepped right out of an Enid Blyton book, and Susan I'm not entirely sure as to what extent she actually exists. The White Witch is kinda just there, more of a presence than anything else really (maybe?), and Mr Tumnus was so shady in hindsight, even if he eventually decided not to kidnap the little girl.

It's the same with the seasons really, I can't pick a favourite one either! Summer here mostly means that the sun doesn't shine and it ends up raining or overcast instead, or that the sun does shine and it's just too darn hot! Then in winter it rarely snows and it's kinda disappointing but you get used to it, but then when it does snow the roads get blocked up. Of course you have the footpaths being all icy and slippery too.

No, for me it'd either have to be spring or autumn. Spring for like growth and joy and renewal, or autumn for things winding down and preparing to turn in, waiting to begin again. Of course considering how much time I spend inside I'm not sure it matters what season it is really ;) Or maybe the question is just silly and every season gives the others their meaning, I don't know. :)

[Mie]

Sounds like you are listing all the negative things to find out what you dislike the least - not listing all the good things to find a favorite ;-)

[Paul Emily]

I think that's being a teensy bit harsh Mie, I don't dislike any of the seasons at all! I just don't know whether I'd want to live in only one of them forever, and I've never really thought about which one I prefer before. So if I have to do a bit of process of elimination to decide, so be it ;)

[Mie]

So sorry! Never meant for it to come across as harsh - it was written with a smile, but I apologize if I gave the wrong impression :-)

[Paul Emily]

Oh no Mie, no, there's no need to apologise! In fact, I'm the one who should apologise, for giving the wrong impression! Maybe harsh was the wrong word, I knew you weren't really being that way about it. :)

[Becky]

I think my favorite character so far is Lucy because she is so innocent. Also being the youngest in my family I really feel for her.

I would have to say my favorite season is winter. However, I don't think I would like it they way it is in LW&W. If I wasn't able to enjoy the holidays that go along with winter it wouldn't be as enjoyable for me.

[NancyMagaly]

It's been years since I saw the movie and decades since I read the book. I remember this being an all time favorite. As I reread this I realize there are details that I had forgotten. Also, I was equally disgusted with Edmund. He just pisses me off. Lucy continues to be a favorite, her innocence and genuine trust and good nature is sweet.

[Taylor C]

Paul wrote: "Taylor R wrote: "I've reached the end of chapter 4 this morning!! I think it has been a real treat so far. I'm also glad that much of the movie has been kept true from the book. I mean, it's practi..."

(view spoiler)[I think you're right on the whole Father Christmas aspect. Maybe it was a Hollywood stunt so people will watch it every Christmas lol. I love how you mentioned Tom Bombadil. He's my most favorite "pointless" character I've come across. (hide spoiler)]

I have a friend that lives in Lebanon and his weather choices in reality are summer and winter: suns so hot it'll turn the palest person into a tan, winters so full of snow they practically have to walk everywhere.

[Taylor C]

Becky wrote: "I think my favorite character so far is Lucy because she is so innocent. Also being the youngest in my family I really feel for her.

I would have to say my favorite season is winter. However, I do..."

I wish some people could experience your "typical" spring and autumn, but they are different representations everywhere. Maybe Spring is better in some places and I just don't know it. :)

Going along with this (Becky and anyone who is listening) I can agree with Becky. I don't think winter is complete without it's Holiday traits. I was just talking to a friend yesterday (I sent her pictures of Indiana snow and she showed me a picture of her weather map in Alabama... I'll let you decide whether it's fair or not lol!) But anyway, she told me it doesn't even feel like Christmas. She misses the snow, same for a friend who moved to Texas. So with the conversations being said above, it's all good guys. It's just conversation. :) I think there's plenty of positives, negatives, and opinions to go around. Awesome outlook guys! And thanks for your answers :)

[Taylor C]

Winter wrote: "Great questions! I will join in even though I read it last year.

Tough choice between Susan and Lucy. I'm going with Lucy for her ability to see wonders everywhere and enjoy them. She has a innoc..."

Your answer was beautiful by the way!

I felt the same yesterday when the first snow fell in the Midwest states. It was so pretty and I appreciated the snow this time. Mainly because the roads were not bad, so I didn't have to be an adult for once. I could just enjoy the snow as it was.

[Paul Emily]

Taylor R wrote: "Paul wrote: "Taylor R wrote: "I've reached the end of chapter 4 this morning!! I think it has been a real treat so far. I'm also glad that much of the movie has been kept true from the book. I mean..."

(view spoiler)[All I can really say about Father Christmas right now Taylor is to keep reading I'm afraid ;) Or I would, but it turns out he's actually in the film too? Weird, I don't remember that bit at all. In fairness I think it works really well now that I've looked it up on YouTube. Sorry about that! :)

Tom Bombadil though... I don't want to make a big thing about this (especially as I've already made a big thing about something else in this thread ;)) but I don't actually think Tom Bombadil is that pointless. Like I used to, I just agreed with everyone else who said he was pointless, and then I reread Lord of the Rings this summer and it completely changed my view on him.

I'm not even talking about "oh but no, he gave them the sword and he's mentioned later on!" For me, Tom Bombadil is pretty much the first sign of Frodo and company meeting the benevolent, gentle but still kind of offputting and sinister unknowable strangeness of their world, and the world in general, which I feel like is a pretty big theme of Fellowship at least. Not so much the rest of the series, but nevertheless I do think it's running all throughout that first book. The Shire is familiar, Farmer Maggot is familiar, even Gandalf is familiar in his own way, and the black riders are just straight up to no good.

But the thing about the start of the journey is our heroes going beyond their borders into the unknown just like Bilbo went there and back again in The Hobbit, and Tom Bombadil is basically a literalisation of that unknown, or the good parts of it anyway. A representation of how while it's not always easy to leave somewhere you've been all your life and strike out to someplace new, and while people aren't exactly the same wherever you go or wherever you are, there's still good out there, still hope and the prospect of finding comfort and new friends along the way. Or something. I had a much better idea of where I was going with this when LotR was more fresh in my mind.

Tom Bombadil not pointless because reasons though. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. :p :) (hide spoiler)]

I have to admit, I'm feeling very lucky right now that I'm living somewhere where the climate is really mild all things considered. I mean, I'm sure Lebanon is a lovely place, I'm not saying otherwise, I just don't think I could handle the weather there for too long!

(Sorry for not replying earlier too btw, I didn't forget it's just life's been so busy lately that I haven't had time until now to sit down and write something! I'll be getting a bit freer from now on though, so hopefully it won't happen again. :))