To Live as Like a Narnian: Miracles and The Silver Chair

Another essay for Dr. Dauphinais.

            Welcome to this week's edition of Theology on Tap, as we continue our discussion of the works of  C.S. Lewis. Tonight, we will look at The Silver Chair and Miracles. In Miracles, Lewis seeks to define what miracles are, whether miracles can logically occur, and whether disbelief of miracles is based on fact or bias. In The Silver Chair, we will travel again to Narnia with Eustace Scrubb, joined this time by his friend Jill Pole. For Eustace, it’s just a few months since his prior trip to Narnia, as even his schoolmates have noticed that he is quite a different boy than he was before. He has barely begun to explain Narnia to Jill when they both suddenly enter that land.

            How do these two works intersect? In reading The Silver Chair, I keep going back to one random sentence from Miracles: "All possible knowledge, then, depends on the validity of reasoning."[1] What is knowledge; what is reality? What is normal; what is miraculous? Lewis tells us that miracles are reality in that they do not act outside of the laws of Nature. When Christ turns water into wine, he operates within the laws of Nature:

“The earliest of these [Miracles of Fertility] was the conversion of water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana. This miracle proclaims that the God of all wine is present. The vine is one of the blessings sent by Jahweh: He is the reality behind the false god Bacchus. Every year, as part of the Natural order, God makes wine. He does so by creating a vegetable organism that can turn water, soil, and sunlight into a juice which will, under proper conditions, become wine. Thus, in a certain sense, He constantly turns water into wine, for wine, like all drinks, is but water modified. Once, and in one year only, God, now Incarnate, short circuits the process: makes wine in a moment: uses earthenware jars instead of vegetable fibers to hold the water. But uses them to do what He is always doing. The Miracle consists in the shortcut; but the event to which it leads is the usual one.”[2]

So miracles, then, are supernatural in that they bend the usual rules of Nature, but they are natural in that they obey those rules. Taking a shortcut is not remove us from reality.

            As Christians, our faith is based on multiple miracles. We acknowledge the miracle of life every time a baby is born, even though we understand the science behind the miracle. Because we understand the science behind the miracle of birth, we can accept the Incarnation, which Lewis calls “the Grand Miracle.” Lewis points out

 “The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.”[3] 

In science, in biology, we know how an egg becomes fertilized; in the Incarnation, we know it happens by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, as Lewis points out, “It is ... inaccurate to define a miracle as something that breaks the laws of Nature.”[4] As we have already stated, the Incarnation does not break the laws of Nature.

“If God creates a miraculous spermatozoon in the body of a virgin, it does not proceed to break any laws. The laws at once take it over. Nature is ready. Pregnancy follows, according to all the normal laws, and nine months later a child is born.”[5] 

We can state that all eggs are fertilized by the power of God; in the Incarnation, it is the method of fertilization that is extraordinary. The Incarnation is not outside of Nature; Mary becomes pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. The pregnancy, delivery and birth may be called ordinary; the child born is not.

            Similarly, in The Silver Chair, what we might call miracles are not outside of the laws of Nature, although the laws of Nature in Narnia are not identical to our own. In Narnia, there are regular animals, as well as animals that think as talk as humans do. The world is not identical to our world, although we both have land, water, a sun, and a moon. And Narnia is different in that the lion Aslan occasionally walks among the inhabitants; and so does the power of evil.

            In The Silver Chair, Eustace and Jill, seeking to escape from school bullies, have just begun to call upon Aslan when they duck through a gate, and cross into Narnia. We accept this; we know from previous books in the series that there are pathways between the two worlds which appear as necessary, or rather, as Aslan wishes. But when we stop to consider this, we realize that to suddenly step between worlds in not the usual course of events. In all the time we have spent in Narnia thus far, the only people who cross back and forth are those selected by Aslan for a purpose. As Eustace realizes, it would do no good to “draw a circle on the ground - and write in clear letters in it - and stand inside it - and recite charms and spells.”[6] As Eustace states,

“I’ve an idea that all those circles and things are rather rot. I don't think he'd like them. It was look as though we thought we could make him do things. But really we can only ask him.”[7]

They do get in, and, after a bit of adventure. Aslan blows Eustace, and later Jill, from the place they land into Narnia proper itself, a very far distance. This is not a usual occurrence – but in my own lifetime, Padre Pio was known to have the ability to appear in a place far from where he was a moment before. So we have our second and third miracles in Narnia: for if Padre Pio’s ability to bilocate is a miracle (as it surely was), so is it to be blown by the breath of a lion from one place to another, even though, in the land of Narnia, Aslan stands in for Christ. “If the laws of Nature are necessary truths, no miracle can break them: but then no miracle needs to break them.”[8] Neither Padre Pio nor the children break any laws of Nature. People can move from one place to another. We know how fast people do move; we don’t know how fast a person may move. For centuries, if not millennia, it was believed that no one would ever be able to run a mile in less than four minutes. Then Roger Bannister did, in 1954.[9] Granted, the record has not dropped much lower than that since (it now stands at 3:43:13). Bannister’s breaking the record was not a miracle, but an advancement of man’s physical prowess. Padre Pio’s miraculous ability to bilocate stretches the known ability of man to a place beyond our comprehension, but not beyond the laws of nature.

            In reading fantasy, we accept miraculous events as part of the story. But in life, we object to miracles, especially in small things. That you noticed the car barreling across the street and running the red light just in time to miss it, we say it is not a miracle, but luck. If someone in ill health suddenly becomes much better without any reason medicine can pinpoint, we say it’s not a miracle, but luck. Lewis suggests that one reason we deny the existence of miracles is that we now know there are other planets and perhaps even other species of intelligent life.

“We have discovered our insignificance and can no longer suppose that God is so drastically concerned in our petty affairs.”[10] 

When we presume to state what may or may not concern God, we limit ourselves from seeing his greatness. It is only when we trust in God and follow the path he sets for us that we can see his concern for us. Eustace and Jill learn this lesson over and over in The Silver Chair. Having been given by Aslan  four signs to follow, they fail to do so. The first sign called for Eustace to speak to the first person he sees in Narnia, as it will be an old friend. The first person they see is an old man whom Eustace does not recognize. Not believing that Jill got the sign right, he neglects to follow it, only to later discover that old man was in fact his old friend, King Caspian.

“Oh, want a to-do! If only you two had known and spoken to him at once! He'd have arranged everything dash probably given you an army to go with you in search of the Prince.”

Instead, they are on their own, except for the companionship of Puddleglum, a Marsh-wiggle. They continue on the journey, although they stop repeating before signs to themselves. They fail to follow the second or third sign correctly. The fourth sign that Aslan gave Jill was this:

“Fourth; you will know the lost Prince (if you find him) by this, that he will be the first person you have met in your travels who will ask you to do something in my name, in the name of Aslan.”[11]

After several adventures, including meeting a Queen and her silent companion, the Black Knight, they find themselves in the underground Castle of the Queen of the Underworld, where they again meet the Black Knight. The Black Knight tells them there is a curse upon him. By day, he is himself, but at night, he must be bound in his Silver Chair. He believes that if he were to be released from his chair, “‘first would come my fury, and after that’ - he shuddered – ‘the change into a loathsome serpent."[12] He permits the trio to secretly stay with him that night after he has been bound. Soon, bound to that chair, he claims to be under the curse during the day, not at night, and begs Jill, Eustace and Puddleglum to free him. Puddleglum calls him "cunning"[13] in his arguments.

            “‘Once and for all,’ said the prisoner, ‘I adjure you to set me free. By all fears and all loves, by the bright skies of Overland, by the great lion, by Aslan himself I charge you – ’

            ‘Oh!’ cried the three travelers as though they had been hurt. ‘It's the sign,’ said Puddleglum. ‘It was the words of the sign,’ said Scrubb more cautiously. ‘Oh, what are we to do?’ said Jill.”[14]

Having spent so little time contemplating the words of Aslan, they are confused when they finally hear them fulfilled:

"Yet could Aslan have really meant them to unbind anyone - even a lunatic - who asked it in his name? Could it be a mere accident?"[15]

Fortunately, they cut the Black Knight free of his bonds, stating “In the name of Aslan.”[16] Their faith in Aslan is rewarded. Here, they perform the miracle of freeing the Black Knight, who is really Prince Rillian, held under a dark spell for ten years. Their faith and loyalty to Aslan has brought them close to the completion of their assigned task, despite their failures to have closely obeyed his instructions. But they are still in Underworld, and still in the lair of the Witch. Their faith in Aslan must continue. In the final debate with the Witch, who is trying to bring the Prince, Eustace, Jill and Puddleglum all under her spell, Jill, with great effort, says the name of Aslan. Scrubb states “He is the great Lion who called us out of our own world ... and sent us into this to find Prince Rillian.”[17] This naming of Aslan is not enough to break the Witch’s power, but Puddleglum stamps his foot into the fire, lessening the scent which is part of the spell.

“[T]he pain itself made  Puddleglum’s head for a moment perfectly clear and he knew exactly what he really thought.”[18] 

“[W]e're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan’s side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia.”[19] 

Puddleglum’s calling on Aslan here is the beginning of the Witch losing her power over them. She makes one last attempt, but ultimately is killed by the combined efforts of the Prince and Puddleglum. Her defeat is miraculous; she was on the verge of having them all under her spell until Puddleglum called on Aslan.

            We cry out to God in times of great need, and by doing so, we admit miracles may occur:

“Theology says to you in effect, ‘Admit God and with Him the risk of a few miracles, and I in return will ratify your faith in human uniformity as regards the overwhelming majority of events.’... Theology offers you a working arrangement, which leaves the scientist free to continue his experiments and the Christian to continue his prayers.”[20]

            In the end, we are called to follow Puddleglum’s vow: “I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia.”[21] Live as a Christian, even if at times your faith may waiver; live as a follower of Christ, even when the world tells you that Christ is nothing but a folk tale from long ago; live as Christ, as if he were walking among us, for as Lewis states, “Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”[22]

            And remember, “You are probably quite right in thinking that you will never see a miracle done: you are probably equally right in thinking that there was a natural explanation of anything in your past life which seemed, at the first glance, to be ‘rum’ or ‘odd’. God does not shake miracles into Nature at random as if from a pepper-caster. They come on great occasions: they are found at the great ganglions of history - not of political or social history, but of that spiritual history which cannot be fully known by men.”[23]

Works Cited

            Lewis, C. S. Miracles. Reprint, Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020.

            Lewis, C. S. The Silver Chair. Reprint, Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015.

Lewis, C. S, and Lyle W Dorsett. The Essential C.S. Lewis. Reprint, New York: Scribner, 2017.

            Litsky, Frank, and Bruce Weber. "Roger Bannister, First Athlete To Break The 4-Minute Mile, Dies At 88 (Published 2018)". Nytimes.Com, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/04/obituaries/roger-bannister-dead.html.

            "Padre Pio's Bilocation And The Odor Of Sanctity | EWTN". EWTN Global Catholic Television Network, 2021. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/padre-pios-bilocation-and-the-odor-of-sanctity-13853.

                [1] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 3, 29

                [2] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 15, 226-227

                [3] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 14, 180

                [4] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 8, 97

                [5] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 8, 98

                [6] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 1, 13

                [7] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 1, 13

                [8] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 8, 95

                [9] Frank Litsky and Bruce Weber, "Roger Bannister, First Athlete To Break The 4-Minute Mile, Dies At 88 (Published 2018)", Nytimes.Com, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/04/obituaries/roger-bannister-dead.html.

                [10] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 7, 80

                [11] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 2, 26

                [12] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 131

                [13] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 134

                [14] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 134

                [15] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 134

                [16] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 135

                [17] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 12, 143

                [18] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 12, 144

                [19] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 145

                [20] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Chapter 13, 177

                [21] C. S Lewis, The Silver Chair (repr., Croydon: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015). Chapter 11, 145

                [22] C.S. Lewis, "The Weight Of Glory", in The Essential C. S. Lewis (repr., New York: Scribner, 2017), 370

                [23] C. S. Lewis, Miracles (repr., Vancouver: Mercy House, 2020). Epilogue, 282