82 pages • 2 hours read
C. S. LewisPrince Caspian
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1951A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Symbols & Motifs
Aslan
As in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Aslan is a savior figure who represents Jesus Christ (in fact, Lewis was adamant that Aslan was not merely a Christ figure but rather a representation of what God might be like incarnated in a different world). Through Aslan, Lewis sought not only to appeal to Christian readers but to persuade other readers to share his religious perspective.
Aslan’s most obvious parallel to Jesus comes in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where he sacrifices himself to “redeem” Edmund and afterward returns from the dead. However, the symbolism is clear even in the absence of such concrete events. Like Jesus, for example, Aslan has dedicated followers who believe in him and his values while others deride him and question his power or very existence. Because Aslan is not always present in Narnia, his followers must have faith that he will return. Nikabrik is unsure of Aslan’s abilities, and Trumpkin does not believe in anything he has not personally experienced before. By contrast, Doctor Cornelius and Prince Caspian are certain that Aslan is real and will help them. Creatures like Trufflehunter believe in Aslan because of the stories they have heard passed down about him, much like Christians believe biblical accounts of Jesus’s life.
Also like Jesus, Aslan’s role in Narnia is to help and reward people in need (particularly those who believe in him) and to judge those who do evil. Aslan is a kind and forgiving character, but he also punishes wrongdoers: When traveling through Narnia with Lucy and Susan, Aslan is implied to turn a group of naughty boys into pigs and an abusive man into a tree. However, he is generally merciful and is quick to forgive when people repent of their mistakes. Lewis’s characterization of Aslan as an all-powerful yet merciful deity reinforces his status as a symbol (or version) of Christ.
Queen Susan’s Horn
A magical object with immense power, Queen Susan’s horn symbolizes the connection between Narnia’s good magic and belief and trust in Aslan, developing the theme of The Triumph of Faith and Courage. Using the horn is itself an act of faith, as the user is asking for help but cannot know how that assistance will manifest. Certain characters who do not have magical abilities, or any faith in Aslan, express doubt that the horn will even work. For example, Trumpkin is initially convinced that the horn is useless, telling Prince Caspian, “[Y]our great King Peter—and your lion Aslan—are all eggs in moonshine […] There’s no good raising hopes of magical help which (as I think) are sure to be disappointed” (1038). Later, Trumpkin acknowledges that the Pevensie children may have been summoned by the horn, but he is still dubious that they can help Narnia’s cause, saying, “I suppose I’d better go back to Prince Caspian and tell him no help has come” (1108).
Conversely, characters with faith in Aslan and an understanding of Narnia’s magic believe in the power of the horn and its connection with Aslan. For these people, the horn is a coveted item: Doctor Cornelius admits that he overcame many challenges to acquire it, and the Pevensie children are upset that they cannot locate the horn in their old treasure chamber, as it helped them on their previous journey. Upon hearing Trumpkin’s story about Prince Caspian, the Pevensie children immediately recognize the horn as the mechanism that brought them to Narnia and trust that it has set a positive chain of events in motion.
Awakened Trees
Narnia’s sentient trees represent intuitive faith in the divine, developing the theme of Spirituality and Humanity’s Relationship to Nature. This is why the Telmarine people, whose ancestors selfishly and violently conquered Narnia, are opposed to them: Their rational and materialist thinking, which largely reflects a selfish desire for ultimate control, makes them suspicious of not only Narnia’s trees but also its rivers and the “Old Narnian” creatures who live in close communion with nature. The Telmarines respond with violence, which causes the trees to fall into a “deep sleep” and lose their joyful personalities and ability to move and dance (880). By contrast, characters who are more intuitive are able to connect with the trees. Lucy carefully studies the trees and urges them to wake up, feeling like she is close to communicating with them. It is Aslan’s presence, however, that causes the trees to emerge from their dormancy and assume their awakened forms, highlighting the link between nature and the divine. The awakened trees are not only beautiful and magical but also crucial in defeating the Telmarine army, suggesting that spiritual knowledge can be a powerful force in the world.
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