Yes, I know that this was a book first, and yes, I know that the movie doesn't follow the book as well as we all hoped it would. But no, this post is not about the book, it is, indeed, about the movie.
The most recent time I watched this movie, I was just thinking about how clear the message/lesson is in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I figured that Voyage of the Dawn Treader would probably have some lessons to learn as well, knowing C.S. Lewis, so I payed extra close attention to see if I could pick them up. Here's what I noticed.
I like the way this movie follows not just one story, but four. Eustace's story, Lucy's story, Edmund's story, and Caspian's story. Each of these characters goes through some clear character development. Eustace's is the most drastic, but the others are just as important to look at.
Eustace's story is titled: Don't doubt what God can do. Here's why.
At the beginning of the movie, Eustace Scrubb is--how do I put this nicely--weak. He's lazy, nerdy, selfish, clever (but uses it to his advantage), and prone to complain and babble. He doesn't believe in fairy tales, magic, or Narnia. And he most definitely doesn't believe in Aslan. If you think back to Edmund in the first movie, you can most certainly see that these two are related.
(http://narniafans.com/tag/eustace-clarence-scrubb/)Then Eustace is half-drowned in a painting, and his views on the existence of magic begin to change. However, he fights it with all his might. He never changes out of his British clothing, keeps insisting that he's going to charge his rescuers with kidnapping, and gets the most irritated when something unbelievable or illogical happens (like meeting a talking mouse). He drives himself into misery, and persists in his refusal to believe anything that isn't plainly shown him. A true Doubting Thomas.
However, that all changes when he takes things a little too far. He's too clever for his own good, and too lazy for the good of anybody else. He's sore for being left behind from an adventure, and wanders away from his duty. He then discovers a dragon's treasure.
(http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_treasure)As Eustace puts it, "Finally, a favorable turn of events." And given the eventual outcome, I have to agree. His greed takes over, as you might expect, and he starts hoarding the gold and jewels with all his might. Unfortunately, the dragon's treasure is enchanted, and he turns into a dragon himself. This seems to be the final straw, the last blow to the wall of what his mind believes is impossible.
This dramatic event turns things around. The warrior mouse turns him from a cowardly dragon into a courageous one. He's helpful, thoughtful, hopeful, and more friendly. He exhausts himself towing the ship through a windless day, then gets wounded while fighting off his cousin's worst fear. He ends up alone on a sandy bank, faced with one more impossible task: changing back.
(http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-voyage-of-the-dawn-treader/images/18134720/title/narnia-3-dragon-eustace-photo)Apparently, nobody can change themselves from a dragon into a son. Only Aslan is capable of such a dramatic change as that. And yet, he can do it. We just need to let him.
Eustace, now a boy again, ends up helping to save the day. He fights off the green mist of temptation, and places the final sword on Aslan's table to put an end to The Evil. He's the first one to spot Aslan at the edge of the world. He adopts the clothes of a Narnian. He apologizes to his cousins and friends for how selfish he used to be, and glories in their acceptance of him.What the Eustace Scrubb from the beginning of the movie would have said was impossible rubbish, happened. And the Eustace Scrubb who emerged from the story was one who would no longer call anything rubbish or impossible, especially when Aslan was at the helm.
So no matter what it is that we may think is impossible for God to do, we should probably look at it again. Because God can do anything he pleases.
"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" -Matthew 19:26
(http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Chronicles-of-Narnia-The-Voyage-of-the-Dawn-Treader-Blu-ray/19648/)Lucy's story is a very familiar one for a lot of us. Hers is titled: Don't doubt who you are.
(http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00004032/narnia_dawn_treader25.html)When we open up on Lucy, it seems like she's just as confident, sweet, and fearless as ever. However, we soon discover that under the surface she's facing a lot of self-doubt. She's watching her sister--as we know she's been doing her whole life, even in Narnia--as men swarm around her. Lucy's getting old enough to start to want that kind of attention, but she's never gotten it. She's always been the little sister, and she fears she always will be. She's forgotten that she's just as much a queen of Narnia as her sister is.
Then she gets a dream come true: one last return to Narnia. She gets to take an active part in one last big adventure. But not in a beautiful dress. In a deleted scene (and in the book), it is explained to her that there are no female clothes on board the ship, so she'll have to dress like a man. So she spends the movie wearing a big, baggy shirt and pants. Not exactly the kind of wardrobe (haha) that you want to wear when you're trying to be more beautiful and attractive.
But she takes it in stride, and uses it to re-embrace her identity as Queen Lucy the Valiant.
(http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Lucy_Pevensie)However, she's then sent into an enchanter's house to flip through his book of spells, and is suddenly facing the person she's always wanted to be, a reminder that she doesn't think the person she is is good enough.
(http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00004032/narnia_dawn_treader19.html)She looks at what a little bit of magic could do for her, and forgets any potential consequences as she seizes the chance. But then things go a little south. She had always thought that she wanted to be like Susan, but what she hadn't realized was that what she really wanted was to be Susan. She wanted to be forgotten in order to be noticed. She wanted her entire existence, with all the good things she had done when she was just being herself, to be erased so that she could finally get what her sister had. As Aslan put it, she "wished herself away." And she had to experience it to know just how bad it would be.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/8192476/Narnia-gets-its-sparkle-back.html)Just like Lucy, we sometimes lose sight of who God made us to be in the craziness of watching others. We admire people, think ourselves inadequate, and then imitate the people we admire in order to be admired. I'm sure this isn't news to you, but it pays to have a reminder of just how dangerous that idea is. You see, in order to feel inadequate, we need to be listening to the Accuser and believing him as he points out all our flaws. Which means we are believing lies. Sometimes they are disguised as truth. After all, we are all flawed and imperfect without God's grace, forgiveness, and salvation. But it points us in the wrong direction. In God's kingdom, when we find a flaw in our ways, we repent, and he forgives us and forgets about it. But Satan points out the wrong flaws, so that, in trying to fix them, we turn to other flawed human beings that we view as being better than we are.
But the truth is this: God made us. And God doesn't make mistakes, he makes masterpieces. He hand-crafted each and every human being on the planet. That means me. And that means you. He didn't design us to be put together on an assembly line. He picked out each and every aspect, point, curve, color, shape, height, build, characteristic, talent, skill, mindset, attitude, and texture and carefully placed each and every one with love and skill. He made each person unique, like a glass-blower at his craft. He put his mind and effort into it wholeheartedly, delicately putting each part in its place.
However, since we're sinful, we're flawed, right? Yes, if we have not given our lives and our hearts to Jesus. But once we have, God doesn't see us as flawed anymore. All our flaws--spiritual, emotional, and physical--were nailed to the cross with Jesus and crucified there. So God is able to completely disregard them, and sees us as the beautiful treasure that he created in the first place.
Lucy learned this the hard way, and so have many of us. In fact, I'm still not able to completely grasp the truth and embrace my own identity as God's bride. I still struggle almost every day with seeing myself as inadequate, as I know many others do in varying degrees. But it's not too late to start to turn around. Like Lucy did, we can just say, "that was awful" and start to train ourselves to see us as God does.
Anyway, back to the story. After learning all this, Lucy gets to face life as herself again, and help others fight their fears and temptations. She even has a special moment where she is admired by another little girl (which wasn't in the book, but I like it), and gets to pass on the new message.
(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/500955158523889695/)Then there comes this moment, and the significance is evading me. They go into the dark island to fight The Evil, Edmund awakens this monster, and they all start fighting it. Including Lucy, because as we all know, she is valiant. But the moment I'm talking about is this: when Lucy uses Susan's bow (and, come to think of it, Edmund is using Peter's sword). Didn't we just establish that Lucy is not the new Susan?
(http://www.narniaweb.com/2010/06/dawn-treader-trailer-screen-caps/attachment/074/)It could just be a cool thing that the movie makers came up with to have the younger siblings take up the weapons of the older ones, but I think there's something deeper than that. Right now, I'm thinking it's this: that just because you are not that person you admire, doesn't mean you can't learn from them. You can take up their weapons, learn from their experiences, and use their training and advice to face the dangers and trials you have come against. And in the end, come out victorious.
That's what happens with Lucy. They defeat the bad guys, sail to the edge of the world, and meet Aslan there. Then, through many tears (including my own), they say goodbye to Narnia until the end of time, holding to the promise that Aslan will always be with them.
(http://torrents.st/the-chronicles-of-narnia-3-2010-1080p-bluray-h264-aac-rarbg)Lucy gets back to our world as a new person, confident in her identity as Aslan's beloved, and ready to take on the next adventure that he has for her: finding him in her world.
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." -Psalm 139:14
(http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-chronicles-of-narnia/images/26749005/title/chronicles-narnia-voyage-dawn-treader-screencap)Edmund's story, at my first glance, just looked exactly like Peter's in Prince Caspian. However, on closer examination, it's not. He may say many of the same things Peter does, but for different reasons. Edmund's story is titled: Don't doubt your God-given calling.
(http://skandarkeynes-.tumblr.com/page/2)Edmund's story starts not in this movie, but in the first. Once upon a time, there was this little kid who was tired of taking orders from his brother. In his mind, his brother had no right to order him around. Inside, he desperately wanted to get out from under Peter's shadow and make his own choices.
Then his little sister discovers a magical land. Edmund follows her into it, and meets up with a woman.
The White Witch discovers his hunger and uses it to her advantage. She bribes him into betraying his siblings. Not with Turkish Delight, as you might think, but with power. She promises to make him king. This is a sneaky ploy, because she knows that it is his destiny to be a king anyway.
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/102537907@N03/14188457277)We all know what happens to that plan. Edmund falls for the lie, regrets his decision, Aslan saves the day, and all four children become rulers of Narnia. With Edmund under Peter, as Aslan had intended it to be all along.
Edmund has learned from his mistake, and rules at his brother's side with enthusiasm. In the second movie, he is constantly coming to Peter's aid and is content with letting his brother lead. He gives him advice, but still follows him whether he takes the advice or not.
Then we come to movie number three: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Here, we discover that something is brooding inside Edmund, tempting him to be discontent again. I think it may start in one of the earliest scenes, when King Caspian pulls the kids out of the water and introduces them to the crew as the "High King and Queen of Narnia."
(http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Lucy_Pevensie)That statement seems to awaken in Edmund that old desire to be calling the shots. Then his hopes are crushed again when Caspian remains in charge. He seems to let go of it, however, until he finds a certain pool. A pool that turns everything into gold.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTZdjLfkydk)Suddenly, the possibilities are wide open again. He has a way out from living in a shadow; from, as he puts it, "playing second fiddle." And he seizes the opportunity to challenge Caspian's authority.
(http://www.dragonblogger.com/dvd-review-chronicles-narnia-voyage-dawn-treader/)His temptation makes him lose sight of what Aslan called him to: being second. There is nothing wrong with Edmund's leadership or ability, it is just not his job to be completely in charge. But he forgets that, and forgets that he was once content with it. He even starts to fight Caspian.
Thankfully, Lucy snaps him out of it, and he throws the temptation away. He then goes on to be very heroic as he re-settles into his role as second in charge, because that is yet again where Aslan is calling him to be.
But then they get to Dark Island to find the last sword, and the green mist of temptation raises its ugly head yet again. Literally. But not this one:
(https://www.fxguide.com/featured/narnia_the_dawn_treaders_vfx_crew/)This one:
(http://www.jessmountifield.co.uk/2013/03/09/the-voyage-of-the-dawn-treader-a-review/)
That's right, the White Witch resurfaces one last time to taunt him. She offers him power yet again. But this time, Edmund is ready for her. He has finally accepted his calling, and refuses to turn to any other path. He refuses to be an ally of evil ever again. And she leaves him. Finally. And Edmund is free to be who Aslan has called him to be.
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." -James 4:7
(http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Interview-The-Chronicles-Of-Narnia-s-Skandar-Keynes-22052.html)Caspian's story is not as pronounced as the others, and is kind of lost on the background. However, his, too, is important. It is also familiar, especially to me. Caspian's story is titled: Don't doubt your ability.
(https://www.pinterest.com/explore/prince-caspian/)We meet up with Caspian when he (almost literally) runs into the Pevensie children. He's overjoyed to see them, of course, but he's not quite sure why they're there. After all, he has everything well in hand, and he's led many successful campaigns since they left. So he wonders what it is about this campaign that he needs help with. This wonderment comes into play a little later.
(http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/ben-barnes/images/31523898/title/caspian-voyage-dawn-treader-photo)Soon afterwards, Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy explore an island and find the enchanted pool that turns anything into gold. Here Edmund, as we just talked about, is tempted to seize power for himself. As he fights Caspian, he accuses him of insecurity. As he puts it, "You doubt yourself!"
(http://flickdirect.com/movies/955/the-chronicles-of-narnia-voyage-of-the-dawn-treader/movie.ashx#/gallery_1/2)That's the first hint we have of what Caspian is struggling with in this movie. Edmund saw it first because he was Caspian's confidante. But we see it too eventually.
When the Dawn Treader reaches Dark Island, and the green mist of temptation shows up, it does something unexpected to Caspian. Instead of "tempting" Caspian to do something, as with Edmund and Lucy, the mist just lies to him, taking the form of his father and telling him, "You're a great disappointment to me. You call yourself my son, and act like a king." This is a roundabout way of tempting Caspian to doubt his ability to carry out what Aslan called him to: rule Narnia (sidenote: this is something Satan does, too. He lies to us to get us to doubt ourselves and, ultimately, God. For more about that, read my post Satan's Seeds in my other blog, Sunset Room http://insidethesunset.blogspot.com/2016/03/satans-seeds.html)
(http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/010TCN_Nathaniel_Parker_001.html)Now we come back to wondering why Caspian needed help on this voyage. True, they ended up fighting something very powerful, and the kids from the other world come in quite handy for that sort of thing. But Caspian didn't know that when they first showed up. In his mind, it could be argued, the presence of the Pevensies meant that Aslan himself didn't think Caspian able of accomplishing the task of tracking down the faithful lords among the Lone Islands. If Aslan thought he needed help, then maybe he had failed his calling.
I know that is probably stretching things, but it helps us get in the mindset of how this powerful, capable king could have become this insecure, scared man who wants nothing more than his father's approval.
Anyway, so the green mist is tempting Caspian to doubt himself. But by doing so, it is also tempting him to doubt (or forget) Aslan. After all, Aslan is the one who crowned Caspian king over Narnia. So if Caspian is unable to do it, does that mean Aslan didn't know what he was doing?
Like Caspian, it is easy for us to doubt our ability to carry out God's calling in our lives. Especially if that feeling is reinforced by those we respect and love (like Edmund for Caspian). But that's because when God asks us to do things, he doesn't want us focused on our ability to carry them out. He wants us completely focused on him. This links back to what Eustace learned: nothing is impossible for God. So if God is able to do it, that means it can be done, even if he is doing it through us.
One example of this is a couple weeks ago, when I had an oral presentation to give in a class. I took a public speaking class as a prerequisite, but almost the only thing I learned was how bad I am at public speaking. In fact, speaking in front of a group is one of my greatest fears, and one of the only things I've ever told God, "no" about. Nothing has changed that. Not surrender, not giving him my fears, not anything he ever said to reassure me. I was absolutely convinced that I was a bad public speaker.
But this semester, I've been learning in dance class about how different we are because God lives in us. We've been getting a more in-depth look at what the truth is about us as children of God. The truth being: it is no longer we who live, but God who lives in us. So when I was praying about this presentation, and pretty much asking God how on earth I was supposed to pull it off, he showed me that when I was picturing it happening, I was picturing all my past failures and embarrassing moments. Then he reminded me that it is him working through me that accomplishes things. He told me instead to picture him giving the presentation. He's a king, so he's pretty good at public speaking. He also knows his stuff when it comes to scientific topics (or any topic, for that matter). So when he gives a presentation on food allergies in pets, it is just about the best presentation you've ever witnessed.
Well, mine wasn't. It still took a lot of practice, and I didn't say everything perfectly. But the big difference was, I wasn't nervous while I was speaking. My mind usually goes blank when I speak in front of people, but this time, the thought that God was in me and capable, combined with the preparation work I had done (under his direction), made me more relaxed. Once again, God proved faithful. And my oral presentation was no longer impossible when it was done through him. Not only that, but I no longer believe the lie that I'm a bad public speaker. God can do anything in me, and sometimes I just need practice.
So back to Capsian. The green mist of temptation is defeated, but his self-doubt remains. He sails to the edge of the world to find his father, but then finds out from Aslan that in order to find his father, he'd have to give up ever returning to Narnia. He almost does it, but then realizes his mistake. He was given a gift. He was called to do something great. And even though he may not be perfect, it is still his job to do. And the best way to make his father proud is to carry out the calling that Aslan placed on him. As he puts it, "I can't imagine my father being very proud if I gave up what he died for."
In the same way, we shouldn't give up what our Father died for. We should live to make him proud. And we shouldn't doubt our own ability to do what he calls us to. Instead we should trust that God knows what he's doing, and is able to do what he calls us to through us.
Caspian ends by going to Aslan and promising to be a better king. In return, he gets the confirmation, "You already are" which means that Aslan is still calling him to be king, and is still working in him to be better.
"He who began a good work in you is able to carry it on to completion." -Philippians 1:6
(http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00004032/narnia_dawn_treader31.html)So in all, we can learn a lot by watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
1. Don't doubt what God can do
2. Don't doubt who you are
3. Don't doubt your God-given calling
4. Don't doubt your ability to carry it out, because God is working through you, and nothing is impossible for him.
(http://www.ibamadeira.com/2013_03_01_archive.html)
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