Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Don't Be Such a Wet Blanket

Tonight I have been thinking of some of my favorite book i read when I was younger. Of course Nancy Drew comes to mind as one I will always hold near and dear to my heart. But I believe one of the biggest factors in my early childhood life were the Narnia book series by C.S. Lewis. Now I won't get into my rant about how the new movie franchise has corrupted the stories for modern youth because that could take hours. But as I was thinking about these books a certain quote came to mind.  Favorite of the series would have to be The Horse and His Boy, that one always spoke to me. My favorite line being when Gwyn tells Aravis, "For all the dead are dead alike." But that is not the quote that has been stuck in my mind. This one is from The Silver Chair, surprisingly one of my least favorites (if thats possibly when you love them all). It is a quote from Puddleglum the Marshwiggle in defiance to the Lady of the Green Kirtle. He is defend his belief that despite her convincing lies and arguments the real world does exist. So here it is, I think it is one of the most moving and inspiring quotes in any of these books.

“One word, Ma’am,” he said, coming back from the fire; limping because of the pain. “One word. All you’ve been saying is quite right, I shouldn’t wonder. I’m a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won’t deny any of what you said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things – trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world that makes you 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 Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we’re leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for the Overland.

No comments:

Post a Comment