# Aslan is on the move **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003 "2005-08-21T18:00:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/21 "2005-08-22T07:40:38Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > I forget who said this, but I find it to be broadly true: if you read the books in chronological order, as opposed to starting with _The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,_ you’re just not as likely to read the rest of the Narnia books. > > N1 it is! I would guess that others have said it as well, but that was the theme of[this thread that I started.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=267332) Although though most of the responders seemed to agree with my theory, there were a couple that dissented. There’s also a discussion in that thread regarding the reason for the change. It all comes from a letter written by C. S. Lewis as a reply to an American fan. From the entry on the Chronicles of Narnia on [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicles_of_narnia) > [@C. S. Lewis](#): > > “I think I agree with your order (i.e. chronological) for reading the books more than with your mother’s. The series was not planned beforehand as she thinks. When I wrote The Lion I did not know I was going to write any more. Then I wrote P. Caspian as a sequel and still didn’t think there would be any more, and when I had done The Voyage I felt quite sure it would be the last. But I found as I was wrong. So perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone read them. I’m not even sure that all the others were written in the same order in which they were published.” You can see that the preference expressed by Lewis is a mild one at best. And it’s entirely possible that the remark was simply made in order to encourage a young fan. I sincerely doubt he put a lot of thought into it or expected publishing companies to rearange the books based on an offhand comment in a letter. > [@Baldwin](#): > > Will Father Christmas be in the movie? According to the [IMDB](http://imdb.com/title/tt0363771/), yes, **Baldwin** , there is a Santa Claus… er… Father Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/22 "2005-08-22T13:00:48Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > 1. Although _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_ was the first book published, it’s not the first one in chronological order. The new paperback edition places them in the order that Lewis allegedly preferred, which is (mostly) chronological: _The Magician’s Nephew_; _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_; _The Horse and His Boy_; _Prince Caspian_; _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_; _The Silver Chair_; and _The Last Battle_. Heh. You do realize that this is akin to abortion, religion, and “-gry” debates, here on the Straight Dope . In other terms, them’s fightin’ words. Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe comes first. All other arrangements are the works of small-minded marketing people. (I was going to say “Satan himself”, but then figured “small-minded marketing people” was an even greater evil.) ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/23 "2005-08-22T13:16:07Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > Anyone else get goosebumps when they hear the phrase **Aslan is on the move**? Yes. And I’m not particularly devout, but the kids being referred to as “Daughters of Eve” and “Sons of Adam” always gave me a thrill. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/24 "2005-08-22T13:29:16Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > 1. Although _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_ was the first book published, it’s not the first one in chronological order. The new paperback edition places them in the order that Lewis allegedly preferred, which is (mostly) chronological: _The Magician’s Nephew_; _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_; _The Horse and His Boy_; _Prince Caspian_; _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_; _The Silver Chair_; and _The Last Battle_. > . Allow me to retort: 1. _The Magician’s Nephew_ may be the first chronologically, but it was written for those who had already read the first 5 books, and it has little dramatic meaning when read by someone with no knowlege of Narnia or of Aslan. Putting it at the beginning of the series would be like putting all the flashbacks at the beginning of a movie. Chaging the order of the books is retroactively changing history, and that’s George Lucas territory already and I think that that’s one inspiration we’re trying to avoid, don’t you think? 2. It may not be the first Narnia book, but it’s certainly the first Narnia _movie_. So how about this: I won’t call _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (the book)_ “N1”, only _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (the movie)_. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/25 "2005-08-22T13:31:08Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > Anyone else get goosebumps when they hear the phrase **Aslan is on the move**? Yes…I shiver at the thought of the armies of Geeks, Nerds, Dorks, and Mooks united under a new king. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/26 "2005-08-22T14:17:17Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > I just finished reading all seven books, which have been republished in a nice single-volume paperback edition. Really a good read. All the Christian symbolism makes me a little queasy, but that’s made up for by the good storytelling and vivid imagery. (Though the very ending of _The Last Battle_ reminded me of a Chick tract.) …snip… If it makes you feel any better the Chick tracks attacked Narnia & Middle-Earth. So neither is christian enough for them. This is one of the only movies I am/was looking forward to this year. Hoping for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/27 "2005-08-22T14:43:57Z")
The preference of the author is the Word of God in these matters, at least in official terms (although Lewis didn’t express a really strong opinion). Of course, as Lewis pointed out, it probably doesn’t matter much in what order you read them (although I’d maintain that one should read _The Last Battle_ last.) If I were trying to interest a child, I’d start with _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_. Did anybody else get that Jack Chick vibe right at the end of _The Last Battle_? If not, good. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/28 "2005-08-22T14:51:02Z")
Anyone who gives my kid (not that I have one yet) _The Magician’s Nephew_ to read first will be severely punished. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/29 "2005-08-22T18:19:10Z")
\*“They say Aslan is on the move - perhaps has already landed.” “And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don’t understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning—either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or beginning of summer.” \* Quoted and posted for two purposes: 1. If one had read **The Magician’s Nephew** first, this paragraph would lose a lot of its effect to a young reader. And, 1. I’m with Lucy on this one 🙂 Can’t wait until December. The [website](http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/index.html) might answer some questions, and goes a bit into the ordering debate. Best to all, plynck ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/30 "2005-08-22T18:20:10Z")
Alpha is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Omega is The Last Battle. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/31 "2005-08-22T21:39:09Z")
\The Aslan may be on the move, but as long as the Imperium has the I.S.S. Azanti High Lightning on patrol in this Sector, our system won’t be attacked.\ 😉😃 ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/32 "2005-08-22T21:42:38Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > \The Aslan may be on the move, but as long as the Imperium has the I.S.S. Azanti High Lightning on patrol in this Sector, our system won’t be attacked.\ 😉😃 Yeah, but if they’ve got the Zhodani with them along with Vargr privateers operating Coreward of the Deneb sector, we may be in trouble… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/33 "2005-08-22T23:08:59Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Yeah, but if they’ve got the Zhodani with them along with Vargr privateers operating Coreward of the Deneb sector, we may be in trouble… 😃 U guys are only Clvl 58,and that’s just cuz their hacked. Aslan is a Clvl Infinity Times Two +1. Anyway Aslan has the [Heaven’s Light Mighty Scepter.](http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/elite/uscepters.shtml)And the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Aslan ownz the I.S.S. Azanti High Lightning, u n00bs. Oh wait, I started this thread, now look what I’m doing to it… ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/34 "2005-08-23T00:06:15Z")
As for the Xtian elements, to be fair, Aslan is as much a Krishna figure as a Jesus Christ type. Which is to say, really, he represents Lewis’s idea of God rather than something religiously orthodox. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/35 "2005-08-23T00:43:27Z")
“Aslan is on the move” sounds like the marketing slogan for a telephone company. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/36 "2005-08-23T01:51:15Z")
> [@Plynck](#): > > \*“They say Aslan is on the move - perhaps has already landed.” > > “And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don’t understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning—either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or beginning of summer.” \* > Quoted and posted for two purposes: > > 1. If one had read **The Magician’s Nephew** first, this paragraph would lose a lot of its effect to a young reader… > Best to all, > > plynck I agree. And the impact of the passage above is not just on young readers. When I reread this passage today in your posting. I cried. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/37 "2005-08-23T14:15:20Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > As for the Xtian elements, to be fair, Aslan is as much a Krishna figure as a Jesus Christ type. Which is to say, really, he represents Lewis’s idea of God rather than something religiously orthodox. Hmm. I’m not sure I can agree. I re-read LW&W about a year ago for the first time since I was 12 or so, and I was surprised at just how direct a retelling of the Christ myth it is – the sacrifice, the celebration with followers before the crucifiction, the desecration of his flesh and dignity, and of course the returning to life after death, it’s all in there. I’m not familiar enough with Hindu mythology to know if the parallels with Krishna are near as strong, but I’d be very surprised if they are. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/38 "2005-08-23T16:51:30Z")
> [@](#): > > If it makes you feel any better the Chick tracks attacked Narnia & Middle-Earth. So neither is christian enough for them. Thanks; didn’t see that before I posted again. I’m not surprised; Lewis was an intelligent Anglican, and his theological writings are more sophisticated by orders of magnitude than anything Jack Chick ever produced. It’s just that the scene at the very end of _The Last Battle_, when the children are overjoyed to find out that they’re dead made me picture a rather ghastly final panel in a tract. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/39 "2005-08-23T17:14:46Z")
In the last pages of the last book, the Unicorn says: “I have come home at last! This is my real country. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now.” What’s not to like about the Afterlife? Pardon my ignorance, but who is Jack Chick? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003/40 "2005-08-23T17:38:08Z")
Jack Chick is a writer of evangelical Christian tracts, in small comic book form. Said tracts are noted by many for their lack of Christian love and tolerance, and for embracing the “fire and brimstone” method of scaring the Hell out of you. Chick is extremely bigoted against Catholics, and they are often depicted as the villians in his little morality tales, deliberately leading people away from “true” Christianity. Jews aren’t as openly reviled as Catholics, but Chick doesn’t like them much either. Do a Google search on his name. Also search these boards, a number of rants in the Pit have scorched their way through here. _Here endeth the hijack._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aslan-is-on-the-move/318003.md?page=3)