The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens in theaters on Friday, May 16. In order to whet your appetite, I am counting down the fifteen days to the movie by sharing a favorite selection from each of the fifteen chapters of C. S. Lewis’ masterful book, Prince Caspian. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead! But if you haven’t read the book, you should really read it before going to see the movie anyways!) Here goes — let’s count down to Caspian!

From Chapter 3: The Dwarf

“Oh!” said Edmund in a voice which made everyone stop and listen to him. “I’ve just seen it all,” he said.

“Seen what? asked Peter.

“Why, the whole thing,” said Edmund. “You know what we were puzzling about last night, that it was only a year ago since we left Narnia, but everything looks as if no one had lived in Cair Paravel for hundreds of years? Well, don’t you see? You know that, however we long we seemed to have lived in Narnia, when we got back through the wardrobe it seemed to have taken no time at all?”

“Go on,” said Susan. “I think I’m beginning to understand.”

“And that means,” continued Edmund, “that, once you’re out of Narnia, you have no idea how Narnian time is going. Why shouldn’t hundreds of years have gone past in Narnia while only one year has passed for us in England?”

“By Jove, Ed,” said Peter. “I believe you’ve got it. In that sense it really was hundreds of years ago that we lived in Cair Paravel. And now we’re coming back to Narnia just as if we were Crusaders or Anglo Saxons or Ancient Britons or someone coming back to modern England!”

Thoughts:  The whole time element of Narnia is a fun aspect of the story. By having time pass differently in Narnia, Lewis is able to cover vast sections of Narnian history while allowing the Pevensie children (and others) to intersect with this history at different times. It is also fun because when you start each book you have no idea where you will pick up the timeline in Narnia. Lewis may also be thinking of 2 Peter 3:8 here: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (Thoughts? Comments? Do you have a favorite scene or quote from chapter three?)

All the Countdown Posts:  Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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