Living in The Last Battle

What C.S. Lewis taught me about living in the last days

This post developed from when I read The Last Battle to my wife last year. It sparked thoughts on some correlations between this book and the times that we find ourselves in. At the time that I wrote this we were only half way through the book, so the essay does not reach all the way to the end of The Last Battle.

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My wife and I are reading The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. It is the last in a series of seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia. I have not read this book in over a dozen years and re-visiting this tale by Lewis has left me with not a few thoughts and feelings. As my wife and I near the mid-point of this book some emotions have arisen that have been unexpected, feelings of grief and loss. As we read on, looking back into the foggy din of my memory, I try to remember what happens at the end of The Last Battle.

 Reading through this tragic tale, I detect similarities between the final days of Narnia and our own world. As Christians, we live in The Last Battle every day. Each of us war against the blatant untruths that ring out around us. Opponents of the truth such as Shift are symbols of such users of untruths. The Last Battle opens with an ape and a donkey walking along together, though there seems to be a degree of friendship between them, the longer they talk the more apparent the manipulation becomes. The slights and the false offense that come from Shift's mouth towards his "friend" Puzzle spark a sense of injustice in the beginning chapter of the book. I find myself saying "I don't remember this." The heightened feelings of injustice as I read the devious plan of Shift that unfolds word by word led to the sudden stab of grief in the following chapters with King Tirian and Jewel the Unicorn. 

I saw that these emotions I feel over a fantasy book should be placed in my own world. I think these stories are meant to remind us of who we are in the real world. A good story is relatable. I feel the injustice, the grief, the misery, and the hopes that are written by Lewis. When they realize that Shift plans to deceive the Narnians by creating a false Aslan through the manipulation of Puzzle, I am reminded that false Christs will arise through the deception and manipulation of others. The false Aslan makes certain claims through the self-centered mouthpiece of Shift. The Last Battle shows me the fallen nature of my own world and that I am to stand for truth. But as the story unfolds, there is a way to stand for the truth that is right and a way that is wrong. 

King Tirian and Jewel hear the news from Roonwit the Centaur and see the tragedy of the Dryad's death. This creates a burning vengeance in them both that leads them to make rash decisions that ultimately leave them full of regret and despair. As they march on toward the scene of the crime they encounter a River Rat who claims that this has all happened through Aslan's orders. This hits them hard and plants within them a seed of doubt. Though they have been taught all about Aslan, the phrase "he is not a tame lion." seems to be the refrain that they cannot let go.

Here, my wife and I were nearly in tears. The King and Jewel lament "We have lived too long." The times of peace have ended for them. The world as they have known and loved is gone. They struggle to understand the reality of what is happening and begin to question the truth. Who is Aslan now? For me, I see, again, comparisons between Narnia and our world. Christians have been taught over and over again who Jesus is, we have the very word of God at our fingertips. And yet, I am so easily deceived at times. I hear of tragic events on the news, and for a second, I question, "Is this really how it is?" "Is this how God would do things?" The Shifts of this world are always at work, weaving webs of deception, manipulating anyone who will lend them an ear. 

This calls to attention the need for a firm grasp of truth. We must train ourselves to know, and believe what we know about, Jesus. We must be trained to be mature in our faith so as not to react foolishly to rumors and news meant to lead us astray. I think that is the distinction between the children that come into the stories of Narnia and the inhabitants. The talking beasts, from our perspective, seem so easily taken in, even the wisest begin to doubt the truth about Aslan. Yet, Eustace and Jill, who have seen Aslan face to face have no doubts about him. I thought about this when Jill ventured into the stable to see Aslan for herself. She did not doubt that if she found Aslan in there she would be safe, and would know the truth face to face. Once the deception of Shift was exposed there was relief, anger, and laughter. 

For us, reading The Last Battle, and not reaching the end quite yet, we are like people standing on a cliff watching a storm push a ship closer to the jagged rocks. So Narnia, in The Last Battle, is the ship dragged to its destruction, and the crew has been deceived. They have been told that the cliff is closer to safety and that they are not that smart, to trust their captain. They do not know that they will be smashed to pieces. I am filled with sorrow as I read through the tragic chapters of The Last Battle, Narnia isn't what it was, it has turned into something else, something that I am too familiar with. It reminds me too much of my own world. Innocence lost, deception prevailing, and disdain for authority are all themes that are prominent in the first half of the book, much like our own fallen times. 

Those who have hope are in the minority. Those who hold to the ultimate authority of truth and sacrifice are looked down upon and hushed up. But we must press on, holding fast to what is right and good and true. We know who our King is and who our God is. For us, as Christians, this means that we must strive to deepen our relationship with Him. We submit ourselves to the care and trust of Jesus Christ. There are others who will try to deceive us as well as our own flesh. We are destined to come to an end. We are in The Last Battle and there are many characters in Lewis's Narnia, who will we be? 

Since my wife and I are only about halfway through the book and we usually read a chapter at a time there have been long moments of reflection in-between readings. There is ample time for dwelling on the current events of Narnia as we read our way to the inevitable conclusion of their world. It is a story I have read before, I know the ship does not make it. However, I know that there is more at the end of the story, the storm abates, a new ship has been made and the survivors are ushered into it. From there they sail into a new more glorious sunset. They finally make it to Aslan's country. But, we are not there yet. We are surviving along with the Resistance, the believers in the true Aslan. And we have hope, after all, we know how the story ends. 

I find it compelling that Lewis was capable of writing a book for children that can resonate so deeply with me. But as life is lived and I grow older, a deeper connection to truth and beauty is created. There is great appreciation for your own bed at the end of a long journey. For me, The Chronicles of Narnia is like the end of that journey, there are many comforts of home and I rediscover the small hidden things tucked away in the corner of its pages. I want to make the same journey again and again. The first time I was alone, this time I am with my wife, and next Lord willing, with my children. Each journey into Narnia has brought a new perspective, especially as I get further down the road in my own journey. 

I'll leave you with this quote from Lewis, 

"I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."