The Magician's Nephew

What secrets are hidden in Uncle’s chamber? Eager to find out the truth, the vigorous boy, Digory, decided to launch an adventure. From the chamber to a new-formed world with talking creatures, from a fatal moment to a heartwarming scenario, this exhilarating and thrilling volume carries us throughout the story, venturing and exploring the mysteries with Digory.

The adventure, or the incident, emerged when Digory and his playmate, Polly, accidentally went into his uncle’s chamber, which he had never been allowed to enter. The two children had considered the exploration just a game in a dull afternoon until the magic rings on the table took them to an unknown place, a world that differs from theirs. As they returned to their world again, a Witch, also known as Queen Jadis, was brought along with them unintentionally.

Although aiming at sending the troublesome Witch back to her world, Digory and Polly took her to Narnia, by mistake, where Digory received an errand from the founder of Narnia, Aslan the Lion. With much effort and perseverance, Digory fetched the golden apple from afar back to Aslan.

What is it that touched my heart and attracted me the most? I have to say it is Aslan’s mercy and compassion for Digory that struck a chord with my heart. In addition, tears of love brimmed over the bright eyes of Aslan when Digory restored his courage to ask him for something to cure his mom. Though Aslan refused him in response, due to the more urgent thing to do at that time was to pluck a golden apple in the western garden to restrain the Witch from harming Narnia, he didn’t condemn the boy for causing the knotty trouble. Instead, he showed his sympathy for Digory, who had no idea that Aslan had to sacrifice himself for Narnia as a result of his mistake.

As I read through the chapters describing Aslan’s compassion and Digory’s faithfulness, I couldn’t help regressing and going back to digest every word and let them wind in my mind over and over again. Moreover, by utilizing sophisticated descriptions of the scenes, such as the sentence “You could almost feel the trees growing” exaggerates the silence in the forest, everything became so vivid and authentic.

True love and kindness for others gives people the capability to show compassion and sympathy for others even in time of adversity, though they might be unaware of the troubles they had done to you. The virtue of loyalty gives people the strength to fight all the trials that were meant to deprive you of the promise and trustfulness you have with others, even with the strangers. Without these two scenarios, this adventure could be insipid and flavorless.

As for life, I would tell it is just like an adventure that one has to, seemingly, keep on going and exploring, while trying to make it as eventful and splendid as it could possibly be. Nonetheless, after experiencing the adventure with Digory, I think that making an amendment about my previous perception is necessary. Life shouldn’t simply be an exciting and colorful adventure. Once the ingredients of love, faithfulness, mercy and forgiveness are absent in this dish of life, neither salt nor spices could make it flavorful and tasty as it is expected to be. And that’s also why when people are in their old age and rock back and forth on a rocking chair, recalling all the journeys that had during lifetime, they would wind up smiling contently.