Narnia Reading Group- The Magician's Nephew

Sir Edmon the Just said:

Welcome to The Magician's Nephew Reading Group. For the first week we will be reading chapter one (The Wrong Door). Hear is chapter one online for those who do not have the books.

CHAPTER ONE. THE WRONG DOOR - The Magician's Nephew


To help discussion get going I will ask a few questions each week. Feel free to post other questions and comment. We have some first time Narnia readers so try to answer the questions based on what is known so far.


1-Did you think uncle Andrew was scared and why?

2-When did you think there was something odd or strange about uncle Andrew or do you?

3-Would you take the ring from the table or would you say no?

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First time reader [watched the movies] and thanks for starting the group. I am a big fan of Tolkien, Lewis, and the inklings. I have read a couple of Lewis books like mere Christianity, the screwtape letters and a couple about him such as C.S Lewis anti-Darwinist and Narnia and the fields of Arbol.


After reading the wrong door the first thing I thought of was how it reminds me a bit of being a kid when we used our imaginations more. When everything was a mystery and new. When I was a kid I do think the world had a bit of "magic" to it. I think I can sense this will play a big role in Narnia books [as it did in movies]. I look forward to entering Narnia.


1-As to the questions I do not think uncle Andrew was scared, not sure even what he would have been scared of. Two kids in his room? startled maybe?

2- I do indeed think him strange. When he locked the doors to me indicated something odd was going on.

3- I guess this would depend on what I thought of Andrew. As a kid seeing a interesting ring that hummed and glowed, I think I would take it even if I thought Andrew odd. As a boring old man today, likely not.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

1-Did you think uncle Andrew was scared and why?

2-When did you think there was something odd or strange about uncle Andrew or do you?

3-Would you take the ring from the table or would you say no?

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One thing that always strikes me is how much freedom the kids have. Today it seems that every moment of the day is organized but Digory and Polly roam at will.

I don't think Uncle Andrew was frightened. From what Digory has said the man has been trying to lure Digory up to his attic room but been kept from it by Digory's aunt. What I wonder it why he wanted children for this experiment? I can see not wanting to do it yourself but surely he could have paid someone.

Once he locked one door on them and blocked them from leaving by the other, the kids were right to be suspicious of him.

Rings -- they were calling to Polly from the start weren't they? I don't think she had a chance. Then too... does anyone think that Digory yelling Don't made her want to even more?

Sir Edmon the Just said:

1-Did you think uncle Andrew was scared and why?

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No.

2-When did you think there was something odd or strange about uncle Andrew or do you?

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When he wouldn't let Polly and Digory leave the attic room to begin with.

3-Would you take the ring from the table or would you say no?

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No, I wouldn't. There was too many odd things that Uncle Andrew shared, experimenting on guinea pigs for one, and the humming sound that the rings made.

Sevilodorf said:

Then too... does anyone think that Digory yelling Don't made her want to even more?

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That's an interesting question. I don't really think that really made a difference to Polly. She was just a curious and adventuresome girl.

Sevilodorf said:

Rings -- they were calling to Polly from the start weren't they? I don't think she had a chance. Then too... does anyone think that Digory yelling Don't made her want to even more?

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Good question. I would think not. I got the impression thew rings and Andrew were all she was concerned with at that moment. Kind of like she forgot where she was outside of the rings. Of course I read to much Tolkien so rings tend to have control over people lol.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

Here is chapter 2, Digory and his Uncle
CHAPTER TWO. DIGORY AND HIS UNCLE - The Magician's Nephew

What did you think was in the Box before Uncle Andrew told us what was in it.

When did you notice the Trap that Uncle Andrew had put Digory In.

One thing I thought of that Uncle Andrew and Digory could do is to send a guinea pig with a yellow and green ring and stick a note on the guinea pig saying that the green ring would bring Polly back.

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First my own comments.

I dont like Uncle Andrew at all. He seems a mad scientist who put knowledge and his own curiosity above other people [Polly-Digory] and sees himself above ordinary people. He is what Digory said, a coward.

He said his godmother "had got to dislike ordinary, ignorant people. I do myself" and of ordinary rules that apply to people such as keeping there promises "rules of that sort, however excellent they may be for boys and servents and woman and even people in general, cant posibley be exspected to apply to profound students and great thinkers and sages. No Digory men like me who posses hidden wisdom, are freed from common rules" and Digory understood him correct as "He thinks he can do anything he likes to get anything he wants"



As to the first question- I had no idea or guesses.

The second question I think about the same time as Digory did. In fact the trap was really only by choice. He never really had to go, I wonder what Andrew would have done had Digory refused. It also says allot about Digory in contrast to the selfish Andrew who makes other people go rather than himself.


Wow that is a great idea. I think Digory did not have the time to come up with a plan like that and i think Andrew would not be interested in such a plan maybe.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

What did you think was in the Box before Uncle Andrew told us what was in it.

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We thought that the rings were in the box.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

When did you notice the Trap that Uncle Andrew had put Digory In.

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We knew Uncle Andrew was going to send Digory to get her but not how he would get Digory to go willingly.

Tolkien R.R.J said:

I dont like Uncle Andrew at all. He seems a mad scientist who put knowledge and his own curiosity above other people [Polly-Digory] and sees himself above ordinary people. He is what Digory said, a coward.

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We agree whole heartedly. He believes that he is above all ethics and morality.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

One thing I thought of that Uncle Andrew and Digory could do is to send a guinea pig with a yellow and green ring and stick a note on the guinea pig saying that the green ring would bring Polly back.

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My grandson, JC, said this might work if the guinea pig were a puppy but a guinea pig would have to be really friendly to seek out a person.
My thoughts are that the guinea pig may not land in the same area that Polly is in and Polly may not see it.

Hank77 said:

My thoughts are that the guinea pig may not land in the same area that Polly is in and Polly may not see it.

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never thought of that. I know very little of what to expect so far.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

Welcome to The Magician's Nephew Reading Group. For the first week we will be reading chapter one (The Wrong Door). Hear is chapter one online for those who do not have the books.

CHAPTER ONE. THE WRONG DOOR - The Magician's Nephew


To help discussion get going I will ask a few questions each week. Feel free to post other questions and comment. We have some first time Narnia readers so try to answer the questions based on what is known so far.


1-Did you think uncle Andrew was scared and why?

2-When did you think there was something odd or strange about uncle Andrew or do you?

3-Would you take the ring from the table or would you say no?

Click to expand...

I do not think Uncle Andrew was scared. I think he had been planning to lure Digory and Polly up there (he did say he had been waiting for two children), and was pleasantly surprised to find them in his study.

I thought there was something strange about Uncle Andrew when he locked them in the attic and blocked the exit, then wouldn't let them leave for dinner. Locking a couple of children in an attic is never good.

In Polly's position, I probably would have said yes. I would not have had a reason to think that Uncle Andrew would be up to no good as I would have been only a child having lived next door to him my whole life with no incident.

Sir Edmon the Just said:

Here is chapter 2, Digory and his Uncle
CHAPTER TWO. DIGORY AND HIS UNCLE - The Magician's Nephew

What did you think was in the Box before Uncle Andrew told us what was in it.

When did you notice the Trap that Uncle Andrew had put Digory In.

One thing I thought of that Uncle Andrew and Digory could do is to send a guinea pig with a yellow and green ring and stick a note on the guinea pig saying that the green ring would bring Polly back.

Click to expand...

Before Uncle Andrew told us what was in it, I thought it contained an old journal or spell book.

I noticed the trap about when Uncle Andrew explained it.

I like your thinking on what they could have done instead of sending Digory! I don't think Digory had thought of it, though. And I wonder why it was that Andrew had wanted 2 children in the first place? I think Andrew had it all planned ahead of time, and the children just had stumbled into his plans sooner than he expected.

Bumble Bee said:

I do not think Uncle Andrew was scared. I think he had been planning to lure Digory and Polly up there (he did say he had been waiting for two children), and was pleasantly surprised to find them in his study.

I thought there was something strange about Uncle Andrew when he locked them in the attic and blocked the exit, then wouldn't let them leave for dinner. Locking a couple of children in an attic is never good.

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Interesting Idea. I wonder if he ever used any other animals or planed on it rather than guinea pigs.


It is hard to disagree with your statement on children and attics.

Why did he say he had been waiting for 2 children then?

Sir Edmon the Just said:

We are going to be doing two chapters this week.
THE WOOD BETWEEN THE WORLDS
CHAPTER THREE. THE WOOD BETWEEN THE WORLDS - The Magician's Nephew

THE BELL AND THE HAMMER
CHAPTER FOUR. THE BELL AND THE HAMMER - The Magician's Nephew

1: What do you guys think about this idea if the trees could drink up all the water, would there be no more pools or do you think they cannot drink up the water.
You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots.

2:If you drink the water could you Grow. A couple reasons it could go either way is because the guinea pig did not grow it did get fatter but i do not think it grew larger. One way to contradict that is what if the guinea pig did not need water in the wood Between The Worlds.

3: Would you want to try the pools and test them out?

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1- Interesting. I think they can drink up the water and that is why it says they could almost feel it. Does it rain? does a mist resupply? underground water? or magic, I cant say.



3- In this world i think I would not, but in a peaceful in between world like they were in, I think I would have gone for it. But Polly had the best idea, make sure we can get back before we try another pool.

Alana

My home schooled daughter Alana is 11 years old and she will be joining us under my name, hopefully she will catch up for next week.