The Silver Chair

The Silver Chair explores the concept of morality by depicting different characters’ struggles with their faith. C.S. Lewis’s definition of faith is heavily influenced by Christian ideals, and as a result, his characters’ sense of morality takes on a religious dimension. In short, moral behavior in The Chronicles of Narnia is dictated by the degree to which any given character follows the will of Aslan. Consequently, a character’s deference to Aslan’s rule signifies their moral purity.

Some characters, like Puddleglum and most Narnian creatures, symbolize unconditional faith in their approach to the world. Indeed, the Marsh-wiggle is characterized by his unwavering loyalty to Aslan and by his innocent point of view. The latter is framed as a moral virtue, because it enables Puddleglum to act with pure intentions. Even when he is unsure about the consequences of his actions, Puddleglum is willing to follow Aslan’s guidance without question, as is evidenced by his response to Eustace’s question of whether it is safe to untie Prince Rilian from the silver chair. He simply states, “I don’t know about that. […] You see, Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen. [...] But that doesn’t let us off following the sign” (120). As a result, Jill’s later assertion that Puddleglum is “brave as [...] a lion” (165) signals the intensity of his spiritual connection to Aslan, marking him as a morally pure character.

By contrast, the other protagonists, Eustace and Jill, frequently struggle to maintain their faith in Aslan when faced with the confusions and temptations of real-world obstacles. Jill, for example, is often shown to succumb to her emotions and fail to view situations rationally whenever her fear, stress, or pique causes her to break down into tears. Similarly, Eustace is prone to anger and frustration. After the Lady of the Green Kirtle promises them food and shelter at Harfang, for example, the children become “more grumpy and snappy with each other” (66), and when Puddleglum tries to warn the children against temptation, Jill is upset because “deep down inside her, she was already annoyed with herself for not knowing the Lion’s lesson quite so well as she felt she ought to have known” (72). Thus, even in moments that lead the children astray, the underlying presence of Aslan makes itself felt in their misgivings upon committing mistakes or going against Aslan’s stated will, thus mirroring the Christian version of “right and wrong” that Lewis espouses in his many philosophical essays on the nature of Christian faith.

In accordance with the interpretation of The Silver Chair as a journey through doubt and temptation towards renewed faith, Eustace and Jill’s own crises of faith find a dramatic resolution when they reject the witch’s attempts to convince them that Aslan does not exist. Her attempts fail not just because of Puddleglum’s bravery, but also because the children have already received their own internal confirmation of Aslan’s existence in the appearance of the fourth and final sign, by which they freed Prince Rilian. Thus, the encounter demonstrates the Christian ideal that no external occurrence can extinguish a faith that is confirmed, accepted, and maintained by one’s own internal convictions. Having already witnessed their own version of proof that Aslan’s power is real, the children cannot long be convinced that the opposite is true, and thus strengthened by their loyalty to Aslan, they overcome the witch and reclaim their moral ground. Indeed, when Aslan first gives Jill the quest in Chapter 2, he warns her: “Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly. […] [A]s you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind” (20). The Lion’s initial warning thus foreshadows Jill’s struggle to keep faith in Aslan’s guidance (and therefore to adhere to moral behavior) but also paves the ground for her eventual redemption.