The Silver Chair Awe and Amazement Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Page)

Quote #7

"What!" cried the gnome, opening its ridiculous mouth wider and wider in astonishment. "Dead? The Witch dead? And by your Honor's hand?" It gave a huge sigh of relief and added, "Why then your Honor is a friend!" (13.199)

Amazement isn't confined to the human race in this book. Golg the gnome takes a moment to digest the news that the other gnomes' slavery is at an end—and to figure out that the menacing strangers who have detained him are actually friends.

Quote #8

The depth of the chasm was so bright that at first it dazzled their eyes and they could see nothing. When they got used to it they thought they could make out a river of fire, and, on the banks of that river, what seemed to be fields and groves of an unbearable, hot brilliance—though they were dim compared with the river. There were blues, reds, greens, and whites all jumbled together: a very good stained-glass window with the tropical sun staring straight through at midday might have something of the same effect. (14.205)

As Rilian peers into the never-before seen land of Bism, he can't help but be astonished and inspired with a desire to explore a new place. Eustace feels the same excitement upon seeing the fire-bright lands under the earth, but Jill has quite the opposite feeling: one of dread.

Quote #9

At last Caspian turned to the others. He gave a great laugh of astonished joy. "Why! Eustace!" he said. "Eustace! So you did reach the end of the world after all. What about my second-best sword that you broke on the sea-serpent?" Eustace made a step toward him with both hands held out, but then drew back with a startled expression. (16.239)

Amazement often has equal parts joy and fear. Caspian has just suffered through death and has been brought back to life as a young man on Aslan's mountain; he is justifiably excited and amazed to see his old friend, Eustace, standing before him. Eustace, on the other hand, has just seen his friend die as an old man in Narnia, so he's not really sure how he should feel about this new development.