The Silver Chair Theme of Principles

We may know Lewis best as a children's fantasy writer, but he was also a Christian apologist (a.k.a. someone who works to prove the principles of Christianity with a rational approach). This means that by trade, Lewis worked with principles on a daily basis and wasn't about to lose an opportunity to challenge us about them in his fictional works. Enter The Silver Chair.

Since Narnia is a place ruled by the Lion, a symbol of ultimate good, it's a good place for Lewis to get down to basic ideas about what is ethical and what is not. Jill and Eustace are the perfect guides to this moral landscape as they are very young and have a strong sense of justice, but are also not fully formed in their ideas yet, and therefore open to challenges and learning. Aslan, however, seems to have all the time in the world to make sure the children get it right, to prepare them for their future life on his mountain. It's principled, yo.

1. Why do you suppose that Lewis makes his main characters so very young? He seems to put a lot of demands on them, both morally and physically, for their age. What might be the point of doing this?
2. Jill seems to have a hard time with her part of the mission. Why do you suppose this is?
3. We learn that Eustace has gained strength from his former adventures in Narnia and that it returns to him as he moves through this adventure. Why do you think Lewis includes this particular trait in Eustace?
4. What happens when Jill or Eustace (or both) fail to stick to the signs Aslan has given them? How does it affect their mission/journey?
   

Eustace's body and mind take on (or remember) the strength that he gained on his last journey into Narnia as he travels on this new adventure. Lewis adds this detail to show that we build character based on our experiences—and to help us understand why Aslan is so forgiving when Eustace and Jill make serious mistakes.

According to Puddleglum, the first step toward good moral behavior is to embrace the fact that you're probably going to die—and possibly in horrible ways—and that it's important to live life to the highest standard possible while you have the chance.