How Do You Think Girls Are Treated In Narnia

[Rivka]

Thanks for taking part in the poll
Rivka

[Specter]

Each of them has their role to fulfill. The girls have equally important roles to fill as the boys.

[Y. Fish]

I felt like the girls were a little bit stereotped as being "non-fighting" types. For example, in Prince Caspian when they're riding with Aslan and having that big party while Peter is in the duel with Miraz. I'm not saying Narnia's full of rampant sexism, I just got the feeling that sometimes they seemed a little "delicate."

[Ephinie]

There are clearly gender differences in the Chronicles of Narnia, but that does not necessarily mean that girls are treated worse or better. It seems to me that the series as a whole promotes a more traditional, chilvaric view of female roles. For example, Father Christmas gives Lucy and Susan gifts that are meant for defense; and he specifies that he doesn't want them to be in the battle. However, Lucy is plays a vital role in caring for the wounded after the battle, which is something that is every bit as important.

In The Horse and His Boy, the girl (can't remember her name right now) is clearly more competent and knowledgeable in just about every way than Shasta. She's independent, courageous, noble, and honorable. Near the end of the book, we see Lucy riding out to war with the men while Susan stays behind like a "proper lady." So it allows for personality differences.

In the interactions between Jill and Eustace, Jill seems tougher in some ways than Eustace does. Additionally, in the Silver Chair, Jill is the one entrusted with the signs to follow. (Okay, even if it was because she messed up by showing off. Yet, showing off is typically a male trait in children of that age... so yeah.)

In any case, I have a lot more I could say on it, but it would take forever to type it all out here. Plus, I'm having a brain cramp right now caused by an excessive work schedule and lack of sleep. The main point I'm trying to make is that yes, girls are treated differently than boys in the series. However, you can't really pinpoint whether how they are treated is better or worse... and also, the books are about children. Gender differences among children have a whole different dynamic than those among adults. Eh... I hope that helps some? Let me know if I said anything that needs clarifying...

[Tsukiko]

I think they're treated equally like everyone else. See, Lucy got to fight at the Battle of Anvard in HAHB.

[inkspot]

I said they are treated better than the boys, for this reason: sometimes the boys are left to do the fighting, while the girls get to go romping with Aslan. If I had to choose between a terrifying battle or a ride with Aslan, I would choose to go with Aslan. Like in PC when Susan and Lucy fly along with him and set people free from Telmarine oppression, or in LWW when the girls get to go with him and rescue the statues from the WW's castle, while the boys are on their own with the battle. The girls seem to have all the fun.

[Son of Adam]

As in real life there must be a balance between the two and I think that it is evident in the Chronicles of Narnia as well. Women were never looked at as lower or above men, just operating with different gifts. My wife keeps me balanced in certain areas of my life that I tend to sometimes get carried away with and I do the same for her. We are equal partners in life and that's what I think that the Chronicles showed.

[Malacandra]

In addition to the above, Polly comes off very well in MN; she is quite clearly the more grown-up and sensible of the two children, and warns Digory not to be a fool over the bell.

It also strikes me that Lucy is blessed with much the closest relationship with Aslan of anyone in the Chronicles. Also, she is not always believed or taken seriously, but I can't think OTTOMH of any occasion when she is ever wrong.

[Copperfox]

The only time Lucy is "bad" is in the episode of the wizard's book in "Dawn Treader": she spies on friends back in England, and reveals her envy of Susan's greater physical attractiveness.

[loverble]

the girls are treated realy diffrently from nowerdays but it defferntly portrays the time the book was written becuse the girls happen to miss all of the fighting and they always seem to be in harms way.

me and my mum think that C.S.Lewis was a bit sexist becuse of the pay he portrays the girls.

[Neevil]

I don't think there's anything sexist with CoN... If anything, I would agree with Inkspot and say that the girls are treated better than the boys. So many things have already been mentioned that would support that idea. Off the top of my head, I can't really think of a peticular instance that would indicate otherwise.

[Hermit of Archenland]

Any possible sexism aside, I think there are reasons within the story why Lewis did not have the girls in battle in LWW and PC. Despite her skill with the bow, I don't really think Susan would have been much use in a fight. Lucy would surely have given a good account of herself, but Lewis wanted to show what Aslan was doing through her eyes and develop further the close relationship she had with Him.

In HBB though we see Lucy take part in the battle at Anvard. And not only does she fight in that battle, but it's clearly implied it's her regular custom to fight in Narnia's wars. Even more interesting is that she's not only a participant but is actually a leader as well, as we see her planning tactics with Edmund and Peridan

[Skandar's Girl]

i said they were treated like the boys because i didn't really read about them being treated differently so...

[Olórin the Wise]

The way I look at it, in CoN the girls are treated differently from the boys, but not better or worse. They just have different jobs.

[~Lava~]

I agree with Olorin on this one, they were treated differently but not better or worse.

[inkspot]

The reason it seems to me they are treated better is that they get more of Aslan's time and attention, and it's nearly always under exhilarating circumstances. Edmund gets a lot of Aslan's attention in LWW, but under shameful circumstances! Whereas Lucy and Susan are only ever gently chided, but they get to have all the fun with Aslan.

Also, I think Jack's writing about the girls shows his own gentlemanly feelings toward the girls: they are capable, bright, important, equipped to defend themselves and entrusted with important tasks -- but they are also to be protected as much as the boys can protect them. It's chivalry he writes with in this regard, demonstrating his own understanding of how boys and girls relate to each other and society.