Crying

[Prunaprismia]

Just a question. I got bored the other day (being a student) so decided to read The Last Battle. I have read this book countless times and it makes me cry every single time. The imagery of the end of Narnia is so powerful, particularly the giant squeezing the light out of the sun. Anyway, my housemates made fun of me and just didn't get it when I tried to explain it to them. Surely I'm not the only one? Please put my mind at rest!! :(

[Warrior-Poet51088]

Welcome, Prunaprismia!
I know that feeling you're talking about. As a Christian, when I read LB, it's almost like a foretaste of things to come (though I take the Bible as a higher authority over Louis). It's very moving though, especially after you've read each of the books in order, and you come to the end of LB, and the world you've come to love is being destroyed......................................... ..




................But then it's gonna be even better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rosymole]

There's no shame in having a good old cry at the LB - it just shows the power of the written word - the way to highten the xperience is to read them all non-stop one after the other in one day, then it's emotional overload!

[GrayCloak]

The ending of Last Battle draws up powerful emotions I think for everyone. There is a sadness for the loss of those who've become so dear in Narnia, and yet there is also the message of the hope of a new world-and I find that far more 'tear-jerking'. (In a happy kinda way)

I just finished re-reading LWW, and I cried through the entire Aslan death/resurection scene even though I've read the book countless times!

[Jene Sai]

I have a strong tendency to cry while reading books, watching movies, or listening to an especially beautiful symphony.

I don't cry; however, when I am in pain.

Looking at this, it seems that the "scenes" that I find beautiful, fill me with sorrow, or completely enrage me... make me cry.

Does anyone else experience this?

I have a feeling that I cry for two reasons...

1. That beauty, TRUE beauty that reflects the Him who created both truth and beauty, fills me with a longing to see Him whose reflection we now only imprefectly see. This longing causes me to cry.

2. That the injustice that produces sorrow and thus enrages me (Yes, not all sorrow is caused by injustice, but the other types...I need to contemplate this part further...I see as almost a form of beauty). I believe this longing for God's righteous judgement causes me to cry.

This is as far as my introspection has taken me...
...Does anyone else have something they can add to this.

[Between_the_Worlds]

I cry every time I read LB, in fact I cry every time I read the Chronicles. They're such beautiful and sad stories. Just like I cry every time I read the LotR trilogy. There isn't anything wrong with crying (people think I'm weird too!) and I actually enjoy crying! (now all of you are gonna think I'm weird) Well, sometimes at least!

So no, you're not the only one, Prunaprismia, I understand exactly!

[AlwaysHis324]

I guess I've never cried during the death scene of Narnia. I have however got teary-eyed during the reunions at the very end. I find that part so beautiful and thrilling. Gives me goosebumps.

[dawntreader77]

i cry my eyes red every time i read it...and thats alot of crying. its very depressing even though it has a ''happy ending''

[Dead Rain]

awwww man. you guys are making me jelous. i havn't read it yet. i better go read and.....

[TrueCrusader]

I dont really cry.... I should re read it again!

[dave the gray]

I'm not ashamed to admit that the LB does indeed bring tears to my eyes everytime. Those final pages fill my heart with such undiscribable joy that I cannot help but be moved to tears. Lewis uses imagery that puts Heaven in terms and stirs emotions understandable to us on this side of eternity. Lewis had a gift for words and turning a phrase and used that gift to its fullest at the end of the LB to create one of the most amazing single moments in literature I've ever read.

[pacifiquesea]

No, it doesn't make me cry. It's good imagery, I admit. It's a nice, rich ending - but the power doesn't really strike me.

[Y. Fish]

I can't remember whether I cried at the end of LB. I know that I did, just a little, at the end of VDT, because Reepicheep was gone. The ending of LB is indeed very strong, but I can't recall if it moved me to tears. And Jene Sai, I understand what you're saying. Scenes of incomprable beauty make me cry, too.

[judyfromkansas]

Originally posted by Prunaprismia@Oct 9 2004, 07:40 AM
Just a question. I got bored the other day (being a student) so decided to read The Last Battle. I have read this book countless times and it makes me cry every single time. The imagery of the end of Narnia is so powerful, particularly the giant squeezing the light out of the sun. Anyway, my housemates made fun of me and just didn't get it when I tried to explain it to them. Surely I'm not the only one? Please put my mind at rest!! :(
I wanted to cry THREE TIMES during "The Last Battle". First, when Susan was declared persona non gratis. THEN when Narnia was destroyed. For some reason I was not consoled by Lewis' assurances that the adventures in the new paradise would never end BECAUSE I THE HUMBLE READER WOULD NOT GET TO SHARE IN THEM!!! :(

But the WORST moment was when I read the line "then He no longer looked to them like a lion". WHAT A FREAKING BUMMER THAT WAS!!!!!

IMO, "The Last Battle" was just plain terrible. Lewis carried the allegory wayyy too far. He took a truly unique fantasy world and reduced it to a Sunday School lesson. BLEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

[Warrior-Poet51088]

Just a thought (so please don't take it like I'm reprimanding you, or anything like that):
When we're in Heaven, most of our notions of who God is will be blwon away by his incomprehensible existence--that's why Alsan was no longer a lion. That's why the allegory is so much more beautiful when it's revealed. It's because we can see "the man behind the curtain".

[Dead Rain]

although i have not read the Last Battle, i am in agreement with Aragorn. though many may say that that is very rude and impossible, it is not and it is not.

[GrayCloak]

Well put Aragorn, couldn't agree with you more.


IMO, "The Last Battle" was just plain terrible. Lewis carried the allegory wayyy too far. He took a truly unique fantasy world and reduced it to a Sunday School lesson. BLEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't find LB any more allagorical than any of the other books. Take Aslan dying on the Stone Table to save Edmund, you really can't get more allagorical than that, can you? Is there ever any doubt in your mind that Aslan is Jesus, dying for us sinners?

I see Lewis's Christianity vibrantly present in all the chronicals, and I don't think that LB is any different.

[faeriechylde]

I would agree... I don't think that the allegory in LB is any more blatant than in any of Lewis' other books. Even if it were, that is no reason to criticize it as "horrible." Allegories are not a bad thing in themselves: it is when they are badly written because the author is more interested in getting his point across than telling a good story that they become bad. And that never happens in any of the CoN. Lewis is a story-teller to the core in these books, and he tells all the stories well.

[judyfromkansas]

Originally posted by Aragorn51088@Nov 2 2004, 05:58 PM
Just a thought (so please don't take it like I'm reprimanding you, or anything like that):
When we're in Heaven, most of our notions of who God is will be blwon away by his incomprehensible existence--that's why Alsan was no longer a lion. That's why the allegory is so much more beautiful when it's revealed. It's because we can see "the man behind the curtain".
Well, I can tell you one thing: I didn't get into Narnia BECAUSE it's a Christian allegory. I got into it because it's a very good piece of fantasy fiction. The god-lion Aslan was an additional spice that I liked, but like all spices it's best used sparingly IMO. As for the "man behind the curtain" allegory, which of course refers to "The Wizard of Oz"...um, wasn't the man behind the curtain in fact a fraud?

All I can say is, Lewis' best pal J. R. R. Tolkein disliked the Narnia stories because he didn't like heavy-handed allegory. And in the case of "The Last Battle", I do see his point. :)

[judyfromkansas]

Originally posted by GrayCloak@Nov 2 2004, 07:57 PM
Well put Aragorn, couldn't agree with you more.


IMO, "The Last Battle" was just plain terrible. Lewis carried the allegory wayyy too far. He took a truly unique fantasy world and reduced it to a Sunday School lesson. BLEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't find LB any more allagorical than any of the other books. Take Aslan dying on the Stone Table to save Edmund, you really can't get more allagorical than that, can you? Is there ever any doubt in your mind that Aslan is Jesus, dying for us sinners?

I see Lewis's Christianity vibrantly present in all the chronicals, and I don't think that LB is any different.
I know what the Stone Table element in "Wardrobe" is all about. But the death-on-the-table sacrifice of Aslan as an allegory of Jesus on the cross was recast and retold to fit a fantasy world; Jesus himself was recast in that world not as a teacher/philosopher/social reformer/son of God but as a Lion, the King of Beasts. Thus the allegorical element was far less direct and, well, preachy.

Anyway, I detest "The Last Battle". It is the only book in the series I haven't reread.

BTW, years ago I met Madeline L'Engle, author of "A Wrinkle In Time", during a writers' roundtable. Her opinions on "The Last Battle" matched mine exactly. In fact I think it was her spirited denouncement of the book as being basically "no fun" that made me brave enough to admit to myself that "Last Battle" almost ruined the entire series for me.

JMHO. You, of course, are not required to agree. :)

[Lord Darcey]

First time I read it, I hated the Last Battle. It made me cry. I thought it ruined the other books and I was insulted by it.

The second time I read it, two years later, in fifth grade rather than in third, I loved it, and it made me cry. Since then, I've loved the Last Battle. It just took a little bit more maturity on my part.

Almost /everything/ makes me cry. What really makes me cry in CoN is the end of the Silver Chair, where Eustace realizes that this old man was his friend only a year ago to Eustace but practically a lifetime ago to Caspian. It's just so sad how time seems to slip away and good things are gone before we even realize they're there.

[Dead Rain]

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!

COULD BE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



yeah. it didn't make me cry but it made me sad when peter and susan and then edmund and lucy couldn't go back to narnia. than was sad. very sad

[Amanda]

Everytime I read the last battle, the end is so emotional and powerful for me. I cry, but more than that I get this tight feeling in my chest. It's like when a beloved pet dies. It's so so so hard to let them go, but don't you feel that you life was enriched by the experience of even knowing them. That's how I feel about Narnia. I don't classify any of the books, LB included as good or bad. Lewis told the story of Narnia. Narnia had a beginning and an end. He told the story of the end of Narnia, and of course it wasn't going to be enjoyable but he left the reader with hope. I think it took courage to end things for Narnia the hard way.

[Diva]

I can't seem to remember ever crying at the books. I'm not a very outwardly emotional person.

[Ithilien]

I always cry my heart out while reading the Last Battle. I dunno...It's so beautiful, to agree with Jene Sai. Its so romantic, the way its written.

[Mercury]

I got teary eyed and awed a couple times during reading the CoN. Don't remember in particular if the Last Battle made me cry, though. I'm just really wondering now if the movies will have the power to touch you like this, or if they will be toned down in oder to be less Christian. I hope they would really touch people, too, like the books do.

Looking at this, it seems that the "scenes" that I find beautiful, fill me with sorrow, or completely enrage me... make me cry.

Does anyone else experience this?


Yep, extreme beauty brings tears to my eyes all the time. It's like getting a beautiful love letter written by the hands of God every time I come accross something beautiful. And then I'm just like, "thank you for showing yourself that way!" It's really awesome and it seems like the only way to express how overjoyed and awed I am by experienceing God's presence in such a moment is to cry. I wonder how the angels in heaven can sing and rejoyce all day. lol! If I was there in God's immediate presence I'd sob all day till eventually I'd pop because I am not big enough to bear all that joy.

[legolas]

I never cried in LB. But I almost cried in the 5th Harry Potter book when *SPOILER* Sirius Black died!!

[inkspot]

I never cried in LB. But I almost cried in the 5th Harry Potter book when *SPOILER* Sirius Black died!!
** as previously mentioned, HP book 5 spoilers**
I would have been crying if I hadn't been so mad at Harry, that kind of helped me not feel so bad. He did just what everyone told him not to do, fell into the exact trap that Hermione told him Voldemort might be setting for him, and got his friend killed. Made me mad! I was sad about Sirius, but I was too mad at Harry to cry about it.

TLB does make me cry, too. It's sad and beautiful all at once. I don't think it ruined the series as Judy from Kansas (and apparently Madeline L'Engle) feels -- I think it pushed it a step beyond fairy tale into reality, or a perception of reality, heaven. I never thought of it not being as "fun" as the other chronicles ... but that is true.

[legolas]

** as previously mentioned, HP book 5 spoilers**
I would have been crying if I hadn't been so mad at Harry, that kind of helped me not feel so bad. He did just what everyone told him not to do, fell into the exact trap that Hermione told him Voldemort might be setting for him, and got his friend killed. Made me mad! I was sad about Sirius, but I was too mad at Harry to cry about it.

I was never mad a Harry just, well, lets just say... I was confused about who she (rowling) would kill next!!! *sniff sniff*

[inkspot]

I was never mad a Harry

You must be mad at Harry! Harry caused the whole debacle because he refused to study occlumency and insisted that his dream was real when Hermione had warned him that Voldemort was aware of his desire to save people and would use it against him. It was all Harry's fault that his godfather was killed. I am quite put out with him.

[legolas]

No, because some of his dreams were real. And in all of the other 4 books, Harry was right. Time after time after time!!

[holyboy]

You must be mad at Harry! Harry caused the whole debacle because he refused to study occlumency and insisted that his dream was real when Hermione had warned him that Voldemort was aware of his desire to save people and would use it against him. It was all Harry's fault that his godfather was killed. I am quite put out with him.

Let me guess, your so mad at Harry that you are going to pick up the next book, just so you can find more things to be made about :D

I cried when Sirius died! How could you not? sure I was mad at Harry, but it was Harry's fault that Sirius died.

Wait, he's not dead...he'll pop out of the arch any second now, you'll see...

[legolas]

Thats what I always hoped and prayed!! Hey!!! Maybe Sirius will be a gost!! (i no i spelled that wrong)

[GrayCloak]

You must be mad at Harry! Harry caused the whole debacle because he refused to study occlumency and insisted that his dream was real when Hermione had warned him that Voldemort was aware of his desire to save people and would use it against him. It was all Harry's fault that his godfather was killed. I am quite put out with him.

I feel exactly the same Inky - I was so mad at Harry at the end of that book...I didn't think I would read the next one, but I kinda want to see how the series ends...and I have to make sure that Hagrids ok.

..If he get's Hagrid killed....

[inkspot]

No, remember Nearly Headless ghost said Sirius had already gone on --wherever Headless ghost was afraid to go, and that he (Sirius) can't come back.

You all have morbid thoughts -- someone in the other thread said probably Ron or Hermione will get killed by the end of the series, and now you say Hagrid, Gray? Surely not.

[GrayCloak]

You all have morbid thoughts -- someone in the other thread said probably Ron or Hermione will get killed by the end of the series, and now you say Hagrid, Gray? Surely not.

The next two books suposedly deal with the war with Voldemort - and Rowling says that a lot of people are going to die. From what I've heard a REAL main character gets killed in this next book.

[legolas]

Grrrrr.... HAGRID BETTER NOT DIE!!!

[Gymfan15]

I have cried over certain books and movies...I'm not sure about the CoN though. I've only read them once (but will re-read them all starting Monday! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE).

For instance..I got teary eyed when I read the part in "High Calling" (the book about astronaut Rick Husband) when his wife pours out her greif through writing in such a heart-rending way. :(

And of course at really happy parts...I cry because I'm happy. :)

And as to the LB...all the CoN books are marvelous, but if I had to rank them from 1-7, this one goes last...maybe its because I skimmed through most of it? lol I do plan on doing some deeeeeeeeeeep reading when I re-read it though.

And it made me sad when it seems as if Narnia has lost the battle...but my sister had a point when she said, "It seems to you as if they lost the battle, but they have really won it. Its like the way it will be in the last days of earth."

But it always hurts to read about Narnia being destroyed, even though the true Narnia lives on.

[Rache_san]

I cryed over Silver Chair and The Last Battle. I didn't cry in The Last Battle because of Narnia...but over the children...and for Susan. But in the end it turned out perfect, and left me feeling good....lol..


><>
God bless!!!!
~Rachael