Edmund & Eustace, Not who they seem!

[WillsGirl]

Okay, most people freak when they hear some of my favorite characters in Narnia are Edmund and Eustace, "Why them? The Traitor and the Ass?"
I don't think it's that simple.
Edmund was upset about a lot of things. The War, his father, the fact that Peter and Susan were taking over as his parents and no matter what he couldn't be mature in Peter's eyes. He was going about it all wrong yes but when you see that he was caught in his moments of weakness to me, it doesn't seem so bad. And he didn't REALLY know what the witch had planned for the others.
As for Eustace, he was brought up in a spoiled family, he was an only and as such, did not know how to act. When you read his entrys in TDT you notice that his side of the story is all different. He doesn't seem to KNOW he is the enemy until he is a dragon, and then they are both so changed and redeemed but it is not easy! I love that it is not easy for them to be saved.

Any thoughts? Comments?

[DeplorableWord]

I love them both, Edmund is my second favorite character, and I was Eustace the second time I took the Narnia Quiz to see which character you're most like! :D

[WillsGirl]

I have gotten Edmund and Eustace AND Peter all of which are my favorite characters! :D

[Aslan the Wise one]

Yes but some peolpe just might like Edmund or Eustace because they also act like that.?

[♣Teh Deviant♣]

I personally agree with WillsGirl; but, I would have to say that Edmund is my fave!
I like the fact that I can relate to him; ulike not being able to relate to a Gentle Queen, or Valiant Queen, or even a Magnifecent King.
But, Edmund......He's Just. :D

Sofia

[WillsGirl]

I think I have gotten Ed mostly because I AM the second youngest in my family and I HATE it when my older sister starts acting like my mom! and I struggle a lot with where I am supposed to be in my family, and I try not to be bitter like Ed but that's just on a rough day.
I'm also VERY much like Peter because I am the oldest in my group of friends and tend to be very protective and leader-like.
So it's like a mixture and I just LOVE how Lewis describes such redemption and change with these characters!

[i love skandar]

Yup! I totally agree!!! Edmund and Eustace are my two very favorites! I love them!!!!! But my friends think i'm crazy lol :D

[Charn_Tim]

Yeah, I like Edmund and Eustace because of their complexity of character. Just for the record, I don't think it's weird at all to have Edmund or Eustace as you favourite character, especially if you've read the other books. The same goes for Susan, really. In fact, you can make the case that Susan was "worse" than the two boys. She constantly wants to turn back or away from Narnia, even after she sees it for herself, whereas with Edmund and Eustace, once they discover the truth, they go for it full steam ahead. That's wonderful character development and you really see that they both have a heart of gold in the end!

One other side note: to us Christians on this forum, our story is far more like Edmund's and Eustace's than someone like Lucy or Peter. You really are able to identify with Edmund in particular, because you see Aslan doing for Edmund what Jesus has done for all of us-die for our "sins": treachery, being a traitor, liar, obnoxious, disobedient, and devious. He took that nature away and gave us a new nature, just like what happened with Edmund the Just!

[WillsGirl]

AMEN! I really do love that comparason, it's a GREAT reminder of what we have!
{BTW I love your banner!}

[*Hawaii Beach Babe*]

I personally agree with WillsGirl; but, I would have to say that Edmund is my fave!
I like the fact that I can relate to him; ulike not being able to relate to a Gentle Queen, or Valiant Queen, or even a Magnifecent King.
But, Edmund......He's Just. :D

Sofia
I agree! I am just too. We went to a place called Young AmeriTowne where kids get to have "jobs" for a day. If you wanted to be the judge, you had to run in an election. I won the election for Judge! that was completely random.

[WillsGirl]

LOL fun, fun!!!

[narniafan14]

I love Edmund! Of course, I just got done with The Dawn Treader, so I am not really close to Eustace. When I read the other books, (I've only read LWW, Prince Caspian and Dawn Treader) I will more and likely get close to him.

My fav. characters:
Edmund
Lucy
Peter
Mr. Tumnus

[Rhyanidd]

I dont think its weird that they are your favorite characters. I personelly do not have favorites(amongst the more main characters I tend to go for the less well known characters) Charn_Tim I agree with you about Ed and Eustace, their story is a lot like those of us who are christians, storys. I have acctually never really been able to pick amongst the Pevensies, or among the main characters of the other books. I also really like Su, I can relate to her in a lot of ways, I can relate to most of the characters I think.

Anyway My favorites are:
Wimmbleweather
Rumblebuffin
Reepicheep(DUH!)
and Peepicheep

[CSLewisFan]

Edmund was a traitor, Eustace was an ass, no excuses.

Both were forgiven and both changed themselves for the better.
A lot of people identify with that, that's why they are many times a favorite character.

-Austin

[elfjad]

Willsgirl - I'm afraid this is completely unrelated to the thread but I have played the piece of music shown in your banner but can't remember what it is called. Do you know? Is it Haydn?

[WillsGirl]

Edmund was a traitor, Eustace was an ass, no excuses.

Both were forgiven and both changed themselves for the better.
A lot of people identify with that, that's why they are many times a favorite character.

-Austin
Very simply put... but it does make a lot of sence.

Elfjad ~ I sent you a PM. ;)

[Oddish]

I like the fact that Edmund (and the young man who brings him to life) reminds us all that even if you're the black sheep, you're still a part of the flock. And the wool of the black sheep is just as warm (from "The Sound of Music").

And Eustace reminds us that even after a life-transforming event, like being turned into a dragon and subsequently restored by Aslan, the journey doesn't end. Eustace still has his difficult days, but he grows steadily closer to the person he was created to be.

But the other characters have valuable lessons as well...

Lucy reminds us that even the good-hearted among us will stumble, and also that our Creator sometimes requires that we follow Him, even if everyone else walks the other way. And in that special moment where she encounters Aslan at the magician's house, she reminds us that real beauty lies within us.

Susan reminds us that it's not enough to begin well, we have to remain in the race to the end. Some of us will dance across the finish line, and others of us will collapse across it, but to drop out is to truly lose.

Diggory reminds us that a moment's bad decision can have long-lasting repercussions, and that we can and frequently will be held responsible for them, and called upon to try to undo what we have done.

Still working on the others...

[umbrellaxscenexcore]

Eaustace is like the "old Edmund" lol

[Aslan_Crusader]

I had a question how old is Edmund in the voyage? :p :confused:

[straitjackit]

I had a question how old is Edmund in the voyage? :p :confused:
12, according to the timeline.

I know it's been said, but people relate more to Ed and Eustace because they seem human. They have faults and don't seem to be the perfect little children, like Lucy. Susan is also like this and (I think) Reepicheep, who is a little too obsessed with honour...

[WillsGirl]

LOL, well put... nice points!

[Oddish]

Indeed, Reep is excessively honorable, but that's one thing that makes him so cool. I think it was a great juxtaposition, putting him and Eustace alongside each other, because they were such total opposites early on: Eustace was practical, materialistic, cowardly, and overly "modern". Reep was visionary, faithful, fearless, and devoted to the ancient code of chivalry.

And, of course, if you don't buy that, then at least you can still enjoy the scene where Eustace makes the mistake of trying to grab Reep by the tail and twirl him around. Reep promptly whips out his sword (you have to question Eustace's judgment, picking a fight with an armed adversary when he's unarmed) and pokes him in the hand, making him drop his tail, then:

REEPICHEEP (brandishing his sword): "Why do you not draw your own sword, poltroon? Draw and fight, or I'll beat you black and blue with the flat!"

EUSTACE: "I haven't got one. I'm a pacifist, I don't believe in fighting."

REEPICHEEP (very sternly): "Do I understand that you do not intend to give me satisfaction?"

EUSTACE (nursing his wounded hand): "I don't know what you mean. All I know is that if you can't take a joke, I shan't bother my head about you."

REEPICHEEP (beating Eustace with the flat of his sword): "Then take that..." *WHAP!* "And that..." *WHAP!* "To teach you manners..." *WHAP!* "And the respect due to a knight..." *WHAP!* "And a Mouse..." *WHAP!* "And a mouse's tail..." *WHAP!*

[redsoxfreak01]

I agree that Edmund and Eustace are the best, and that's why I'm so looking forward to Dawn Treader - I want to see who will play Eustace. :D And, of course, Reep will be there too. :p

[Neevil]

I like Edmund and Eustace, even though they had a rough start. Although Edmund did start as a traitor, and Eustace as an annoying dork, they realized they were wrong and changed, and everyone forgave them. I like both of them better than Susan. Susan was nice in the beginning, but in the end she abandoned Narnia and Aslan. And unlike Edmund and Eustace, she did not (as far as we know) change her mind, but remained in apart from Narnia and Aslan. *sigh* Alas for the sad fate of Queen Susan the Gentle! But anyway, i like Eustace and Edmund because they turned out to be great people in the end! :)