The family and I went to see Prince Caspian on opening night a couple weeks back, and we were all a little disappointed in the movie’s departure from the original story. My better half read the Narnia Chronicles to the kids when they were younger, and the older ones have read the books numerous times. We also listen to the excellent Focus on the Family Radio Theater versions of the stories to pass the time on road trips, so you can say that we know them pretty well. Inside and out would be a good description.
A week or so ago we pulled the Prince Caspian CD out for a drive to Grandma & Grandpa and listened to it again, just for a closer look at what the differences were between the movie and the Radio Theater version (which follows the book pretty closely.) While listening, one of the lines hit me hard; near the end, Aslan is preparing to send the Telmarines back to their original home, and tells them where they originally came from — the Telmarines descended from pirates who stumbled through a gateway between our world and Telmar. This was unsettling to Caspian, and that made him wish he “came from a more honorable lineage.” To that, Aslan replied,
You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve. And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content.
How very, very profound. We, like Adam, are made in God’s image, set apart from all creation by God’s incredible gift. Yet we stumble and fall and dishonor ourselves all too readily. Shame and honor.