Thanksgiving Class

In my annual Thanksgiving class this past Thursday, we studied the first section of a Thanksgiving sermon given by Rabbi Morris J. Raphall on the Thanksgiving commemorated in New York in November 1858. R' Raphall quoted the verse in Micah (4:5), "Though all the nations walk each in the names of its gods, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever." R' Raphall, against the reading of the traditional commentators, uses this verse to speak of interreligious unity. 

In that context I quoted the story of Emeth, the Carlomene in The Last Battle who achieves salvation. I think Emeth is a fascinating character and one who we will speak about in greater length in the future. 

Unfortunately, I failed to record the class so I'm considering writing up the relevant sections here over the next few days. Stay tuned... 

Narnian Ba'alei Teshuva: Eustace (Part 2)

The conversion of Eustace comes on Dragon Island. It is there that Eusatce is transformed into a dragon and then de-dragonned by Aslan himself. However, we have a glimpse of an improved Eustace even before this fateful encounter.

The Dawn Treader lands on Dragon Island on the heels of almost two weeks of violent storms. The storms have left the Dawn Treader a “crippled discolored hulk” and already immediately upon landing a huge amount of work needed to be done. Eustace, of course, is not interested in participating and decides to sneak off to a place in the mountains to rest. The climb was not an easy one but he plugged away.

It is here that Lewis makes the following remark:

This showed, by the way, that his new life, little as he suspected it, had already done him some good; the old Eustace, Harold and Alberta's Eustace, would have given up the climb after about ten minutes.

In other words, Eustace’s process towards conversion had already begun. How? What was it that made him no longer the “old Eustace”?

Maimonides (Teshuva 2:4) (based on the Talmud) outlines the paths towards repentance. The last is that the repentant is exiled from his place. Maimonides explains that exile causes someone to be humble and low of spirit. Eustace was certainly exiled from his home to a land he could have even imagined. However, it does not appear he has been very humbled. In fact, his pride shows through even after the end of the storm when attempts to steal water.

Still, Eustace does undergo some humiliating experiences. He is publicly chastised by Caspian for stealing water, and is demonstrably not trusted by Caspian and the crew of the Dawn Treader. His hand is skewered by Reepicheep. He is offered as a slave and no one wants him (a scenario described as the final curse in the rebuke section of Deutoronomy 28:68). Perhaps these experiences left him with more humility and hence more resilience in the face of the obstacles.

Furthermore, Eustace has, if even by osmosis, been experiencing “the right kind of books.” He has heard stories of adventure and courage, of bravery and honor. Perhaps some of this has seeped into his unconscious. Or, perhaps it is simply the hardships he has suffered (and he has certainly suffered) that just gave him greater strength to overcome adversity.

In Screwtape Proposes a Toast, Screwtape (a senior demon) asserts, “The great (and tooth-some) sinners are made out of the very same material as those horrible phenomena, the great Saints.” In Eustace, the first step towards repentance is not, cannot be to make him a saint. The first step is to grow the material. True, the material can be used for sin (would the old Eustace have been brave enough to steal water in the first place?). But that material can be transformed for good. And the suffering, embarrassment, and environment experienced on the Dawn Treader moves begins this growth.

Narnian Ba'alei Teshuva: Eustace (Part 1)

There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it

The second great penitent of the Narnian Chronicles is Eustace Clarence Scrubb. We are introduced to Eustace, the cousin of the four Pevensie children, at the very beginning of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it… He didn't call his Father and Mother "Father" and "Mother", but Harold and Alberta. They were very up-to-date and advanced people. They were vegetarians, non-smokers and teetotallers and wore a special kind of underclothes.

Lewis’ disgust with Eustace and the environment in which he was raised is immediately obvious.

Continuing further in the first chapter we find that Eustace never read the right kind of books (he read books with information, not of adventure and fantasy), that deep-down he liked bullying people, and had little imagination. In The Silver Chair we learn that he would constantly curry favor and dance attendance for the school bullies.

Eustace’s behavior on the Dawn Treader reflects his upbringing and personality. He views himself as far superior to others, he is impossible to satisfy, and he is quick to point out what’s wrong in any situation but refuses any attempt to solve anything. Borrowing from our previous definitions, we would say he is the very opposite of valiant.

Despite these very negative characteristics it would be a stretch to say Eustace is evil. He is stuck-up, immature, a whiner (kvetch), and a spoiled brat, but not evil. In fact, in his own eyes he’s a pretty good guy. This point is underscored by contrasting Eustace with Edmund. In fact, it is Edmund himself who makes the contrast: “Between ourselves, you haven't been as bad as I was on my first trip to Narnia. You were only an ass, but I was a traitor.”

One might think being an ass rather than a traitor would make penitence easier for Eustace than it was for Edmund. Via Screwtape, Lewis tells us this is not so, “The great (and tooth- some) sinners are made out of the very same material as those horrible phenomena, the great Saints.” To turn from sinner to saint one needs a change of direction. But how does one create a saint from a soul that is small and flabby (paraphrasing Screwtape)? From those whose minds are so muddled they do not understand the source of character of the prohibitions they are breaking? And indeed, at the beginning of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Eustace considers himself a good person who tries to help others by showing them the facts.

How does one resurrect such a soul?

Narnian Ba'alei Teshuva: Trumpkin

An interesting twist of teshuva or religious renewal is when the subject that instigated the renewal is itself not a believer. For some, renewal is sparked by the beauty of the Heavens, the intensity of an experience, or the intricacies of logic. In these situations there need not be a sentient being in the renewal process. However, in other situations it is a fellow human who helps or sparks the renewal. What happens if that fellow loses, or never held, the beliefs or religion that he caused to flower?

The mishna in Ethics of the Fathers addresses this point stating, “One who brings many to righteousness will not come to sin.” The gmara explains, “Such that he should not be in Hell while his students are in Heaven.” Not surprisingly, the commentaries wrestle with how this can be accorded with the doctrine of free will, but that is not our issue at the moment.

Lewis may be attempting to contend with this issue in Prince Caspian. To review, Caspian has long been emotionally attached to the stories of Old Narnia told by his Nurse, and is surprised and delighted when they are verified by Doctor Cornelius, his tutor. However, he is not sure of the continued existence of Old Narnia until his sudden flight from the royal castle ends at the home of actual Old Narnians: Trufflehunter the Badger, Trumpkin the Red Dwarf, and Nikabrik the Black Dwarf. It is in their home where we are witness to the following exchange:

"Do you believe all those old stories?" asked Trumpkin.

"I tell you, we don't change, we beasts," said Trufflehunter. "We don't forget. I believe in the High King Peter and the rest that reigned at Cair Paravel, as firmly as I believe in Aslan himself."

"As firmly as that, I dare say," said Trumpkin. "But who believes in Aslan nowadays?"

"I do," said Caspian. "And if I hadn't believed in him before, I would now. Back there among the Humans the people who laughed at Aslan would have laughed at stories about Talking Beasts and Dwarfs. Sometimes I did wonder if there really was such a person as Aslan: but then sometimes I wondered if there were really people like you. Yet there you are."

To Caspian, the mere existence of Old Narnia proves the existence of Aslan. But Trumpkin (and Nikabrik) themselves do not believe in Aslan.

The story of Caspian’s revolt unfolds very differently for two non-believing dwarves. Despite his (unwilling) role in bringing Caspian to the truth of Aslan, Nikabrik is unable to himself recognize Aslan. His arrogance and thirst for power ensure that he cannot trust and could never blindly follow another. Had Caspian met only Nikabrik his momentary belief in Aslan would likely have dissipated. Nikabrik hated Caspian, could not see the good in him, and therefore could never be a true teacher. Nikabrik’s Old Narnians would be no better than the conquering Telmarines.

Yet, even for Nikabrik all is not lost, as Caspian says, “I am sorry for Nikabrik though he hated me from the first moment he saw me. He had gone sour inside from long suffering and hating. If we had won quickly he might have become a good Dwarf in the days of peace.” Thus, Peter allows Nikabrik to be buried with his people.

Trumpkin, however, swears loyalty to Caspian and proves a worthy subject even when he disagrees with the king. Hence, he is willing to travel to Cair Paravel to search for assistance that may be divinely sent even though he doubts the possibility of such an event. He explains, “You are my King. I know the difference between giving advice and taking orders. You've had my advice, and now it's the time for orders.”

It is no wonder that Trumpkin is one of only three ‘valiant’ characters in the Chronicles! His bravery, trust, and child-like willingness to jump into the unknown pays great dividends. He meets the Pevensie children and eventually Aslan himself. Trumpkin’s properly placed loyalty to an earthly king allows him to actuate loyalty to the True King. The unwitting teacher became the trusted student.