The Creation of Narnia: A Swift Flash

Then there came a swift flash like fire (but it burnt nobody) either from the sky or from the Lion itself, and every drop of blood tingled in the children's bodies… 

(The Magician's Nephew)

With the breath of life being blown into the sentient beasts of Narnia and having been welcomed to the great story of Aslan by the singing of the stars, a flash causes the children’s (and presumably the Talking Beasts’) blood to tingle. Dr. Ward already notes that “tingle” when used by Lewis is “loaded with astrological significance.” What happened here? 

Lewis posits two possible origins for the flash. Of course, as Lewis is the author of the story, Lewis could have told us where he wanted the flash to come from. The fact that he doesn’t suggests that he wants either the ambiguity or that both possibilities are (at least symbolically) true. 

The first possible origin of the flash is from the sky, likely meaning the stars. This logically connects with the previous sentence describing the stars’ song. Before the song becomes inaudible, they (as it were) reach out in friendship and solidarity to their fellow-creatures about to begin their service of Aslan. 

This is supported by the only other time Lewis uses the word tingle in the Chronicles, “She went up to the desk and laid her hand on the book; her fingers tingled when she touched it as if it were full of electricity.” Lucy is preparing to find the spell to make the Dufflepuds visible. This requires reading a spell from the Magician’s Book. Unbeknownst to Lucy, the Magician is actually Coriakin, a star. Upon touching the Book of the star, her fingers tingle, for that is the result when the heavenly and earthly connect.

The second possibility is that the flash comes from the Lion. As we remember the Lion (either during or right before the stars’ singing) had breathed out, presumably breathing his spark into what are about to be the sentient creatures of Narnia. How does a swift flash come from the Lion’s breath? 

Perhaps one can suggest that the flash comes at the completion of Alsan’s blowing. The reason for this is as follows. A slow steady breath suggests that the Talking Beasts gain sentience in a slow, incremental manner. The difference then between the Talking and Dumb Beasts, one might think, is incremental, quantitative, they have greater intelligence and insight, nothing more. 

The swift flash upon the Talking Beasts receiving the divine spark demonstrates this is not true. The Talking Beasts are qualitatively different. They can connect with God; they are part of the Great Story. The Dumb Beasts are not. 

(Perhaps that is why Lewis says a “swift flash,” after all, isn’t a flash swift by definition? One might suggest that the flash is described as swift in contrast to the slow breath of Aslan. The build-up is slow, but the divine spark is instantaneous.)

The Talking Beasts are now fully sentient. They are infused with a divine spark. Even so, a sentient, talking being is no better than a non-sentient, dumb one without order, civility, and morality. There must be a command, and we thus wait for Aslan to speak.