This forum has been archived. Please visit the new forum at https://community.narniaweb.com/

Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

The cultures, creatures, geography — anything about the books!

Moderators: DiGoRyKiRkE, Varnafinde

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Aslanisthebest » Jul 09, 2012 10:23 pm

My username is its own testimony of who I think is the superlative of "favourite," ;) so knowing that Aslan is my favourite favourite /favourite/ character, I will see from the other characters in the book ...
(The way Ithilwen said, Aslan strikes me as the best fictional representation of Christ. His character is deep and his wisdom unfathomable. He is the pillar upon which all the stories rest. Without Aslan, the stories themselves are pretty helpless. Aslan is the rock upon which the stories lie.)
Such a hard question. These are the ones that I've decided on now, but I could easily change this list because I love all the characters in a different way. .... There are far too many to write, so I'm just going to write three which come to mind now.

1. Shasta

The first time I read HHB, I think I was completely engrossed with the story from the start because Shasta was such a fascinating character. I think this is also because he is the one out of the entire series that I relate to the most. C.S. Lewis constantly vocalizes how Shasta feels about something or what he reasons. A lot of the book is focused on Shasta's intuitiveness and what he thinks to himself. (and C.S. Lewis, I feel, did this for all the characters, but I think because I can relate to Shasta best, Shasta's character struck me as definitely unique.) I can relate to his fear, his turned-offness at Aravis, how he acted at the tombs, and his encounter with Aslan. The passage where Aslan is with him is, for me, the most beautiful passage in the entire chronicles. It is the one that speaks most deeply to me, because it reminds me of things God has taught me in my own life when my response was precisely that of Shasta's.

The interesting think about Shasta is that we get the idea that he has grown up very lonely in his life - he hardly left the cottage that Arsheesh and him resided in, and we're not told he had any close friends or acquaintances, so he seems rather lonely and searching. And I find it very powerful that Aslan tells Shasta that he was not alone in his life, and Aslan was the one coordinating events in his life and leading, guiding, and protecting him.

(Arsheesh himself is an interesting character. I've always been interested in how Aslan kept specifically Arsheesh up and led him to be by the beach so that he would find Shasta.)

After that novel...

2. Jill Pole

She did not grow up like the Pevensies or like any of the characters (except maybe Eustace.) We know nothing of her parents, but judging by some things, we can tell that she has basically been thrown in the Experiment House. Despite this, she is fiercely loyal, extremely brave, and very adventurous. I find her first encounter with Aslan really beautiful. It's really something how Aslan responds to each unique character. He is unchanging and acts the same, but his way of dealing with the characters is different - such as how he deals with Lucy is different than how he deals with Jill. I love the passage where she meets Aslan for the first time. After the one in HHB, this encounter with Aslan is my favourite... though Eustace's Undragoning ties.

3. Lucy Pevensie

Lucy is also one of my favourites. She is sweet, very considerate, compassionate, thoughtful, and very sensitive to those around her. Aslan's titles for her - "Lucy the Valiant" and "Lioness" are especially apt. Lucy, despite her struggles, seems like the kind of friend who would always encourage you. I love the way she bonds with Aravis in HHB. Lucy's character shines so beautifully throughout all the books - she was the first to find Narnia; her first encounter with Narnia was just like ours. Her faith in Aslan is inspiring. I really enjoy the passages by her and Aslan - they interacted so closely, and she was so able to let down all her guards and be completely herself before Aslan. (as we see her talking to Aslan in Prince Caspian.)

... I have quite a bit to say about my favourites so I'll hit post for now. :) ;))
Image
RL Sibling: CSLewisNarnia
User avatar
Aslanisthebest
Moderator Emeritus
 
Posts: 5623
Joined: May 18, 2008
Location: Here

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Narnian_Badger » Jul 11, 2012 12:29 pm

1. Aslan
Well. It's Aslan. Is there much more to be said, that isn't already said within that Name? To quote Lewis, "the things [we love] Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said." Aslan is the cornerstone that Narnia was built upon, and without him, there would be nothing magical about the land in the slightest.

2. Edmund
I already covered this in the "Favourite Narnian Male" thread, so here I shall be brief: Edmund's character arc, instigated by Aslan's sacrifice and then shepherded by his continual example, is a wonderful and encouraging thing to behold.

3. Puddleglum
Ah, that wonderful optimist wrapped up so cleverly as a pessimist. Where would Jill and Digory be without him? Certainly not well off, and probably frozen or something. :P Oft times a character such as Puddleglum is used in literature only so he can "grow out of it", but instead Lewis chose to have Puddleglum help the quest not in spite of his personality, but because of it.

4. Hwin
Sweet, humble, practical Hwin is a lovely parallel to Bree's hilariously bossy and vain nature. ;)) Hwin is the sort of person that one could easily become the best of friends with, and I admire her quiet courage.

5. Lucy
Dear Lucy, whose childlike faith never fails. The Valiant Queen is a wonderful example of Matthew 18:3, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (NKJV).

6. Reepicheep
In many ways, Reepicheep's quest is the heart of VDT. The quest for the seven lords is always secondary to the search for Aslan's country, and Reep grows so much through the course of the book. From his initial appearance as a chivalrous, if proud, mouse in PC to his casting away his sword in VDT, you can't help but love Reepicheep. Even though only Lucy is allowed to hug him. :P

7. Jill
Ah, Jill. In some ways, she and I are very much alike--getting into trouble because we wanted to show off, failing to listen to instructions because we get distracted by the Here and Now. Jill's faith is progressive, working slowly over the course of SC, but by the time LB comes around, there's no mistaking which side she's on.

8. Digory
Ah, Digory. In his stubborn quest to make his mother better, he also managed to worm his way into my heart. I must confess, though, I like him even better as the funny old Professor, who teaches little children Logic! XD

9. Puzzle
Perhaps this is a bit of an odd pick, but Puzzle has always been my favourite from LB. A bit slow mentally, Puzzle went along with the deception for awhile, but finally could take it no longer and, instead of pretending to be aslan, decided to kneel before the paws of the real Aslan.

10. Trufflehunter
Well, you knew this one had to come sometime. ;)) Yes, I am a big fan of Badgers for their stalwart loyalty to Aslan and his followers, shown in both PC and LB. ;)
User avatar
Narnian_Badger
NarniaWeb Guru
 
Posts: 1152
Joined: May 21, 2008
Location: The Dawn Treader
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby shastastwin » Jul 12, 2012 3:26 pm

1. Shasta - He has been my favorite since I first read HHB. I love his scenes with Aslan more than almost anyone else's. My favorite scenes with him are his night among the tombs and his meeting with Aslan in the mountains. I even chose my screenname to include his name.

2. Puddleglum - His famous speech toward the end of SC and Tom Baker's portrayal of him in BBC's production of that book have endeared me to this stalwart Marshwiggle.

3. Reepicheep - I once had a professor who told people to drop his class if they did not love Reepicheep. I kept the class. :P

4. Eustace - His time as a dragon and his relationship with Reepicheep make him one of my favorite characters. He makes the first half of Voyage almost unbearable for some people, but I think that makes him better because of what we see later in him. Not to mention he gets such a great introduction in VDT.

5. Jill - She's the best of the female protagonists in the series, hands down.

6. Edmund - He's Eustace's predecessor and post-LWW I love every second of him. He becomes such a good king and friend that it's hard to think of him as the boy craving Turkish Delight.

7. Digory - Probably the most sympathetic male protagonist, and not without his faults. His scenes with Aslan rival Shasta's for my favorite.

8. Jewel - Another example of the loyal friend. Plus, he is the wild and dangerous yet pure animal that the unicorn of legend truly was.

9. Doctor Cornelius - My favorite side/minor/incidental character, probably because he's called Doctor and he's a wise old man figure.

10. Glimfeather - I have a weakness for owls. What can I say?
"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And when they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you..."
Inexhaustible Inspiration
User avatar
shastastwin
Moderator Emeritus
Saint Schwinn
 
Posts: 9372
Joined: May 09, 2005
Location: Watership Down
Gender: Male

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby The Tear Of The Lion » Jan 24, 2013 5:18 am

1. Aslan
2. Digory
3. Polly
4. Edmund
5. Lucy
6. Puddleglum
7. Tumnus
8. Bree
9. Cor/Shasta
10. Eustace

I'd say...
You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
- C. S. Lewis
User avatar
The Tear Of The Lion
NarniaWeb Newbie
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Jan 22, 2013
Location: Where I've Always Wanted To Be
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby ncfan » Jan 26, 2013 10:08 am

1. Susan--I don't think I would have paid Susan a whole lot of attention had it not been for the controversy surrounding her character, but I really do love her a lot. When we were actually allowed to see her in the books I thought she handled the situations she was thrown into gamely, and I always thought that there was more going on with her than what we were told. Susan to me came across as the most "real" of the Pevensies. She's the one who tries to move on and live in England, when, after all, for all she knows from the end of PC, she's never going back to Narnia.
2. Aravis--Aravis showed a remarkable strength of character, being willing to abandon everything she'd ever known to avoid a marriage to a man she absolutely did not want to wed.
3. Rilian--The story of Rilian is one that fascinates me--enough so that I have wished, more than once, that The Silver Chair had been written for adults, and not children, because I feel like there's so much more Lewis could have done with this strange and eerie tale had it not needed to be child-friendly. His relationship with The Lady of the Green Kirtle (and the implications of what their relationship entailed) is both compelling and repulsive.
4. Reepicheep--Do I even need to say it? By now, we all know that Reepicheep is awesome. He is the epitome of a chivalrous knight, with all the courage and occasional foolhardiness that goes with it.
5. Edmund--After Susan, Edmund is the Pevensie sibling that seems the most human to me. Peter and Lucy are most of the time entirely too bland, but Edmund retains a depth of character even after his redemptive arc has played out. As King Edmund the Just, he is incredibly shrewd, quick-thinking, and, yes, forgiving, which proves that the lesson he was taught in LWW got across better than such a lesson usually does.
6. Lasaraleen--Like Susan, I think there was a bit more going on with this girl than what we were presented. I can't help but think that Lasaraleen was smarter than she was letting on; she did show some brains at times, and the reason I think she was shown as a ditzy girl was because we were presented her through the lens of Aravis, who has little patience for the things Lasaraleen is interested in and is pretty anxious to get out of Tashbaan. And she was such a great friend; she risked her own neck to get Aravis out of Tashbaan, and even at the last, when Aravis was still being pretty rude to her, she was nothing but affectionate.
7. The Lady of the Green Kirtle--Where the White Witch took the "distantly imperious" route to witchdom, LotGK went the way of appearing sweet, kindly and cheerful to the outside world. There was so much mystery surrounding her character, and as I noted in my entry on Rilian, her relationship with Rilian is both incredibly creepy and incredibly intriguing.
8. Eustace--Even after he becomes a protagonist as opposed to an antagonist, Eustace Scrubb is still a brat. And that's what I like about him. Eustace just seems to prove that in order to take an alignment change from antagonist to protagonist, a character does not have to lose all character depth and become blandly "good."
9. Lune--There is something about characters of Lune's type that just gets to me--the parent who has been separated from his child. And he was really so kind and rational in a world where bad tempers so often prevail.
10. Puzzle--He's just so sweet.
ncfan
NarniaWeb Newbie
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Jan 26, 2013
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby CaptainM » Jun 27, 2014 5:15 pm

1- Glenstorm- he is not in it much but he is my favorite.
2-Aslan-.
3-Edmund- It is amazing how much he changes.
4-Peter-.
5-Lucy-.
6-Caspian-.
7-Susan-.
8-Margrim-.
9-Tumnis-.
10-Jadis-.

That is my list.
"How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese"-Charles De Gaulle
User avatar
CaptainM
NarniaWeb Regular
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Jun 27, 2014
Location: Ontario Canada
Gender: Male

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Future Narnian » Sep 07, 2014 10:42 pm

Do I have to put them in actual order? LOL


Aslan, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, Jill, Digory, Polly, Tirian, Tumnus, and the Beavers.

I know Aslan is my best favorite followed by Lucy for obvious reasons but beyond that I can't rank them.

I really like Jill's spunk and personality - I could see me being good friends with both her and Lucy had we grown up around the same time.

Peter seems like the older brother every girl dreams of having.

Edmund (after he changes) just seems like he'd be such an interesting person to know. I love the fact that he's quiet and thoughtful but still always ready for an adventure.

Digory and Polly both seemed like such neat kids - not perfect (I think they actually are the biggest "troublemakers" outside of pre-change Edmund and Eustace!) but again I could see myself growing up alongside them and us being really good friends.

And the Beavers and Tumnus are just too sweet and endearing.
I find Tirian more interesting in some ways than Caspian - I'm not sure why. And I love his spirit against adversity. If I was in the situation of LB, I would feel safer with him.
Future Narnian
NarniaWeb Regular
 
Posts: 41
Joined: Jul 30, 2014
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby HazyHays » Nov 14, 2016 2:29 pm

1. Mr. Tumnus: My favorite of all the characters and the first character that Lucy encounters in Narnia. He is such a sweet soul, but is so scared by what the White Witch will do to him if he doesn't obey. I am glad that Lucy and here brothers and Sister befriended and helped him
2. Reepicheep: Such a wise a strong little fellow. I would always pick him on my side if I was going into battle no matter what his size was. He was also very funny.
3. Lucy Pevensie: Such the great adventurer and has such a great spirit to her. She is by farthe most loving of all the Pevensie family
4. Aslan: What can I say about Aslan. He just is what truth and what is right is all about. I suppose that is what C.S. Lewis was writing about with this character and the books. At least that is what I get out of it.
5. Edmund Pevensie: Another Pevensie who has a sense of adventure, but sometimes those adventures go awry and he gets himself in trouble. That has most likely happened to all of us. I know I can relate and that is one of the reasons I like Edmund so much.
6. Eustace Scrubb: The reason I like Eustace so much is because he changes so much from the beginning to the end of the movie.
7. The White Witch: I love her so much because she is pure evil and don't care who she brings down with her evilness.
8. Susan Pevensie: I liked Susan because she was the most leveled headed of them all, plus I'd loved to be able to shoot a bow an arrow like her.
9. Peter Pevensie: He was strong and brave and deeply cared for his family which is a very important thing to me.
10. Mr. & Mrs. Beaver: The Beavers.... what can I say. They were hilarious.
"Daughter of Eve from the far land of Spare Oom, around the bright city War Drobe, how would it be if you came and had tea with me?"~ Mr. Tumnus
User avatar
HazyHays
NarniaWeb Regular
 
Posts: 69
Joined: Nov 14, 2016
Location: Maryland
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Eustace » Sep 20, 2017 11:50 am

1. Edmund- He changes so much from the traitor of Narnia to the Just King of Narnia. I love his character development and as a child I really felt like I understood him. He was really wise, and was one of my first book crushes.

2. Eustace- He also goes through a character change much like Edmund and they have an awesome conversation in VODT. Which is my favorite scene of that book, which was cut and ruined in the movies. But, in my headcannon they are best friends.

3. Aslan- I love all He represents. Sometimes I can't understand what He is talking about in certain parts of the books which makes Him hard to grasp sometimes and that is why He is lower on the List. Frankly, my list should be a straight line rather than a list of 1-10.

4. Shasta/Cor- He always tends to get himself in situations and not know how to get out of it. He learned the hard way how to do nearly everything so he was able to be a wise father that had the greatest king of Archenland. I always admired his perseverance in times of great difficulty.

5. Aravis - She is a lot braver than I would have been, she is character I wish sometimes I could live up to.

6. Lucy - She is definitely the heroine that everyone wants to be like. She is valiant, and gentle if she needs to be and has a special connection to Aslan. She is trusting and yet not too innocent or gullible.

7. Jill Pole- She is a flawed human much like me when I am reading the story and shows how we can improve.

8. Gwendolen- Probably a lot of people don't even remember her. But, to me, she was my favorite part of PC. As a young girl I hated wearing tights and I understood her feelings. She was a very relatable character eventhough she was only the books for a short time.

9. Us Lions- He was the comedy relief in the LWW and I wanted more with him. Also, he is the only real time a second lion is mentioned in the books. Which means that there were probably more but we never heard about them.

10. Corin-He was a boy who got seemingly into a lot of fights and loved fighting. He does not seem to be frightened of anything and he realize the true fact that ''princes have all the fun''. He is a character who I would have loved to know more about.
Image
Homeschoolers taking over the World!
Member of RD's club.
VP of the CWM club
Dragon fan club
I Support Scrubb!
User avatar
Eustace
NarniaWeb Junkie
 
Posts: 789
Joined: Mar 12, 2008
Location: United States
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Mrs Smooshy » Mar 07, 2018 12:41 am

1. Edmund - bad boy gone good; a nobility humbled with graciousness

2.Jill - a bit bratty but always genuine; you know what she's thinking and she's passionate which makes her impetuous and interesting

3. Eustace - more of a realistic "conversion" vs Edmund as his change in self takes a bit longer and he retains that edge -- especially around "Pole" -- but it makes him a scrapper in the end

4.Lucy - so sweet and warm without being obnoxious. The sort of person who could be best friends with anyone and everyone and remember all of their birthdays

5.Caspian - a true leader. I prefer the older, teenaged version in Voyage vs his more insecure self in PC. One of the Narnian characters we get to know the best

6. Reepicheep - his talks of valour and honour are not just for show -- he lives them and doesn't look silly doing it either. Like Lucy, I would love to hold him and stroke his fur

7.Puzzle - I always feel sorry for him and how he gets dragged into the scheme against his will and is too stupid to know he could have stood up for himself. He means well and is cute and sweet.

8.Jewel - just being a unicorn gets him on this list. Loyal and true to the end

9. Tirian - the last king makes him memorable. I love his zeal for the truth and love for his people. The kind of leader you'd want in a hopeless situation

10. Aravis - spunky and proof you are more than your upbringing. She longs for something more and that is something we can identify with. And it's her being humbled from a place of conceit that lets her end up married to a prince/future King. ;)

I guess Aslan should have been on my list but as a character he is not very interesting. But Narnia would not be anything without him.
The Mr, the Mrs (that's me) and the little Smooshers....plus our cats

Fancy Signature pending......
Mrs Smooshy
NarniaWeb Regular
 
Posts: 18
Joined: Mar 06, 2018
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Valiant_Nymph » Apr 28, 2018 10:19 pm

In no particular order:

Lucy -- I can't say I'm much like Lucy, but I admire her faith and sense of adventure! Very inspiring.

Edmund -- I really enjoyed seeing Edmund's character growth. I think he's the most interesting and developed of the Pevensies. I especially liked seeing him in "Horse and His Boy," and how much he had matured.

Peter -- So I didn't really identify with Peter when I first read the books or saw the films. I was an 11 year old girl, so I naturally gravitated to Susan as the one whom I shared the most traits with. However, once I grew up I realized Susan is a bit of a bore =)) I identify with Peter's willingness to take responsibility and lead the rest of the children, as well as his bravery.
(Funny that I liked Susan best on my first read as a child, but now she doesn't even make it into the list!)

Puddleglum -- I'm very much a pessimist, and I just can't bring myself to look on the bright side. But I like how Puddleglum sees the negative, accepts it, and does the right thing anyways. Now that is an attitude I can get behind! I also love his speech at the end of SC. Very inspiring.

Aravis -- I admire her courage! I always thought she was a cool character, and I wanted to be a bit more like her (although not so arrogant!)

Jill - I could identify with her struggles
Digory - I just sympathized with his character from the beginning because of his mother's situation!
Polly - I like her good sense!
Shasta - Admired his bravery at the end, and I found him relatable.
Jadis- Just a cool villain!
Avatar by Rose Tree Dryad
User avatar
Valiant_Nymph
NarniaWeb Junkie
 
Posts: 610
Joined: Apr 28, 2018
Gender: Female

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby greyglum88 » Jan 27, 2019 8:39 pm

1. Puddleglum
2. Shasta
3. Reepicheep
4. Bree
5. Edmund
6. Aslan
7. The Lady of the Green Kirtle
8. Lucy
9. Eustace
10. Caspian X
User avatar
greyglum88
NarniaWeb Newbie
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Nov 14, 2012
Location: Illinois
Gender: Male

Re: Top 10 Favorite Characters (BOOKS ONLY)

Postby Cleander » Jan 28, 2019 10:07 am

1. Caspian
2. Digory
3. Shasta
4. Edmund
5. Tirian
6. Puddleglum
7. Reepicheep
8. Jill
9. Eustace
10.Coriakin
(No particular order to this one. I'd love to go into further details, but I'd be here all day if I did... 8-| )
PM me to join the Search for the Seven Swords!
Co-founder of the newly restored Edmund Club! Find it on the Talk About Narnia Forum!
Image
signature by aileth
User avatar
Cleander
NarniaWeb Junkie
 
Posts: 805
Joined: Oct 25, 2018
Location: Languishing in a Deep Dark Hole
Gender: Male

Previous

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests