How do you get into Narnia in the books

[Doctor Cornelius]

I have a question, which is how come in the Lion the witch and the wardrobe, the four Pevensies have to believe in narnia to enter it, but Eustace in VDT does not believe in Narnia but manages to enter it anyway, is this because it was just a different way to enter narnia and therefore you did not have to believe in narnia the same way as entering through the wardrobe, or what?

Thanks and I am sure there is an awesome answer!!!

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

The four Pevensies didn't have to believe in Narnia in order to get there. Lucy didn't believe in Narnia when she first stumbled across it. Susan and Peter didn't believe in Narnia when they found Narnia either. So I'm having trouble with your question.

[Doctor Cornelius]

Oh, because I thought that when susan stopped believing in Narnia she could no longer go there. Sorry if I have asked an invalid question

[King_Erlian]

It's not an invalid question. What does appear to be true is that if someone expects to go to Narnia by a particular route, it doesn't work. Eustace and Jill in The Last Battle knew they were supposed to go to Narnia somehow and expected to have to use the magic rings but Aslan sorted something else out.

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

I don't think that's quite true either, King_Erlian. Eustace and Jill asked Aslan to get into Narnia in The Silver Chair, and then they did.

It basically boils down to this: If Aslan wants you in Narnia, you'll be there.

[Varnafinde]

Eustace and Jill asked Aslan to get into Narnia in The Silver Chair, and then they did.

But not as an immediate answer to their request/prayer. While they were asking, they were interrupted by the school bullies and had to run away - and while they were thinking of something else, their earlier prayer was answered.

It basically boils down to this: If Aslan wants you in Narnia, you'll be there.

This is very true
The cabdriver's wife Helen is a lovely example - Aslan pulls her straight out of this world (and in Narnia she sees her husband Frank and immediately goes to join him).

[aileth]

While I'm sure that Aslan wanted Eustace to come to Narnia, it seems that he came along for the ride because he was holding onto Edmund and Lucy when they fell into the picture.

Sort of like Jadis was dragged about from world to world by Polly and Digory, simply by being in physical contact at the right moment.

And another question: how did the Pevensies know to hold hands in PC when they felt the pull of the magic? Imagine how awkward it could have been if half of them had ended up at Cair Paravel, and the other ones at Lantern Waste, for instance

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

And another question: how did the Pevensies know to hold hands in PC when they felt the pull of the magic? Imagine how awkward it could have been if half of them had ended up at Cair Paravel, and the other ones at Lantern Waste, for instance

Whoa! What a difference that would have made in the book. I think it really would've made PC a better book to be sure!

[Meltintalle]

And another question: how did the Pevensies know to hold hands in PC when they felt the pull of the magic? Imagine how awkward it could have been if half of them had ended up at Cair Paravel, and the other ones at Lantern Waste, for instance

As an older sibling with a bunch of younger kids running around we encourage holding hands in parking lots etc. So it seems a natural reaction when faced with an unusual and potentially dangerous situation.

(Though the split family would make for interesting reading!)

[coracle]

l suppose Lewis explained that you can't expect to get into Narnia the same way as previously, so that children would not expect to get in through a wardrobe etc.... (although they did and do try).

[Ryadian]

Eustace and Jill asked Aslan to get into Narnia in The Silver Chair, and then they did.

But not as an immediate answer to their request/prayer. While they were asking, they were interrupted by the school bullies and had to run away - and while they were thinking of something else, their earlier prayer was answered.

l suppose Lewis explained that you can't expect to get into Narnia the same way as previously, so that children would not expect to get in through a wardrobe etc.... (although they did and do try).

I think these both address another aspect of what DiGs said:

It basically boils down to this: If Aslan wants you in Narnia, you'll be there.

At the same time, Aslan likes to remind them (and the audience) that it is not in their power to magically get between our world and Narnia--it's Aslan's. Twice in the books, when the children want to get to Narnia, they try to invoke it--as mentioned before, Eustace and Jill try to pray/recite an incantation to get to Narnia, and in TLB all the friends of Narnia try to resort to the rings. In both cases, Aslan brought them into Narnia in a completely different way than what they had been trying.

After all, as we know, he is not a tame lion, and he rarely does things the same way twice.