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Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

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Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Ithilwen » Jul 08, 2012 2:33 pm

The brilliant C.S. Lewis wrote many lines we all remember. Some witty, some beautiful, some profound.

Which ones to you stand out the most? What is your favorite Narnian quote?

Whether a line is badly written; or is well-written, but brings some shockingly horrible plot twist into play; there are always lines from any book we dislike.

What is your least favorite quote from the Narnia books? :-\


~Riella =:)
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Re: Favorite Quotes

Postby Varnafinde » Jul 08, 2012 4:31 pm

Let me start with my top favorite one - I may come back to others later.
I think this is both beautiful and profound.

After Aslan has told Caspian of the origin of the Telmarines:
"... Do you mark all this well, King Caspian?"

"I do indeed, Sir," said Caspian. "I was wishing that I came of a more honourable lineage."

"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content."
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Re: Favorite Quotes

Postby Louloudi the Centaur » Jul 08, 2012 4:46 pm

"But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by it." - Aslan, VDT

This quote is so true. :)
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Varnafinde » Jul 09, 2012 8:17 pm

"Does he know," whispered Lucy to Susan, "what Aslan did for him? Does he know what the arrangement with the Witch really was?"

"Hush! No. Of course not," said Susan.

"Oughtn't he to be told?" said Lucy.

"Oh, surely not," said Susan. "It would be too awful for him. Think how you'd feel if you were he."

"All the same I think he ought to know," said Lucy. But at that moment they were interrupted.

From the last chapter of LWW

I agree with Lucy, I really think Edmund ought to know.
He might need to be told gently, though. I hope they told him eventually.
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Miss Rosario » Jul 11, 2012 8:02 am

This has been my all-time favorite ever since I first read the series.

"....Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" said Shasta.

"There was only one lion," said the Voice.

"What on earth do you mean? I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and----"

"There was only one: but he was swift of foot."

"How do you know?"

"I was the lion." And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."
-Horse and His Boy; chapter 11


Piggy-backing on that one is this:

Shasta turned and saw, pacing beside him, taller than the horse, a Lion. The horse did not seem to be afraid of it or else could not see it. It was from the Lion that the light came. No one ever saw anything more terrible or beautiful. ... But after one glance at the at the Lion's face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn't say anything but then he didn't want to say anything, and he knew he needn't say anything.
The High King above all kinds stooped toward him. Its mane, and some strange and solemn perfume that that hung about the mane, was all round him. It touched his forehead with its tongue. He lifted his face and their eyes met. Then instantly the pale brightness of the mist and the fiery brightness of the Lion rolled themselves together into a swirling glory and gathered themselves up and disappeared.


Although I have many loved quotes throughout the series, this section of Horse and His Boy tops them all - probably because it's so dearly special to me. It shows that Aslan was always there with Shasta, even when the boy himself did not know it. That really hits home, giving the hope that I, too, have someone with me, walking alongside me through my struggles. Even when I feel most alone.

The Focus on the Family audiobook version of this quote is especially good; it always gives me the goosebumps when I hear it.
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby De_De » Jul 11, 2012 9:13 am

Are there any quotes in the Narnia books that you can't like??? :-\

My absolute favorite quote in Narnia is from The Silver Chair:
Puddleglum
“One word. All you’ve been saying is quite right, I shouldn’t wonder. I’m a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won’t deny any of what you said. But there’s one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things–trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play-world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia.


I also really like this quote from Prince Caspian:

Lucy
“Wouldn’t it be dreadful if some day in our own world, at home, men started going wild inside, like the animals here, and still looked like men, so that you’d never know which were which?”
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Ithilwen » Jul 11, 2012 5:58 pm

One of my favorite quotes:

Chapter 11 of HHB wrote:Who are you?" asked Shasta.

"Myself," said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again "Myself," loud and clear and gay: and then the third time "Myself," whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it.

I love it, not only because it reminds me of the quote, "I AM", but also because it insinuates the trinity. :)


~Riella =:)
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Narnian_Badger » Jul 11, 2012 8:27 pm

"I was the lion." And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

I'll second Miss: this is quite possibly the most eloquent, deep, and insightful monologue in the entire series. The way Aslan influences everything (and even that he can be in two places at once) is never quite so explicit as it is in this passage. Whenever I introduce the Chronicles to a friend, I always look forward to the moment when they'll read this part the most.

Ithie, good point about the trinity reference. ;)
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Varnafinde » Jul 12, 2012 9:02 am

I find this quote very funny - it depends heavily on irony, and might easily be more funny for grown-up readers than for children. (As could be the case with many of Lewis' witticisms in the Chronicles.)

When the police arrived and found no lion, no broken wall, and no convicts, and the Head behaving like a lunatic, there was an inquiry into the whole thing. And in the inquiry all sorts of things about Experiment House came out, and about ten people got expelled. After that, the Head's friends saw that the Head was no use as a Head, so they got her made an Inspector to interfere with other Heads. And when they found she wasn't much good even at that, they got her into Parliament where she lived happily ever after.
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Aravanna » Jul 12, 2012 12:52 pm

LOL Varna! I'd completely forgotten about that quote. Oh dear, politics. :p (Did I just break forum rules?)

Anyways, "I was the Lion" passage is about the best in the series. It is so amazing how Aslan made everything that seemed like bad luck or danger or meaningless pain turn out for the best, to protect Narnia.

I also really like

Polly and Digory stared at one another in dismay.
"Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals," said Digory.
"I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him," said Fledge.
"Wouldn't he know without being asked?" said Polly.
"I've no doubt he would," said the Horse (still with his mouth full). "But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked."


It's a simple quote, but I think it has a lot of truth about prayer in it.

As far as my LEAST favorite quote... I have one. Not because it's badly written, but because it's so dismal.

Boom-boom-ba-ba-boom went the horrible drum. Then another sound began to mix with it. "Listen!" said Jewel: and then, "Look!" said Farsight. A moment later there was no doubt what it was. With a thunder of hoofs, with tossing heads, widened nostrils, and waving manes, over a score of Talking Horses of Narnia came charging up the hill. The gnawers and nibblers had done their work.
Poggin the Dwarf and the children opened their mouths to cheer but that cheer never came. Suddenly the air was full of the sound of twanging bow-strings and hissing arrows. It was the Dwarfs who were shooting and--for a moment Jill could hardly believe her eyes--they were shooting the Horses. Dwarfs are deadly archers. Horse after Horse rolled over. Not one of these noble Beasts ever reached the King.


I can't remember if I've ever read a passage in any book where I had a stronger reaction to the unfairness of it.
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Anfinwen » Jul 14, 2012 6:55 am

My least favorite line is in MN, when Uncle Andrew babbles about scrap iron turning into "anything you please." Uh, no it would grow into what it was before; it might only grow into a part of a train not the whole engine.

I think one of my favorite lines is also from MN, when the bulldog says "I object to that remark very strongly" when the elephant makes a remark about noses.

My dad's favorite part is in the FotF Radio theater drama of SC, when Puddleglum gets drunk in Harfang. It's been a long time since he heard it, but he still likes to quote it.
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Narnian_Archer » Jul 14, 2012 9:00 am

Here are a few of my favorite Narnian quotes

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.

--The Magician's Nephew

When things go wrong, you'll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start to go right they often go on getting better and better.

--The Magician's Nephew

I tell no one any story but his own.

--A Horse and His Boy

Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I'm afraid, even fights) with Cor, but they always made it up again: so that years later, when they were grown up, they were so used to quarrelling and making it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently.

--A Horse and His Boy

"One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. "One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things - trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a playworld which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say."

--The Silver Chair
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby Varnafinde » Jul 14, 2012 2:37 pm

Then of course this favorite - the Creation Story.
It's far too long to quote in full, and it is intersected with the reactions of the visitors from our world (mostly) - but here are my favorite parts of it.

In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it. The horse seemed to like it too; he gave the sort of whinney a horse would give if, after years of being a cab-horse, it found itself back in the old field where it had played as a foal, and saw someone whom it remembered and loved coming across the field to bring it a lump of sugar.

"Gawd!" said the Cabby. "Ain't it lovely?"


It was a valley through which a broad, swift river wound its way, flowing eastward towards the sun. Southward there were mountains, northward there were lower hills. But it was a valley of mere earth, rock and water; there was not a tree, not a bush, not a blade of grass to be seen. The earth was of many colours: they were fresh, hot and vivid. They made you feel excited; until you saw the Singer himself, and then you forgot everything else.

It was a Lion. Huge, shaggy, and bright, it stood facing the risen sun. Its mouth was wide open in song and it was about three hundred yards away.


The Lion opened his mouth, but no sound came from it; he was breathing out, a long, warm breath; it seemed to sway all the beasts as the wind sways a line of trees. Far overhead from beyond the veil of blue sky which hid them the stars sang again; a pure, cold, difficult music. 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, and the deepest, wildest voice they had ever heard was saying:

"Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters."
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Re: Favorite/Least Favourite Quotes

Postby ValiantArcher » Sep 25, 2012 7:24 pm

You all have listed a lot of good quotes! It's so very hard to pick just one favourite. :P That said, the first one that came to mind and hasn't already been listed is the following one from Prince Caspian, when the Pevensies and Trumpkin have just met Aslan again.
Then he [Aslan] turned and welcomed Edmund. "Well done," were his words.
When I was young, I thought it was kind of unfair that that was all that Aslan said to Edmund; after all, he was the first one to side with Lucy and believe that Aslan was really there. But when I read the book again when I was older, I realised that the words were very fitting---he had done what he should do, and he had done it well. :)

Also, it's the exact same words (likely intentionally?) as are told to the faithful servants in the Parable of the Talents. ;)) ("His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’"---Matthew 25:21)
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