Susan - What Happened?

[WhiteWitch]

I just looked up wikipedia and came across the Susan entry, which really struck my curiosity. In the last battle she is said not to believe in Narnia anymore and isn't with her brothers and sister, who we find out die in a train crash.

So Susan is still on earth and finds out her brothers and sisters are dead. I wonder what happened next? Lewis said he left it up in the air on whether Susan eventually reaches Aslan's country. All we know is Susan was living a worldly life and then is obviously devestated when she loses her family.

Too bad Lewis didn't write one final Narnia book about Susan that takes place after the Last Battle. It would have been fascinating.

I didn't know there was a controversy about it either. Some people have been quoted that because Susan likes boys now, that she shouldn't be excluded from Aslan's Country.

Also, Neil Gaiman wrote a story about her called "The Trouble with Susan." I want to read it. Has any one read the story?

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

It's definitely one of the most intriguing incidents in the seven Chronicles, and to be honest, I'm not sure that it is such an excellent addition to the series, as it seems to go against Lewis' eternal securist belief of salvation (but alas, that is another topic which would be better suited for the Narnia and Christianity section). That being said, I'm not exactly sure what to do with The Susan Question. I definitely believe that she made it to Narnia again in some way (just as I believe that she never really stopped believing in Narnia, but only pretended to do so, as it is very hard to stop believing in something once you have started to do so), but how she made the transition to Aslan's Country is definitely a question worth discussing.

If we're to believe Aslan's words as being truthful and sovereign, then we have to assume that Susan makes it to Narnia. "Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen."

Personally, I think that Susan exemplifies the same sin of pride with which each person on earth is tempted. You see this pride manifest in Prince Caspian when Susan goes with what is easiest for her, rather than what she believes is best. Her pride has convinced her that Narnia was just a silly story that she and her siblings invented during a very difficult time in their lives, and as a means to which they were able to comfort themselves, when their parents were not there do that. However, as I said, just because those around Susan might be fooled into thinking that she is one of them doesn't mean that Susan does. In my mind, I picture the remainder of Susan's life to be very lonely, and quite tragic.

And I'm of the opinion that Lewis' works are fine on their own, and there needn't be another book about Susan. A good author doesn't answer all of the questions for you; they just point you in the right direction, and allow you to figure them out for yourself.

[Lilygloves]

From the beginning of the Pevensie adventures in Narnia, Susan always seems to hold back. There is that bit of logic she always tries to incorporate, even though she sees amazing wonders in Narnia. She often doubts especially in Prince Casian which kept her from going to Aslan. If she hadn't been forced to go, It is doubtful that Susan would have found her way to Aslan if she was alone and had to go by faith. Her siblings were always that push she had to trust the unseen because she puts her siblings first. Once she's grown up and probably grown apart from her siblings, she loses that "child-like faith" that she struggled to maintain.

[-centaur-]

I am not of the opinion that the fact that Susan did not make it into Narnia with the others went against Lewis's belief that once a Christian, always a Christian. This is why I think that:
Susan did not die at the end of Last Battle, because she wasn't on the train that crashed. This is because she did not believe in Narnia any longer. The train resulted from a meeting of the seven friends who did believe. Susan was not among them, so as far we know, she never died in the Last Battle. This does not mean she will never get into Aslan's country. Rather, I believe that when she dies, she will get into Aslan's country; however she will not be as joyous about it because she realizes that she has disregarded Aslan for the last three quarters of her life.
Wow, that's confusing. But for what it's worth, there's my opinion.

[Valiant]

Its an open ending so you can interperet it in any way you like reallt. You can believe Susan will eventually die and not go to Aslan's Country, or that the death of her family might bring her closer to God/Aslan. Then when she dies she will go to Aslan's Country. I like to be believe the latter.

[JillPoleFan565]

it could either go two ways. one she gets really torn up by it and drives herself into the ground. two she learns that she was very immature and needs to think less about herself and more about others and her life goes on a lot better.

[wild rose]

I like to believe that Susan did make it back into Narnia, new Narnia, only later when she was a lot older and had learned a lot of things in her life. Sort of like when a Christian strays a bit from God then comes back to him. Maybe she stopped believing in Narnia but I like to think that she started believe again and when she died she went to Aslan's country

[Reepi]

Also, Neil Gaiman wrote a story about her called "The Trouble with Susan." I want to read it. Has any one read the story?

Well, I've read it. I'll put it this way: It would be rated R, and not for violence.

[DamselJillPole]

It's been a while since I've read "The Problem With Susan". Also remember Susan didn't only lose her siblings but her parents as well. Susan is feeling lost and is only into the unimportant things in life so losing important people in her life there's no one else to really turn to unless she remembers Narnia and remembers once again who Aslan was and is, but yes it is a pity how we don't know why she came to be this way and why we never found out or if she really gets into Aslan's Country.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

The Problem with Susan has some interesting elements, unfortunately these are overshadowed by some material not appropriate to discuss on Narnia Web.

[king caspian]

I read The Problem of Susan twice. Once when it came ot and the other about a year ago and I agree with Warrior 4 Jesus, some elements in this story is very unappropriate, more unappropriate then some of the changes made to the Narnia films itself.

[dryad_daughter7]

I think it's sad that Susan stopped believing.

[Narnia+MiddleEarth]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... v5Svq0hmbs
I've always wondered what happens to Susan after the death of her family. Does she ever find Narnia again? I really hope so! I love all the Friends of Narnia but the Pevensie children are my favorite, especially Lucy. It really feels incomplete without Susan and since CS Lewis didn't tell us what happened to her I have decided that she does come back some day. I'm even writing some fan fiction about it. You can decide for yourself. I know some of you really hate Susan and some of you really love her for the wrong resons, but I feel it isn't the Pevensies without her.
Comments? Post 'em here!

Oh, and the above link is a clip slideshow from youtube showing what might have happened to our dear Susan Pevensie. I recommend watching it, it's very moving.

[narnian_at_heart]

Susan is my favorite character of all. Hence that is why I've only ever made Narnian graphics of her, her with other people, and four of Trumpkin. Anyway, I have always believed and always will believe that she made it to Narnia when she died. As several mentioned, she wasn't in the train crash with the others. I believe that she just strayed for awhile, as have we all strayed (although, that's a "Narnia and Christianity" tangent probably.)

[Lucy85]

I agree with many of the other posters. I definitely believe that Susan made it to Aslan's Country after death. I don't think that she ever truly stopped believing, but just thought for awhile that other things were more important, as many of us do. However, I think this was temporary and that her belief returned and that she is reunited with her family in Aslan's Country.

[Lucy_the_Oracle]

I believe that Susan eventually came back to Narnia. I'm sure her life would have been so, so, so hard after the train crash, but I also think it would have eventually driven her back to Narnia and Aslan.