Mateo shares the deeper meaning behind a favorite scene from the Chronicles of Narnia, the undragoning of Eustace.
This is our 2nd video together. Take a moment to watch how Aslan’s story affected Mateo’s faith in:
Jared & Mateo: Hearing the Story for the 1st Time.
If you have time, explore some of our other pieces in this series.[1]
Jared & Mateo:
The Undragoning of Eustace
Jared: So, I’ve carried this so far. Is there anything you’d like to add, or any stories from Narnia that have stood out to you?
Mateo: I really liked what was in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader about Edmund’s cousin Eustace. He’s pretty much a brat at the beginning of the book. His character develops.
And Eustace begins to realize what he’s been doing wrong, how he’s been treating his cousins, and how he’s been talking about Aslan.
I don’t know if this is in the book, but in the movie he’s been changed into the dragon. He’s on an island, the island of sand. He flew out of the sea dragon fight. He falls onto the island of sand. He’s wounded.
Then Aslan walks up out of nowhere. He takes His paw and starts writing in the sand, just drawing His paw through the sand. And as He does that, the hard scales and the skin of Eustace just come off. It’s kind of cool. It’s kind of like a redemption thing.
Aslan is not just taking off his tough hide from being a dragon, but taking off the toughness of Eustace’s personality, the way that he’s been living, and the way that he’s been treating others.
Eustace is completely changed after that. He’s a completely new person. It’s really cool.[2]
It has nothing to do with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, but that’s one of my favorites.[3]
JVI | Mateo the Roblox Jedi | 09.14.18
Jared: Well I think any Narnian memory is amazing. That fact that C.S. Lewis could study and communicate this way is amazing as well.
I’ve heard a scholar call that The Undragoning of Eustace.[4]
When I think of that, I think of people who have become Christians, but have not yet shed the skin of the carnal flesh. It’s not just salvation.
For Christians sometimes we have to go through a process that’s painful. God removes the hardness and callousness of our flesh.
Mateo: In the movie Eustace says [Mateo using an English accent]:
“It hurt. It really hurt. But it was a good hurt.”
I just did that English accent without even thinking about it.
Jared: You did that English accent well. I don’t know what English dialect it is, but I’m sure you could find one.
Mateo: I played Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol awhile back, so I’ve still got that English accent.
Jared: Well, once again I just wanted to share this with you all. Here you have it, three generations of Vernells that are speaking about Narnia. And not only speaking about it, but sharing how it has been formative for our faith.
We have a lot to thank Lewis for. Someday we’ll see him on the other side and thank him for his contributions to our faith.
Certainly you can do so as well with people who have contributed in your life, who have taken the time to write and to share, in ways that have grown you faith.
Questions to Consider:
1) Is there someone who has contributed to the faith of your family and loved ones, or even your community?
2) Have you ever considered how to either thank that person, or pass along their blessing or legacy of faith?
3) Don’t we all have a painful undragonining to go through in some ways?
4) What are some Scriptures you can think of that examine the conflict between the lower nature (the flesh) and the higher nature (spirit)?
[1] This post is part of a series about C.S. Lewis.
Aslan Acrostic: Dr. Thomas Woodward shares the story of C.S. Lewis
Vernell Ingle reflects on the works of C.S. Lewis
Vernell Ingle reflects on the works of C.S. Lewis, pt. 2
A Distinction in Ancient Literature (a/v)
Vernell Ingle reflects on the works of C.S. Lewis, pt. 3
On the Supernatural as the Natural Life (a/v)
Vernell Ingle reflects on the works of C.S. Lewis, pt. 4
Language Acquisition (a/v): LEWIS, TOLKIEN, & PIAGET(?)
Vernell Ingle reflects on the works of C.S. Lewis, pt. 5
Jared & Mateo: Hearing the Story for the 1st Time
Vernell Ingle reflects on the works of C.S. Lewis, pt. 6
[2] Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Michael Petroni, C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Movie, directed by Michael Apted (Beverly Hills: Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media, 2010).Amazon.com: Blu-ray: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
[3] C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, vol. 2 of The Chronicles of Narnia (New York: Collier Books, 1950), 158-159.Amazon: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe [4] Devin Brown, “‘Further Up and Further In:’ Narnia as an Introduction to Lewis’ Thought and Theology,” http://www.gracehillmedia.com/ (accessed
November 16, 2010).
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