The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The first four chapters of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader set the tone of the story, introduce the protagonists, and establish the primary goals of the adventure that is already underway. The novel makes several references to the previous books in the series, providing context for readers who are already familiar with some of the characters and the overall setting. The omniscient narrator mentions that Peter, the eldest of the Pevensie children, is “working very hard for an exam and [...] being coached by old Professor Kirke in whose house these four children had had wonderful adventures long ago in the war years” (5), alluding to the events of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. (Professor Kirke is briefly mentioned in the first book and also appears as a young boy and main protagonist in The Magician’s Nephew.) Susan, the second oldest of the Pevensies, is on holiday with their parents in America. Their absence in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader signals the end of their character arc in the series and clears the stage for Lewis to usher in new characters in the later novels of the series. Indeed, Aslan’s words to Lucy and Edmund at the end of this novel reinforce the idea that all the children who come to Narnia do so in order to complete a spiritual mission. As Aslan tells the children, “You must learn to know me by [my other] name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better [in your world]” (142). Thus, because Edmund and Lucy have come to know Aslan so well in the spiritual sense, they have completed their work in Narnia and must go forth to—as Lewis implies—embrace Christianity fully in their own world and call Aslan by his more conventional biblical names. Thus, this moment serves a dual purpose; it provides practical advice for the characters, and it also delivers an oblique admonition to Lewis’s readers that they, too, must learn from their vicarious adventures in Narnia and seek to know “Aslan” better in the real world.

As for Eustace, the newest protagonist in the series, the first chapter opens with an impactful introduction: “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it” (1). Thus, before the unfortunately named Eustace can utter a single unpleasant world, the narrator’s humorous tone has already established his role as an anti-hero in the novel. In fact, the entire story can be read as a journey of redemption, in which Eustace undergoes an arduous religious awakening that parallels Edmund’s own spiritual transformation in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The narrator then explains that Eustace likes “books of information” (1) but makes it a point to repeat often that despite his extensive book learning, Eustace has read “none of the right books” (45). The implication here is twofold. Firstly, Eustace clearly has no knowledge of adventure novels or fantasy books and focuses instead on dry, factual tomes about “exports and imports and governments and drains” (46). This tendency characterizes Eustace as unimaginative and lacking in essential skills, which creates a sharp contrast with Lucy and Edmund’s ability to believe in the fantastical. Consequently, the emphasis on reading the “right books” provides humor by poking fun at boring books and, most importantly, leads up to Eustace’s eventual acceptance of the supernatural. Secondly, given Lewis’s propensity for penning intricate Christian allegories, Eustace’s lack of knowledge of the “right books” can also be interpreted as his failure to study one “right book” in particular—the Bible—which foreshadows his pressing need to experience the spiritual awakening that Aslan eventually provides.

The first chapter also depicts the protagonists being taken to Narnia, where their adventures are set. The narrator states: “What they were seeing may be hard to believe when you read it in print, but it was almost as hard to believe when you saw it happening” (4). This direct address to the reader breaks the fourth wall and circumvents their potential skepticism. In fact, the narrator seems to share in the reader’s disbelief, which adds to the feeling of awe and wonder at the characters’ magical arrival in Narnia.

The meeting between the children and the crew of the Dawn Treader then introduces the primary quest that drives the story, as Caspian explains his mission to find The Seven Lords and explains Reepicheep’s ultimate goal. The mouse’s recitation of the dryad’s verse also lends a prophetic dimension to the quest which sets up the theme of Fate and Divine Intervention. Eustace’s negative reaction to entering a magical land and undertaking a fantastical journey contrasts sharply with the other characters’ eager anticipation and further characterizes him as an anti-hero.

When the series is analyzed as a whole, this particular installment establishes a firm sense of narrative continuity, for the story provides a continuation of Caspian’s adventures now that he has regained his crown thanks to the events in the earlier book, Prince Caspian. Now a much-loved king of Narnia, Caspian is much more powerfully developed as a mature and decisive hero in his own right during the group’s misadventures in the Lone Islands. When he and his companions are captured, he wisely advises them not to reveal his identity for fear that the people living on the islands will not recognize his authority, and his political sagacity is reinforced by the plan that he and Lord Bern concoct to regain control of the islands. Throughout the takeover, Caspian refrains from using violence, shows mercy to the governor’s guards, and puts an end to the slave trade as his first order of business. Thus, Lewis exemplifies his wit, fairness, and morality and positions him as a heroic character and a true follower of Aslan’s rule.