Josie's Reviews > The Last Battle

There's a reason I haven't read this book for about five million years. I honestly can't even remember what happens, which I suppose is how I manage to keep on loving Narnia. :))

THEY ALL DIE IN THE END. It's seriously horrible, Aslan asks why they're so sad and Lucy or someone says, "I'm sad because this place is so beautiful and I don't ever want to leave!" and Aslan's all, "HO HO HO don't you get it children? YOU'RE ALL DEAD. You'll NEVER leave!" It's so disgusting. :|

Sorry, I probably shouldn't have said that if you want to keep on loving Narnia. :))

No, it's sad because it's a cop-out. The Pevensie children and Eustace and Jill could have done anything with their lives - they could have been actors or engineers or professors, they could have seen the world, they could have fallen in love or started a revolution. Life is beautiful precisely because it is short. If you want to believe in a heaven that's your choice, but even so you should make the most of the life you're given.

I'm well aware that C.S. Lewis was a Christian and that his books contain religious undertones, but in this book those undertones became overtones. I can tolerate religion, but I don't have to agree with it, and I certainly don't agree with the ending of The Last Battle and the message it sends out to children. Quite apart from not agreeing with it, I also simply didn't like it.

I disagree that the entire ending is a cop-out, but the part with Susan certainly feels like it now. I don't remember thinking of it at all when I first read the book in 4th grade, but I think I was just enjoying the rest so much that it was easy to overlook that portion. I understand (now) that Lewis was trying to make the point that Susan got so caught up in worldly things that she lost her grasp of and appreciation for the spiritual, but it was really handled quite poorly. There's no depth or reasoning and it's so hurriedly and briefly mentioned that it's difficult to see any rational meaning behind it. Susan definitely deserved better!

However, I also share Hannah's belief in and view of Heaven, so I was overjoyed to see [most of] them all there together in the end. And I think Lewis just wanted them all (the non-native Narnians) to end up there together, which necessitated keeping Jill & Eustace as young as they were, while the Professor and Polly were older and the rest ranged in the middle somewhere. And the Pevensie children did in fact lead a revolution. They saved all Narnia and became kings and queens who ruled wisely and well, traveled the world quite extensively and had a great and lasting influence... It just didn't happen in our world.

Lewis definitely believed in relishing this life to the utmost, while at the same time looking to Heaven as the ultimate reward. One image he used to convey this was of a child who chooses to play with mud pies rather than enjoy the beautiful beach that is right behind him and that he has turned his back on. (Or something similar, it's been quite a while since I read it). Anyway, the point he was making was that God gives us wonderful things to enjoy all the time and in all situations and it's our own fault if we ignore them and play with mud pies while looking forward to the good things we will experience 'someday'. I think this was also his point in Aslan not allowing the older children back into Narnia past a certain point. He was teaching them to enjoy what they had, rather than only looking forward to something else and missing out on the experiences and joys in 'the real world'.

Also, the Christian perspective is that the reason we are here, the 'meaning of life', if you will, is to glorify God. And of course one of the best ways to do that is to lead the best and most useful life we can lead here on Earth, and to live it to the fullest. After all, it is a gift from God to be cherished and enjoyed. However, that doesn't mean that it must be long and distinguished to be worthwhile, and I think that's a difference in perspective that causes great misunderstandings of Lewis' writing.

I'm certainly not trying to start or continue any disagreement, just thought I would provide a different perspective on some of the issues. After all, considering others' perspectives is how I came to realize that Susan did in fact receive the extremely short end of the stick! :)

They could have done anything with their lives, you say. That may be true, but they would also have to go throigh the many heartaches of this world. And I dont think its discusting that aslyn said that. Or did you miss the fact that they all REJOICED?

But experiencing heartache is part of life. You can't have the good without the bad. And no, I didn't miss the part where they all rejoiced. That's what made me feel so sick when I first read it. I mean, come on. "You're dead! Hooray!" What kind of an ending is that?

Willa's thoughtful comment made me consider The Last Battle from a different perspective, which helped, but ultimately I still think that the writing and plot of this book was a lot more basic -- like C.S. Lewis was just hurriedly killing off all his characters to neatly tie off the series. That, as well as the ending, meant that I didn't enjoy this book as much as others in the series.

That's the Christian perspective that the world is a horrible place and the best thing that can happen to you is for you to die! HOHOHO! This kind of BS is why I left the church. Like I said in my review this book was an unenthusiastic transposition of a summary of Revelations to narnian world. Not sure how your supposed to attract 4th graders to a magical world then end it tragically and tell them that they can expect to be tortured and murdered for their beliefs anyday! Well I guess coming from a church that tortured and murdered thousands in their 2,000 year reign in mainstream religion it's not an unimaginable thing.

I don't think that they would have had a very happy and fulfilled life on Earth, considering they were always thinking about Narnia and always wishing to return there. I think that was their wish. As for Susan, yes, it was tragic, but that was a new start for her.

It was written for children, so of course it seems like a cop out. Also, the last battle is a complete parody of the second coming... so yes, everyone dies, but the good are granted an eternal and heavenly life.

Che brutto finale!!! Lungo insensato e pesante!! Dall'ultimo libro mi aspettavo molto di più!

I actually think that maybe Susan is still alive and will be able to find God someday. If she had died not believing, she would have not gone to heaven with her family anyway, so that is why her life was 'spared.' I don't know if you get me haha. I respect your opinion, though.