Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Is it irresponsible of Caspian, as King of Narnia, to leave his kingdom and go off on a long sea voyage?
- Why does Aslan send Edmund, Eustace, and Lucy to the Dawn Treader to join the quest? What does each of them contribute to the adventure? How does each of them develop during it?
- Why does The Voyage of the Dawn Treader have so many different protagonists? How would this novel be different if every adventure focused on one main character – say, Caspian or Eustace? What does the book gain from having different characters take center stage during different adventures?
- What does Aslan mean when he says he has "another name" in Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace's world? (See the "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" section for help answering this one.)
- Is there a villain or antagonist in this book? If so, who is it? If not, how does the book achieve conflict and suspense without one? Explain your answer.
- Consider the fates of the seven missing lords. Do we learn anything from what happened to them? How important are they to the overall plot of the book? Why have so many of them met with unpleasant fates?
- What's the meaning of the ship's name, Dawn Treader? (We've given you our thoughts on this in the "What's Up With the Title?" section.)
- Why are there so few female characters in this book? Why doesn't Ramandu's daughter have a name?
- Why can't Peter and Susan come with Edmund and Lucy on this adventure to Narnia? At the end of the previous book, Aslan tells them they are too old to go to Narnia again, but what does that mean?
- At one point near the end of the book, Caspian wonders why his friends Edmund and Lucy can travel to his world, but he can't travel to theirs. What do you think is the reason?