Nelson Mandela famously said, "The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Puddleglum's favorite phrase in The Silver Chair—"Put a bold face on it"—is a simpler articulation of this idea and really should be the motto of all travelers in Narnia. The children are very aware of their duty to press on, despite the frightening moments and the danger that awaits them.
But they are never meant to go it alone. Aslan does not require the children to be action heroes in order to succeed; instead, he sets them up to meet with people (or creatures) who can help them on their way. Of course, it doesn't always work out the way Aslan intends, but the children learn that allowing fear to conquer them will do no good and will turn them into people they don't want to be. Ultimately, the key to having courage is to have faith: in oneself, in Aslan, and in the certainty that, even if you're personally doomed, things will come to right in the end.
Questions About Courage
- What is courage in The Silver Chair? How do you know when someone is being brave? Are they always successful or safe when they are "putting a bold face" on things?
- Who do you think is the bravest character in the book? Why?
- Does Lewis value bravery over other virtues (like faith, truthfulness, loyalty)? Explain.
- In what ways is courageous behavior rewarded? Is it ever punished?
Chew on This
In The Silver Chair, courage is a very different thing for females than it is for males.
Lewis shows us that courage is something that anyone can acquire over time and build on; it's not just something we're born with—or not.