Sometimes good and evil are nuanced ideas. And sometimes they are pretty cut and dry, which is more or less the case with The Silver Chair. This book, after all, is pretty into Christianity (for more on this, hop on over to the "Characters" section and read up on Aslan). That said, things still get a bit nuanced from time to time. Jill and Eustace make mistakes but aren't bad people for doing so, while the Lady of the Green Kirtle is totally evil but also super pretty—in other words, she looks good.
And then, of course, there's Aslan, the great Lion who is at once the moral compass for the book, and also a little scary. He's a giant lion, after all. Still, if you're ever unsure about whether something or someone is good or evil in this book, just as yourself what Aslan would think, and you'll find you have the answer.
Questions About Good Versus Evil
- How does Lewis portray evil in The Silver Chair? What does he rely on to signal wickedness? What does he rely on to signal goodness?
- We know that Aslan embodies goodness, but he's also a bit frightening. Why does Lewis work that bit of fear into the lion's character?
- In what ways is the quest for Rilian a test of character for Jill and Eustace? Do they "pass" it? How can you tell?
- Puddleglum has a pretty strong pessimistic streak. How does this affect your assessment of his character?
Chew on This
In this book, evil is never an accident, so mistakes are never evil.
The Queen of Underland does not precisely lie in any of her statements to Jill, Eustace, Puddleglum, or Rilian. Rather, she uses doublespeak to lure her victims into thinking and doing what she wants.