EFL Movie Study Guide for:
Narnia: Prince Caspian
Full title: The
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Story:
In “Narnia 1,” four British children became kings and queens in a
land reached by magic and by the will of its lion ruler: Aslan. In this
sequel, the children return generations later to help the rightful king
(young Caspian) regain the throne stolen by his uncle Miraz. Once again,
they are helped by Narnia’s loyal dwarves and talking beasts, including
the brave mouse Reepicheep. Aslan also promised to help, but do they have
the patience and trust needed to wait for him? There are lots of great
lessons on the way to another epic battle in this action-filled fantasy,
based on a world-wide best-selling book series. (2008; Disney; fantasy;
PG) Online summary: www.imdb.com/title/tt0499448/synopsis
Setting:
Narnia (and England)
Note 1:
For the children, only a year or two has passed since their first
adventure in Narnia, but 13 centuries have passed in Narnia. In fact, it
has been so long, that most people no longer believe the “stories” about
these ancient kings and queens, and the normally-invisible ruler Aslan.
Note 2:
As shown at the end of Narnia 1, the “children” actually grew up in
Narnia and became adults, but then when Aslan sent them back to England
they were children again. There are several jokes about this unusual
reality.
Note 3:
After “Narnia 1,” Narnians lived in peace for many generations, but
then the Telmarines attacked and conquered the land. Some of the kings
were good, some bad, and the current king (Miraz--one of the worst) stole
the throne by killing his brother (Prince Caspian’s father). When King
Miras finally has a son of his own, Caspian’s tutor helps the prince
escape, and to meet the dwarves and talking animals that most Telmarines
think are merely legends. Seeing his need for “supernatural help,” Caspian
blows Susan’s magic horn, which calls the ancient kings and queens back to
Narnia. Of course, Aslan has had this in mind all along, but that is
another story!
People and proper nouns:
Aslan: a lion; son of the Great Emperor across the Sea. In
Narnia 1, he sacrificed his life to “pay” for Edmund’s treason, but
because Aslan was innocent he came back to life, according to the
Emperor’s “Deep Magic”
Peter Pevensie: First “High King” of Narnia, by the will of
Aslan (that is the story of Narnia 1)
Susan Pevensie: Peter’s sister, who became a queen in
Narnia 1
Edmund Pevensie: Peter’s younger
brother, also a king of Narnia (see Aslan)
Lucy Pevensie: Peter’s young sister,
a queen of Narnia (and the one with the closest relationship with Aslan)
Telmarines: descendents of humans who entered the Narnia
“world” long ago, and (about ten generations ago) took over Narnia by
force
Prince Caspian: a Telmarine, and the rightful king of
Narnia (see “King Miras”)
King Miraz: Caspian’s uncle. He secretly killed Caspian’s
father in order to become king.
Doctor Cornelius: Caspian’s tutor (part dwarf, he told
Caspian about the ancient times in Narnia)
Reepicheep: a very brave mouse (mice were rewarded with
speech after they freed Aslan’s body on the Stone Table in Narnia 1)
Trumpkin: a dwarf, who is loyal to Caspian but does not
believe the stories about King Peter
Nikabrik: a dwarf, who would rather trust in himself than
in ancient kings and queens
Trufflehunter: a talking badger (digging animal with black
and white fur), loyal to Caspian
Nouns/verbs (vocabulary):
dwarf: a person (in legends and fairy
tales) who looks like a small man (in many stories, these people work
underground, as miners)
extinct: a plant or animal (like dinosaurs)
that no longer exists
huge: extremely large
irony: the use of an opposite word or
expression to get a desired effect (usually soft laughter or a smile)
liege: one’s lord or ruler (esp in the
Middle Ages; this term isn’t used any more) “We’ve anxiously awaited your
return, my liege.”
minotaur: an animal (in legends and fairy
tales) that is half bull and half man, and that eats people
to patronize: to talk to sb as if they are
stupid when they are not (the dwarf said sarcastically: “Did you call me a
DLF--Dear Little Friend? Oh... that's not at all patronizing, is it?”)
torch: (BrE) a hand-held light that runs on
batteries (AmE: flashlight)
Phrases or idioms:
“You’re one to talk.”--the bad thing you just said about
someone else also applies to you
“I had it sorted.”--That was arranged or planned, and thus
under my control
“You've got to be kidding me.”--You must be joking; I don’t
believe this (is the answer or the truth)
Discussion:
1. Look at sentence 2 (below). Tell your partner about a
key moment or time in your life, when “everything changed.”
2. Look at sentence 9. Lucy knew what she saw, but no one
else believed her. Tell your partner about a time when your friends or
relatives told you about something you had a hard time believing, but
later found out it was true.
3. Put yourself in Lucy’s shoes. Would you go on without
the others, or do something to convince them that you knew the right way?
What would you do?
4. What does this story say about the role of celebration
in our lives?
Sentences/dialogs from the movie:
(from www.imdb.com/title/tt0499448/quotes
1.
Edmund [after helping Peter out of a fight
with couple of boys from school]: You're welcome.
Peter [as he stands up]: I had it
sorted.
Susan: What was it this time?
Peter: He bumped me.
Lucy: So you hit him?
Peter: No, after he bumped me they
tried to make me apologize. That's when I hit him.
Susan: Really, is it that hard to
just walk away?
Peter: I shouldn't have to! I mean,
don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?
Edmund: We are kids!
Peter: Well, I wasn't always. (that
is, I had become an adult when we lived in Narnia)
2. Doctor Cornelius [to Prince Caspian]:
Everything you know is about to change.
3. Trufflehunter [after a fight in her
house knocked over some soup]: Look what you made me do! I spent half the
morning on that soup...
Caspian: What are you?
Trufflehunter: You know, it's funny
that you should ask that. You'd think more people would know a badger when
they see one.
Caspian: No, I mean you're Narnians.
You're supposed to be extinct.
Nikabrik: Sorry to disappoint you.
4. Caspian: Minotaurs? They're
real?
Trufflehunter: And very
bad-tempered.
Nikabrik: Not to mention big.
Trufflehunter: Huge.
5. Caspian: Two days ago, I didn't
believe in the existence of talking animals... of dwarves or... or
centaurs. Yet here you are, in strengths and numbers that we Telmarines
could never have imagined. Whether this horn [he raises Susan’s horn]
is magic or not, it brought us together... and together, we have a chance
to take back what is ours!
6. Lucy: I wonder who lived here.
Susan [picks up a small gold
statue]: I think we did.
Edmund: Hey, that's mine! From my
chess set!
Peter: Which chess set?
Edmund: I didn't have a solid gold
chess set in Finchley (England), did I?
7. Lucy [holding up one of her old
dresses]: I was so tall.
Susan: Well, you were older then.
Edmund: As opposed to hundreds of
years later, when you're younger.
8. Susan [aiming her bow and arrow at
the Telmarines]: Drop him!
[they toss Trumpkin in the water and
run away]
Trumpkin: Drop him? Was that the
best you could think of?
Lucy: Why were they trying to kill
you, anyway?
Trumpkin: The Telmarines? It's what
they do.
Edmund: Telmarines? In Narnia?
Trumpkin: Where have you been for
the last few hundred years?
Lucy: It's a bit of a long story.
Trumpkin: Oh, you've got to be
kidding me. You're it? You're the kings and queens of old?
9. Lucy: I wish you would all stop
trying to sound like grown-ups! I didn't think I saw him, I did
see him. (that is, I did see Aslan, even though no one else saw
him)
Trumpkin: I am a grown-up.
10. Edmund [after no one believes that
Lucy had really seen Aslan]: The last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended
up looking pretty stupid.
11. Lucy: They're so still.
Trumpkin: The trees? What did you
expect?
Lucy: They used to dance.
12. [Prince Caspian is in a swordfight
with Peter before they know who each other is]
Lucy: No! Stop!
Peter [after seeing the Narnians
gathering around]: Prince Caspian?
Caspian: And who are you?
Susan [running over with Edmund]:
Peter!
Caspian: High King Peter?
Peter: I believe you called.
Caspian: I thought you'd be...
older.
Peter: Well if you'd like, we can
leave and come back in a few years.
Caspian: No! No, it's alright!
You're not exactly what I expected.
Edmund: Neither are you.
13. King Miraz: Tell me, Prince Edmund...
Edmund: King.
King Miraz: I beg your Pardon?
Edmund: It's King Edmund,
actually. Just King though. Peter's the High King. I know,
it's confusing.
14. Caspian: Me? You could have
called it off, there was still time.
Peter: No there wasn't thanks to
you. If you had kept to the plan those soldiers might be alive right now.
Caspian: And if you just had stayed
here as I suggested they definitely would be!
Peter: You called us, remember?
Caspian: My first mistake.
Peter: No. Your first mistake was
thinking you could lead these people
Caspian: Hey! I am not the one who
abandoned Narnia.
Peter: No, you invaded Narnia. You
have no more right leading than Miraz does. You, him, your father!
Narnia's better off without the lot of you!
