Nieman's Review , Aslan, Making It Up As We Go, and Do You Know Where The Children Are?
Nemain, I'm not sure which if any of the Nemains you might be over on ff.net, so I'll put this over here and perhaps you will see it and perhaps others will chime in.
Nemain started Part 1 and got to the point where Lucy is writing to Peter in Chapter 4. In that letter, Aslan and God are mashed together in Lucy's mind. This actually isn't the first time this happens -- in Chapter 1 Digory specifically aligns Aslan with God. Nemain writes:
I have to admit that Lucy using 'Aslan' instead of God in her letter to Peter is very jarring to me, because as far as I can see, the children never react to him as such in the books; the allusion at the end of Voyage of the Dawn Treader is fairly blunt, but from what I can tell, this letter dates just prior to that story. Lucy and Edmund's characters in general come across as very post-Dawn Treader to me.
I'm not religious myself, but obviously this thread was present in the original novels and I don't find it too jarring that you've drawn it out into much greater prominence here. It is obvious that this is as important to you as it was to Lewis, and you've given it a lot of love and consideration. I really can't think of a more fitting tribute for his work and ideas.
I've gotten feedback of this variation before from readers. In this case, Nieman is noting that Lucy’s easy slide between the two seems a bit premature given that Part 1 occurs pre-DT. Nieman also is finding a Christian overtone in the story. Both are fair critiques at this point in the story and my lack of "meta" regarding the relationship between Aslan-Narnia and God-Spare Oom becomes apparent. I gave this very little thought when I wrote it in the fall of 2008 and it ended up being posted a few months later.
First off, as readers of the whole story know, and which Nieman doesn't as she's not gotten there yet (if she does, never assume, it’s impolite), is that religion in an conventional sense in this vision is ... hmmm.... mushy? fluid? benevolent? unorganized? Spiritual and theological rather than conventionally religious? All of the above? At the beginning especially, the story can read more overtly Christian than I think it actually turns out to be. Some of this is, I think due to who the main point of view characters are early in the story -- more on that below.
It is my hope and intent that the stories can be enjoyed by those who are not religious. I know I have readers who are not Christian or indeed religious at all. Many of the characters are not Christian although most observe some sort of spiritual discipline or, as in the case of Digory, are intellectually theological, but not religious. (Digory uses Bibles as door stops). One reader a while ago had thought that Mary Russell was atheist -- I had not thought she was but it is a possibility. Richard Russell, on the other hand, is specifically Christian -- but there I was doing something different, which was showing the co-existence of faith and science. Because Richard and Digory are significant point of view characters in the first part of TSG, a lot of it can read religious. Eustace and Jill are probably atheist. They certainly know nothing of Christianity and Eustace is pretty skeptical of the whole thing.
My treatment of Aslan/God is, in truth, formed more by fandom reaction than thought out meta. I did not want a big reveal where the characters suddenly find Aslan in the Christian Bible. I did not want Aslan to be cruel, neglectful, jealous, vengeful, or punishing. (He's not going to be blinding Susan so she no longer focuses on her beauty). Aslan does not set up tests or temptations - a point made several times.
So, Nemain, I'll be curious to see what you think after you've gotten deeper into the story if you stick with it. There is the Dawn Treader line much emphasized in the Christian Narnia fandom and in the film in which Aslan tells Lucy that she must come to know him in Spare Oom by his other name. Here, the characters from the very beginning ascribe divine power to Aslan. Narnia and Spare Oom are linked and Aslan travels freely between them, and offers comfort to anyone who asks. Aslan appears to characters and is active in characters' lives, including OCs, and regardless of whether they are Christian. Having walked with God (or god) in Narnia, the Friends of Narnia, are comfortable with their relationship with Aslan in Spare Oom, however he is called. As Peter will observe at one point, why isn't the proof of the existence of God sufficient with, "I've seen him, therefore I know he exists." In this, I really take Peter's approach, I'm afraid.
I’m not interested in pursuing Aslan in Narnia as allegorical construct for Jesus in Spare Oom nor in the "OMG he is GOD" revelation. Coming to know Aslan as God or Jesus or by some other specific name and boxing him into the "appropriate" religious tradition or whatever, is not important in the story. The characters all know this in some way already that is sufficient to move along to the real point of the story. So, NOW WHAT? What are we supposed to do? And, how very much there is to do in the post-War environment. What was the point of Narnia and what is the point of being a Friend of Narnia here with a charge by Aslan? The story presupposes the finding and is exploring instead what happens next.
And thanks so much to those who have been reviewing and commenting on Ch. 7. RL has been very unpleasant this week and I so appreciate it.
Also, a couple of reviewers have noted the asides in Chapter 7 about Peter's reaction to Edmund and Lucy being around small children. Yeah, I'm obviously going somewhere with that. I've not explained it, yet, though the hints are there and have been since the very beginning of TQSiT. Parenting, missing parental figures, unusual familial structures, and children have been cropping up for a few chapters now and it's intentional.