Week 6 Christian Themes in A Horse and His Boy

I am really loving this Lit Wit group, I love how they participate and seriously think about the discussion we are having.  Tell your literature buffs that they are doing a great job in this class!

For week 6, we discussed Christian themes found in The Horse and His Boy. 

This chronicle has allusions to the story of Moses.  Though they begin and end life in opposite circumstances, there are several similarities.  Both are pulled from the water as babies, and both cross a desert.  Both turn their back on the country they were raised, and are saviors to their true people.  (I couldn't remember the last two points in the discussion.  Could you kindly mention it to your student for me?)

Another biblical allusion is Bree as Doubting Thomas.  The horse is explaining what he thinks the nature of Aslan is, denying that he is lion.  Aslan appears at that moment and lovingly teaches them all. 

We had a good discussion about pride.  Rabadash never became humble, Bree was humbled, but still struggled with it even after his meeting with Aslan.  Aravis was humbled, and Hwin never needed to be humbled.  Even Shasta struggled a little with pride.  One doesn't react with sulking and resentment if one is sufficiently humble.  According to CS Lewis, this story is about "the calling and conversion of a heathen,"  so we can also assume that Shasta continued to grow and humble himself even more. 

We ended class with some "iced sherbets," like Shasta experienced for his first time in Tashbaan.  I simply put water, frozen fruit and sugar in a blender.  I used a three berry mix from Costco, but any fruit combination would work.  It was yummy! 

Next week we are discussing the hero journey, general discussion questions and then an activity. 

In two weeks we are going on a field trip!  When one is studying The Horse and His Boy, one just has to go ride horses!!  On March 24, we will drive to the Dial's house in Port Orchard at the normal time that we start class.  We will return 2 hrs later, an hour after school ends.   I'll have permission slips next week and there will be a cost of $2.00 for bridge tolls.