by C.S. Lewis based on the adaptation by Ie Clanché du Rand

Transcription

1 Study Guide

2 2 by C.S. Lewis based on the adaptation by Ie Clanché du Rand Produced by special arrangements with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois Director: Andraea Sartison Assistant Director: Dora Carroll Set, Costume & Props Designer: Lisa Hancharek Sound Designer: Daniel Jordan Lighting Designer: Jaymez Jansen Stage Manager: Katherine Johnston cast Gwen Collins as Lucy Christina Heather as Susan Braiden Houle as Edmund Kristian Jordan as Peter Manitoba Theatre for Young People is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and engages under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association.

3 3 Study Guide Contents I. The Author: C.S. Lewis 4 II. The Characters in the Play 5 III. Setting and Time Frame of the Play 8 IV. Synopsis 9 V. Vocabulary 9 VI. Background Information 10 VII. Pre-Show Activities 11 VIII. Follow-up Activites 13 IX. Bibliography 19 X. Activity Sheets 21 XI. Colouring Sheets 24 XII. Recipe for Turkish Delight 26

4 I. The Author: C.s. lewis 4 Clive Staples Lewis was born on November 29, 1898 in Belfast, Ireland. For reasons unknown, at the age of four he renamed himself Jacksie, which later became Jack - a name that stuck with him for the rest of his life. Lewis grew up in a large house with an old oak wardrobe where he and his brother Warnie sat in the dark and told stories. That wardrobe made a big impression on the young Lewis, as it obviously found its way into his later writing. When he was ten, Lewis s mother died of cancer. A few days after that, he was sent away to boarding school. While he was not very fond of school, Lewis did have a wonderful private tutor who helped him prepare for entrance exams to university. He later created the character of the old professor in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in honour of this memorable friend and mentor. Lewis began at Oxford University in 1917, but after one term he volunteered for service in World War I and left his studies. He was stationed in Flanders from November to April, when he was wounded by shrapnel and returned to England. He returned to Oxford and completed both his degree and his first book (of poetry). He continued to write and teach at Oxford and lived with his brother and a housekeeper. In 1939, at the beginning of World War II, children who lived in London were evacuated to the safer countryside of Britain. During the war, several groups of evacuees lived with the Lewis brothers, and Jack later wrote to a friend, I never appreciated children until the war brought them to me. Between the years of 1950 and 1956, the seven books that became The Chronicles of Narnia were published; the first novel was The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Though he is known throughout the world for his stories of the Land of Narnia, Lewis s other writings include books on philosophy, literature, poetry, apologetics, religion (he became a devout Christian) and even a space trilogy. In 1952, Lewis met Joy Gresham, an American writer whom he later married. Joy and her two sons became the most important thing in Jack s life, especially when Joy was diagnosed with cancer only 4 months after their wedding. She died in 1960 and Lewis wrote A Grief Observed, which is one of his most acclaimed books. Lewis continued to write until his death in 1963.

5 II. The characters in the play The brothers and sisters who journey to Narnia lucy Lucy is the youngest child of the four, and the first to discover the Land of Narnia through the wardrobe. She is teased by her siblings when they don t believe her, but she stands her ground. Lucy is inquisitive, brave and strong-willed. Her trusting nature leads her into danger. EDMUND Edmund is the next-youngest child, and is a bit of a brat. He has a suspicious nature, and doesn't want to trust easily. He is especially cruel to Lucy and his actions cause trouble in Narnia. PETER Peter is the oldest child, and he tries to protect his family and friends. He finds it difficult to believe in Narnia at first but upon entering the magical land, he becomes a strong warrior. He is courageous and brave, but lacks imagination. susan Susan is the middle child that acts as the oldest. She tries to get Peter to take responsibillty, to get Edmund to be good, and to get Lucy to grow up. Her part in this story is not as big as the others, which colours the way she tells It. 5 Designs by Lisa Hancharek

6 The Good Creatures of Narnia Aslan A wonderful noble Lion, Aslan is the rightful King and creator of Narnia. While he is not always present in Narnia, his imminent return to save the country from the White Witch is predicted by the talking animals and the prophesy. He is wise, strong and honourable. Mr. tumnus A cowardly faun (half-man, half- goat) who befriends Lucy on her first visit to Narnia. He is reluctantly working for the White Witch. He has a generous nature and a good heart. Mr. beaver He is a staunch believer and supporter of Aslan, and a brave industrious animal. He risks his life willingly for the safety of the children. He enjoys telling stories. Father christmas Father Christmas arrives with tools (instead of toys) that enable the children to save Narnia. He represents the promise of change from the state of endless winter. 6 The Evil Characters of Narnia the white witch (Also known as the Queen of Narnia) The White Witch is the self -proclaimed Queen of Narnia. Her magic allows her to create eternal winter in the country, and she has the ability to turn her enemies to stone. She is powerful, evil and ruthless, and shows little compassion for anyone. fenris ulf (Maugrim in the novel) Fenris Ulf, the wolf, is the head of the Witch s secret police. He is one of the Witch s most loyal captains, and is responsible for much of the terror in the realm. the dwarf This dwarf is the sleigh-driver for the White Witch. He is sour-tempered and enjoys tormenting Edmund.

7 7 Designs by Lisa Hancharek

8 IIi. setting and time frame of the play 8 In C.S. Lewis s novel, the opening setting and time frame is clear: 1940 s Britain, during the war. The four children, central to the story, are evacuees, sent away from London to the mansion in the country for safety. Our production begins in that mansion though the place is not specific. The major portion of the play is set in the magical world of Narnia. The point of entry is a magical wardrobe discovered in one of the rooms in the mansion. Narnian time is very different from the real world and, in fact, the entire adventure in Narnia, we learn at the end, seems to have happened in a mere moment of real time - i.e. time as we know it.

9 Iv. synopsis 9 Four children are sent from London, during the air raids of World War II, to a large mansion with many rooms. One rainy day, while playing, the youngest child, Lucy, hides in a wardrobe and discovers a Faun named Mr. Tumnus. He tells her of an evil Witch who has kept the world in an eternal winter and has been turning its creatures into stone statues. Lucy returns to the wardrobe and tries to convince her brothers and sisters of the magical land. They doubt her until on another rainy day her brother Edmund enters the wardrobe and discovers Narnia. He meets the White Witch and after several helpings of a magical Turkish Delight, promises to bring his brother and sisters to Narnia. Edmund returns to the old house, but chooses to tell no one of his visit... On another rainy day, all four children pass through the wardrobe into Narnia, only to discover that Mr. Tumnus has been arrested by the Witch for treason. They follow a robin to Mr. Beaver s house. He explains that in an ancient prophesy, the children have been destined to rule Narnia and the Witch will do anything to stop them. He also tells them of the great lion, Aslan, who is on the move to save Narnia from the Evil Witch. They are to meet him at the famous Stone Table. Edmund sneaks back to the Witch and tells her of their plans to get more Turkish Delight. The witch enslaves Edmund and forces him to pull her sleigh to the Stone Table. The other three children meet Aslan, only to discover that their brother Edmund has betrayed them and is now a slave. The Witch plans to kill Edmund, as a traitor. Aslan talks the Witch into killing him instead, citing an ancient law of Narnia. The Witch agrees and Aslan is executed, breaking the children s hearts. The witch then breaks her word and proceeds to kill Edmund anyway. A miracle happens and Aslan comes back to life, rescuing Edmund. Aslan flies the children to the Witch s Castle and frees all the statues, including Mr. Tumnus. They form an army and do battle with the Witch. Edmund saves the day by breaking the Witch s wand. Aslan defeats the Witch and the four children become the rulers of Narnia, just as the prophesy predicted. Many years later, while hunting in the forest, the children discover the door to the wardrobe. They return to the mansion, only to discover they have been gone for just a few moments. v. vocabulary Mansion Intruder Wardrobe Your Majesty Secret Police Turkish Delight Adam and Eve Imprisoned (Son of Adam, Hospitality Daughter of Eve) Presence Humble abode Dagger Spies Coward Turn over a new leaf Good fortune Prophesy To have faith Treachery Mixed up in bad Detected business Cordial In a fix Traitor Innocent Apologize Horn Smug Predicted Sorrows Reign Responsibility Esteemed visitor Father Xmas Rumour Harbouring the enemy A mere mortal Slain Outnumbered Adversary Forfeit Overturned Perish Renounced Altar Victory Retreat Acknowledge Lamppost Magnificent Just Rulers

10 vi. background information 10 C. S. Lewis never gave a simple answer to the question about the inspiration for the Narnia Chronicles. His imagination may have been triggered by the questions of one of the evacuee children about a wardrobe in his house; what was behind it, and could she go inside. Some of his earliest writing falls into the fantasy genre: new worlds, strange animals, hidden doorways, and strong child heroes. Later in his life, he described the process: "I see pictures. Some of the pictures have a common flavour, almost a common smell, which groups them together. Keep quiet and watch and they will begin joining themselves up". Since he was sixteen he had a picture in his mind of a faun carrying parcels and an umbrella in a snowy forest. Other pictures included a queen on a sledge and a magnificent lion. In 1948, he began to create a continuous story with these images, helped by the character of Aslan, who "pulled the whole story together, and soon he pulled the other six stories in after him". The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was dedicated to Lewis's godchild Lucy, however she had children of her own by the time the novel was published. While the later Narnian Chronicles may have been written for the pleasure of his stepsons, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was created because Lewis wanted to write a children's book, in part because he was shocked at how little reading the evacuee children did. One of the first people that Jack asked to read his new novel was the fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkein. Tolkein was very critical of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; he thought that the book was almost worthless. Because the characters came from a variety of mythologies, Tolkein felt that they should not reside together in the imaginary country of Narnia. However, he may simply have been jealous of Lewis, who wrote his book in a short period of time while Tolkein took years to complete his stories. The initial critical reaction to the book was negative. Real-life fiction for children was currently in vogue; novels that gave practical advice and realistic situations. Critics felt that this strange novel, which encouraged children to indulge in fantasy and fairy stories, was too violent for children. However, from the very first, children around the world loved the stories, and were not afraid or turned off by the magical world of Narnia; rather, they delighted in it. The Narnia Chronicles were written by Lewis at a point in his life when he was rediscovering his faith, and becoming a devout Christian. The Chronicles can be seen as an allegory of the Christian system of theology, with themes of creation (The Magician's Nephew), death, resurrection and the nature of evil (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) and the end of a world and quest for the divine (The Last Battle). But the author almost certainly did not want his readers to notice the resemblance of the Narnian theology to the Christian story. Themes in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that are universal in scope include: growth and expansion, the giving of gifts, fundamental morality: good versus evil, the value of cooperation, and reality and illusion. These themes are developed throughout the Narnia Chronicles, with the beginnings of each in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

11 vii. pre-show activities 1. The First Theatre Experience If you are a teacher of younger students who are experiencing live theatre for the first time, it is wise to prepare them so they know what to expect. 11 Young children are sometimes overwhelmed or frightened at the theatre because they actually believe that what is happening on stage is real - after all, the safety of the TV or movie screen is not there and the people are live before them. Although to most children the play will be deliciously scary at times, the evil characters might be frightening to others because the illusion of suspended reality is so complete that they believe the characters are real. a) Discuss the fact that actors are role playing, pretending, and that a playwright has written the words they are saying. As an audience member, they will be entering a world of make-believe with actors in costumes, a set (the scenery), lighting, sound and special effects all specially made to create an illusion of reality. Help them realize what this world of illusion is all about. b) Give students an opportunity to do some role-playing themselves to gain insight into what theatre is all about through a hands-on experience. As a class, talk about the fantasy characters in the play and the novel. Imagine what the characters might be like in the stage production: the evil White Witch (the wicked Queen of Narnia), or Fenris Ulf, the evil wolf (also known as Maugrim in the novel) the Queen s treacherous captain; her henchman. Role play short scenes or dramas to explore these characters; create your own stories about them. This should lead to a better understanding of an actor s job and his or her connection to make-believe. Draw pictures of what you imagine these characters might look like. Write up the stories that emerge from your dramas. After seeing the play, compare your ideas and stories about the characters with those that you encounter in the production.

12 12 2. Preparation For The Show Prepare all students as to what is expected of them as an audience member when attending a live performance at a theatre. Audience members play an important role in live theatre for they, too, participate in the performance. Their laughter and applause, their sighs and emotional responses, feed an energy back to the actors; there is a communication, a sharing, that is integral to a live theatre performance. Children who are accustomed to TV or the movies, are often unaware that speaking aloud, eating and gum chewing, or moving in your seats are not appropriate behaviour. Not only is this behaviour disturbing to other audience members who are trying to listen to the play, it is off-putting for the actors who can see and hear them from the stage; this is a fact they may not know! 3. If You Are Reading The Novel If you are planning to read the novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with your class, you may choose to: a) Read the book before the play so that the theatre experience is a culmination to a novel study. It is an interesting project to compare the novel to... The play - the playwright s text, the stage adatation The production - the show : consider choices made in terms of the design, casting, direction and staging b) Read only the introductory chapter(s) of the book and have the students predict: What will happen in the course of the story What the magical land of Narnia will be like What characters or creatures the four young protagonists might meet in Narnia 4. Review The play is very true to the spirit and plot of the C.S. Lewis novel and does not require elaborate pre-show preparation or briefing. It will be easily followed and understood by students in the recommended age range unless they are EAL students with a very limited command of English. It might be helpful to review some of the vocabulary and expressions used in the play provided in the VOCABULARY section in this Study Guide.

13 5. Fantasy and Fairy Tale Worlds of Magic and Make-believe 13 a) Fantasy vs. Fairy Tale i) In teams of four or five, brainstorm and list as many fairy tales as you can remember within a five-minute time period. Identify the group with the longest list and have a group member read the list aloud to the class as the teacher writes individual titles on the board. Add any additional titles other groups came up with. ii) List the names of famous fairy tale authors familiar to your students. A few of the more recognizable names include Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Charles Perrault. Sort the fairy tales on your list by author. As a research project have students uncover additional titles by these authors. iii) Recalling fairy tales you are familiar with, identify and list as a group, the characteristic elements of a fairy tale. What predictable patterns can you describe when you think about characters, settings, story lines, beginnings and endings, themes and morals or lessons learned in most fairy tales? b) Fantasy Characters Imagine that you could change yourself into a fantasy creature with special magic powers. i) What would that character be like? Draw or paint a picture of your character in full costume and regalia. ii) Create a descriptive chart or character sketch for your magical being. Include: How you are able to transform Character s name yourself Physical decription and costume Your accomplishments Special characteristics and features Your friends and family Your magic powers Your enemies Your secret password and motto Are you good or evil viii. follow-up activities 1) Responding to The Production a) Allow students an opportunity to discuss what they liked and didn t like about the production. If you read the original story before seeing the play, what aspects of our production surprised you or were different from what you expected? Was there anything that puzzled you about the story? About the production? Did you notice anything in the story that made a pattern?

14 14 Respond to the show by: i) Drawing a picture or exploring some other personal expression through visual art inspired by your favourite scene or moment in the play. What medium will you choose to explore? Will you aim for realism or will you choose a more abstract way of responding to the play? Why did you like this part the best? How did this moment make you feel? How is that feeling reflected in your artwork? Bringing the Characters to Life b) As a group, recall and list all the characters you met in the play. Who was your favourite character? What did you like about the actor s performance and interpretation of the role? How did the costume and design help define the character? What special talents did the actor bring to the role? Did you find the actor convincing? Funny? Scary? Why? 2) Recalling and Revisiting the Story a) The Story Circle: Round Robin Storytelling Sitting in circles of five to six students, retell the story as a group storytelling activity. Each person contributes a section of the story in turn as you move from person to person around the circle. Encourage students to work co operatively in support of what the previous person has said and in as much detail as possible. If a student feels a certain aspect of the story has been left out or not been described in enough detail, they may decide to backtrack and add a detail or more complete description. Try having each student contribute: One word One sentence Several sentences

15 15 Variations: i) Surprise Interview After telling the story once, initiate the following discussion. Imagine you could invite one of the characters from the story into the room right now and ask him/her just 3 questions that would suddenly give you a new perspective on the story - fresh insight into the story problem or some inside information, hitherto unknown. These questions should help the students refine their understanding of what is important in the story. What would those questions be? Discuss with a partner. Share your questions with another pair. Share them as a class. Retell the story, round-robin fashion; this time you must reveal a big secret that you discovered about the story that nobody else knows. ii) Pass a story stick A story stick can be any odd piece of wood or may be a specially designed and decorated piece made by the teacher or a student. Whomever holds the stick has the magic of the storyteller and has complete focus and attention of the group. Only this person is allowed to talk and no other students may call out or negate what the storyteller says. The storyteller contributes a section of the story then passes the story stick to the next student to his left in the story circle. The teacher may choose to intervene at any time with a question for the storyteller to help focus a reluctant or struggling participant. You may establish the rule that you can pass the stick to the next person if you feel you don t wish to contribute to the story when it is your turn; this takes the pressure off for those who have problems remembering details. You may choose to turn out the lights and make this activity into a kind of story ritual. Put a flashlight in the middle of the circle to focus attention and create more atmosphere, turning the activity into more of an event or performance. b) The Story in a Nutshell Ask your students to complete the following statement: This is a play about... In several sentences or a paragraph In one sentence In one word When you get down to the one sentence and one word expressions, write all the suggestions on the board and compare. Decide as a group, the 3 choices that you think best capture the theme or central message of the story.

16 16 c) A Story Mobile An activity for younger students i) As a class, recall all the characters you met in the story. Who were the main or principal characters in the play? Take a poll to see who was the best-liked character. Graph your findings. ii) Solicit responses from the children about the part they liked best in the play. Ask the students to tell you why they liked the particular moment described. iii) Using this information, have the students (or work in small groups) make their own story mobiles which will depict and summarize key information about the MTYP production The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the students personal responses to the show. The Components A. The top: a coat hanger with two cardboard cirles (approx. 8 inches in diameter) taped onto it (hook exposed, for hanging). One on the front and one on the back. Side One: Within the circle, a picture completed by the student of The character I liked the best in the play. Side Two: Within the circle, the stunder s picture depicting The part I liked best in the play. B. Hanging from the hanger on a thread or piece of yarn: In The Centre: (suspended just below the circles) a recipe card on which is pasted a teacher-prepared outline sheet completed by the student. Provide enough lines or space for one sentence or several, depending on your students capabilities. (With younger children, the teacher may choose to print out the sentence dictated by the child.) Suspended from the hanger: Cardboard cut-outs of figures depicting: i) The main characters in the play that the student liked best. (Perhaps 5 or 6) ii) The good characters and the evil characters Print the name of the character on the back of each cut-out.

17 17 3) Fantasy Worlds Narnia Read the excerpt about Narnia from The Dictionary of Imaginary Places, by Alberto Manguel and Gianni Guadalupi, a highly imaginative collection of descriptions of several hundred imaginary worlds. (See BACKGROUND INFORMATION) Using this description as an inspiration: i) Create your own map of Narnia on a piece of parchment. Include the names of places mentioned the story and the dictionary description. Things to include on your map: Draw and colour small pictures and symbols on your map which stand for sites and features you wish to include. Draw up a Key or chart in one corner which explains the symbols used and the scale of the map. ii) Create and compile a class picture anthology of Narnia. Include key scenes and events from the story and pictures of the many different locations. iii) As a group, identify the things about a community and about a country that make it a good place to live. What aspects related to the quality of life and personal freedoms make a country like Canada a desirable place for people from other parts of the world to come to start a new life? iv) Imagine it is five years after the end of the play. You are the new Immigration Officer at the Palace of Cair Paravel given the job of attracting new immigrants to the land of Narnia now that Narnia has returned to normal. Design a campaign for attracting new people to the Kingdom. Write a special feature article or an advertisement for newspapers in other worlds (e.g. human world) designed to attract people to Narnia. Describe why this is now a great place in which to live. v) Design a Passport, personal Identification Card or Birth Certificate for the Land of Narnia. Bear in mind the variety of creatures and inhabitants of Narnia when you design your business form. vi) Using a card of the appropriate size, design a postcard a tourist visiting Narnia might purchase to send home to a friend. What special tourist attractions might you choose to illustrate the front of the card?

18 Extension: 18 Imagine you are the tourist who is visiting Narnia. Write a note on the postcard you have created describing your visit and the many sights you have enjoyed. What aspects of Narnia do you find particularly appealing? How is Narnia different from the world you come from? Will you recommend Narnia to others as a holiday destination your friends would enjoy? vi) Design a stamp for Narnia, inspired by the story The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. vii) Imagine that... Your favourite children s musical entertainer A famous rock group A New Age musician has decided to illustrate their latest album or recording with a scene from the imaginary land of Narnia. Design the album or CD cover selecting an appropriate title which is linked to Narnia or the story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Be sure to select colours and a design on your cover that goes with the type of music in the particular album.

19 x. activity sheets 19

20 20

21 21

22 xi. Colouring sheets 22

23 23

24 xii. recipe for turkish delight 24 Borrowed from the website of Dartford West Technology College for Girls at A popular confection available throughout Istanbul, Turkish Delight is actually not a dessert traditionally served as a part of the main meal. Instead, this citrus-flavoured sweet is usually eaten as a snack, with coffee, or after a kebab dish. The recipe for the candy is straightforward; it is a concoction combining sugar, gelatin and the sliced rinds of lemons and oranges along with their juices. Left to set until firm for 24 hours, it is cut into squares and then joyfully consumed. Following is one of many variations: 2 cups granulated suger 1¼ cups water 1 lemon, the peel cut into strips, the juice squeezed and strained 4 tablespoons unflavoured powdered gelatin 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch Dissolve the granulated sugar in half of the water over medium heat. Add the strips of lemon and orange peel and the juices. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Soften the gelatin by soaking it for 5 to 10 minutes, until the syrup reaches the thread stage. Strain the mixture into a shallow, dampened pan or onto platters, and let it set for 24 hours. Cut the candy into 1-inch squares. Sift the confectioners sugar and cornstarch together into a shallow dish. Roll the pieces of candy mixture. Store the squares in boxes with more confectioners sugar and cornstarch between each layer. Study Guide designed by Dallas Jansen