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Chapter 5
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Last Battle, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Belief, Deception, and False Prophets
The Value of Friendship
Redemption and Forgiveness
The End of the World
Summary
Analysis
Tirian gives Jill a bow and Eustace a Calormene scimitar, so they have weapons to defend themselves. Outside, the children practice with the weapons and quickly grow proficient in using them. Tirian realizes that the children are far more experienced than he could have guessed. Additionally, they are quick learners. As the children train, Tirian can see them rapidly getting stronger because of the Narnian air.
Here, Narnian time once again works differently than time in Jill and Eustace’s world, allowing them to prepare for their upcoming mission rapidly. Their focused practice demonstrates their dedication to the cause, as they hope to help Tirian however they can.
Themes
Once the children are done training, Tirian leads them back to Stable Hill, where Shift has his camp. Tirian knows Shift and the Calormenes are still holding Jewel captive, and Tirian wants to rescue him. Tirian puts Jill in charge of navigation because she knows how to read the stars. Additionally, he lets her lead their small group because she knows how to silently move through the grass.
Tirian and the children return for Jewel because Jewel is Tirian’s best friend and Tirian would never leave him behind. On the journey to Jewel, Tirian puts his trust in Jill, despite the magnitude of their quest. Tirian knows he must trust Jill and Eustace entirely because Aslan sent them.
Themes
The trip goes smoothly until they reach the outskirts of Stable Hill. There, Jill spots a Calormene sentry. Leaving the children behind, Tirian approaches the sentry and then quickly takes him to the ground and puts a knife to his throat. He asks the sentry to take him to Jewel. After Tirian has freed Jewel, he apologizes to the sentry for his harsh treatment. However, he still binds and gags the sentry so the sentry will not give them away.
Although Tirian is willing to use violence against the enemy Calormene sentry if he has to, he does everything he can to avoid bloodshed. Tirian’s mercy is a demonstration of his faith and is also an act of kindness that the Calormenes would never reciprocate.
Themes
With Jewel in tow, Tirian returns to where he left the children. There, he finds Eustace, but he quickly discovers that Jill is missing. Silently, he searches for Jill and grows concerned when he sees a group of Calormenes and dwarves approaching the camp. Moments later, Jill appears with a figure next to her that no one can identity in the dark. Jill is laughing, and when Eustace asks her what is so funny, she points to the figure next to her, which is Puzzle in the lion costume.
Having seen the real Aslan before, Jill cannot help but laugh at Puzzle’s pathetic costume. While Puzzle is not fooling anyone when seen in the light, his appearance is especially funny to Jill because Aslan’s genuine appearance is so intimating compared Puzzle’s. Additionally, Jill’s discovery of Puzzle sees her disobeying Tirian’s orders, but doing so for the right reason.
Themes
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Although Tirian does not like that Jill went off on her own, he is thrilled that she has exposed Shift’s scam. Then, Tirian draws his sword and prepares to kill Puzzle. Jill demands that he stop, claiming that Puzzle did not mean to do anything wrong. Puzzle also sticks up for himself and says that he is completely unaware of what has been going on in Narnia because Shift kept him locked up in the stable. Ultimately, Tirian decides to believe Puzzle and spares the donkey’s life. Now that he knows the truth about Puzzle, Tirian confronts the approaching dwarves and Calormenes head on. He demands to know where the Calormenes are taking the dwarves and on whose authority.
Among the other positive values associated with Aslan, perhaps the most important is redemption. In the Christian faith, redemption is available to all who seek it and the novel suggests that Puzzle, who speaks the truth about how he was fooled, is worthy. Upon hearing Jill’s reasoning, Tirian realizes that Puzzle is not the real enemy and instead turns his focus back to the Calormenes. While Puzzle may not have entirely made up for his past mistakes, he is turning over a new leaf.
Themes
