Reading log 1: The Silver Chair
Chapter 1: Behind the Gym
Comprehension Questions
- Why was Jill Pole crying behind the gym?
-Because she got bullied by some of her schoolmates.
2. Why were they allowed to bully the smaller children?
-The school they attend is not an ordinary one. The school says students need to do what they like, and that bullying was what children around 10–15 ages like to do. Plus, the school does not take any proper action for students’ behavior that should be punished.
3. What was Eustace like last term? How was he different this term?
-Last term, he was keeping up with the bullies, yet, for this term, he stood up against them and was helping the students who were bullied.
4. Why had Eustace changed?
-He changed because he traveled to a mysterious place and faced many challenges and lessons there.
5. What did the curious teaching methods at Experiment House allow the students to learn?
-Experiment House allowed the students to learn only one subject rather than many.
6. What did Eustace and Jill see when they opened the door?
-They saw a whole different world with a magical wild nature.
7. What did Jill see when she looked down from the precipice? How did it affect her?
-She realized she was at the highest cliff she could see in her life and she was falling into it. Tons of mixed feelings spread through her body and she could not even realize what she did and had to do.
Reflection
When I started reading this book, I got a little perplexed with the characters, because it was a long time since I read and watched some of the series of Narnia. However, as I expected, it had an intriguing beginning. I was curious about who is Jill Pole and why she is crying that much, and the part that Eustace was approaching her was quite unexpected for me. Also, the moment when Jill Pole accidentally got herself to fall from the cliff made me think about times when I refused to do the right thing or ask for help when there was a chance, then sought for it too late. It is a bitter feeling that you know you are going down while knowing you could have help yourself. I saw this happening from Jill’s accident. I wondered why she wanted to walk at the edge of the cliff in the first place? Was she too excited or proving to the world that she is not as weak as the others think she is? Knowing who Jill is, Eustace was surprised and scared more than Jill, herself was. This sudden action caused him to get shocked and lose the chance to save her in time. It seems when people make their mind to adventure suddenly, they become careless and less rational sometimes, and it results in harm for themselves and people around them. From that, I could say that getting outside of one’s box is a good thing, yet, we should foresee its consequence realistically before take a shot.
