Reading Log 10: The Silver Chair

Chapter 10: Travels Without the Sun

Comprehension Questions

1. What did Jill see when the lantern was lit? What did the crowd look like?

When the cold light shone in the cavern, she saw a big crowd with diverse look. Their sizes were different from little gnome to foot high tall ones. Plus, their faces were all so different from each other. Some of them had tails, horns while others did not. Only thing they had in common was their sad faces.

2. What did Puddleglum think of the crowd?

He thought the crowd would teach him how to take live seriously because they looked so serious to him.

3. Why was it worse for Jill than the others? When did she feel she could bear it no longer?

Because she hates darkness and underground places. When the cavern got lower and narrower and the gnomes started getting into a little dark hole and disappeared, she felt she could bear it no longer.

4. What was the huge cave like?

It was silent and dim. Its floor was as soft as moss and there were many strange shaped tree like plants and queer animals were lying on the ground.

5. What were the dragonish and bat-like creatures?

They were beasts that came down there through caves and chasms of Overland.

6. What did the enormous man look like? Who was he?

He was much bigger than any giants that the travelers had seen before, filling almost the whole cave with his body, but he looked wise and good-looking compared with the giants. He was lying there and his snowy beard was covering him to the waist. He was old Father Time, was once ruling the Overland, but now sunk in the Deep Realm as Warden said.

7. What was the city like?

The city was dull and quiet even if there were hundreds of crowd of Earthmen, many ships and temples.

8. What did the young man look like?

He was good-looking and dressed in all black, but seemed one thing was wrong with his face. I did not find out what it was.

9. What did the script originally say in ancient times? Why had it been cut?

The original script said “Though under Earth and throneless now I be, Yet, while I lived, all Earth was under me.” It was cut by some ancient kings of giants who wanted to build their tombs over it.

10. What did the knight say about himself and the queen?

It seemed he and the queen are so close to each other and the knight trusts her very much. He thinks her as noble and from divine race. She promised him to give a great kingdom in Overland.

Reflection

I did not think I would hear about the mysterious Lady and the Knight in Underland, it was a bit shocking. And, I still think the Knight could be Rilian. The Lady probably erased his memory and convinced him to be a whole different person. When he welcomed his guests and answered their questions, he seemed like just an ordinary young man, not like the prince. For example, he was a bit rude toward the guests, calling the Puddleglum Frog-face and laughing at them when they talked about the script. If he acted like prince, they might find out who he was, so the Lady was smart enough to change him thoroughly. Or else, who else could be this handsome young man beside the lady?