Lucy's Encounter with "The Magician's Book" in Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is probably my favorite of the seven volumes of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. One reason this volume is so popular is because of Reepicheep, the courageous, swashbuckling leader of The Talking Mice of Narnia. This blog post, however, is about an incident involving Lucy on the Island of the Dufflepuds.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952) is the fifth book in the series (by publication order). The chapter involving Lucy and the magical book is one of my favorite episodes, both pivotal and richly symbolic. It occurs in Chapter 10, which is aptly titled “The Magician’s Book,” when Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian, aboard the ship Dawn Treader, visit the Island of the Dufflepuds (also called the Monopods or Duffers) and encounter the magician Coriakin’s house. 

All readers of this series understand that nearly everything in these stories is o be taken allegorically. In this chapter Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian, along with their crew, land on this island inhabited by the comically inept Dufflepuds, invisible creatures who were made so by their master, the magician Coriakin, as a punishment for their disobedience. (For the record, Lucy and Edmund are children from our world and Caspian is a prince from the world of Narnia.)

The Dufflepuds, believing Lucy is brave enough to face the magician, demand she enter his house to reverse the spell of invisibility by reading from the magician's magical book. Lucy, somewhat apprehensive, agrees to undertake the task alone, as the others are wary of the magician’s power.

When Lucy enters Coriakin’s grand, mysterious house, she ascends to a room filled with books, artifacts, and an atmosphere of enchantment. In the center of the room is a large, ancient book—the Magician’s Book—bound in leather, and filled with spells written in beautiful, clear script. The pages are alive with magic, and Lucy must find the spell to make the Dufflepuds visible again. 

As she turns the pages, she encounters a variety of spells, including one to “know what other people think of you,” one to make someone beautiful “beyond the lot of mortals,” and another to cure warts. The book’s pages seem to turn on their own at times, adding to its mystical aura.

As she leafs through the pages Lucy is tempted by the spell to hear what others think of her. She casts it and overhears a conversation between her schoolmate Marjorie Preston and another girl, revealing Marjorie’s insincere flattery and mild betrayal. This devastates Lucy, sowing seeds of insecurity and resentment, though she later reflects on the harm of such knowledge.

When she comes to the "Spell of Beauty" Lucy nearly casts a spell to make herself irresistibly beautiful, motivated by envy of her sister Susan’s beauty. She sees a vision of herself transformed, outshining Susan and causing strife, but Aslan’s face appears in the book, growling softly, stopping her. This moment underscores her struggle with vanity and pride. (For the record, Aslan is a lion, fearful and wonderful, powerful and wise, who is central throughout the Chronicles.)

Lucy finally finds the spell to make “things visible which are not to be seen.” She reads it aloud, and the Dufflepuds’ invisibility is undone, revealing their comical, one-footed forms. As she reads, Aslan appears beside her, unnoticed at first, guiding her through the process.

After casting the spell, Lucy meets Aslan, who gently rebukes her for eavesdropping via the spell, explaining that the conversation she overheard was distorted and incomplete, teaching her the dangers of seeking forbidden knowledge--and teaching young readers the danger of listening in to others' conversations.) He also reveals that he was with her all along, guiding her through the book’s temptations. 

Coriakin, the magician, then appears, a kind, wise figure—a retired star sent to govern the island as a form of divine service. He hosts the group for a meal, explaining the Dufflepuds’ quirks and his role in their reformation.

The spell successfully makes the Dufflepuds visible, and they rejoice, though their bumbling nature persists. Lucy’s experience with the book leaves her wiser, having confronted her own flaws—curiosity, envy, and pride—while learning to trust Aslan’s guidance. The chapter ends with the crew preparing to leave the island, enriched by the encounter.

The lessons in this chapter alone are many, dealing with temptation and moral growth, the power of knowledge, warnings about curiosity driven by pride, and Aslan (as a Christ figure) as a divine presence. Regarding the Magician's Book, this has layers of meaning, too. We live in a world that is beyond our comprehension. C.S. Lewis addresses this in his space trilogy as well, most vividly in That Hideous Strength. The very existence of Narnia implies worlds beyond our comprehension. 

Coriakin, a star tasked by Aslan to govern the island, represents a steward of divine power, contrasting with the corrupting magic of figures like the White Witch in earlier books. The book’s spells are neutral tools, their morality depending on the user’s intent.

Some people has suggested The Magician’s Book could be seen as a metaphor for the Bible or spiritual knowledge, containing truths and powers that require discernment to wield rightly. Lucy’s journey through its pages mirrors a spiritual pilgrimage, testing her virtues and exposing her weaknesses.

Overall this chapter serves as a standalone adventure within the broader voyage of the Dawn Treader’s quest toward Aslan’s country. It entertains by balancing humor (the Dufflepuds are hilarious) with profound moral questions, making it accessible to younger readers while offering depth for adults. Lucy’s experience prepares her for later challenges, reinforcing her faith and resilience.

It's interesting that C.S. Lewis took a lot of heat from his peers for publishing The Chronicles of Narnia. He was a professor at Oxford and gaining fame by writing children's books was frowned upon. It was out of character for a dignified Oxford professor. The novel’s message, that true wisdom lies in aligning one’s will with the divine, was in alignment with Lewis's own quest. And the world has been made richer for it.

Can People Pick Up Radio Signals Through Their Fillings?

Have you ever had the following experience? It's quiet, very little white noise, but you seem to be hearing sounds like radio chatter or music. It's indistinct but definitely sounds like you're picking up a radio station.

It doesn't happen often but it's happened for me on a number of occasions. No, it's not tinnitus, ringing in the ears. My tinnitus sounds like spring peepers at dusk, not a radio show.

We all know that the air around us is permeated by endless streams of radio waves, television broadcasts and satellite transmissions. Is it possible, under the right conditions, to "hear" any of this?

When I looked into it initially, I was told that it's an urban legend. Last night, however, I found a story online that supported the possibility that this phenomenon might actually be real, "The Truth Behind Teeth Tunes." (You can find it on the dental website of Warshauer & Santamaria.)

They begin by noting that for nearly a century people have reported receiving radio signals through their teeth. While it’s tempting to question the mental stability of those making such claims, the sheer volume of cases makes dismissal difficult. As it turns out, a well-known example involves actress Lucille Ball, star of the 1950s sitcom I Love Lucy.  

If these individuals aren’t delusional, how might this phenomenon occur? One theory suggests that metal dental fillings function as miniature antennas, capturing strong radio waves under specific conditions. These waves could cause the fillings to vibrate subtly, transmitting those vibrations through the skull to produce sound sensations in the brain. 

The concept isn’t unprecedented, the writer asserts. During World War II, soldiers famously crafted makeshift radios using razor blades and pencil lead, demonstrating how everyday objects can detect radio signals.

Nowadays, with the advent of composite fillings as opposed to traditional metal (amalgam) ones, reports of this peculiar phenomenon are likely to decrease.  

Related Link

You're Not Alone Any More

The Little Red-Haired Girl

Due to dense cloud cover I had trouble with my satellite internet connection this a.m. Is this what they mean by "cloud computing"? I doubt it.

Few there are who've never read the comics in a Sunday newspaper. And fewer still who have never seen the Charles Schultz classic Peanuts. For some it is a "fix" and for others a habit.

Schultz created more than 18,000 strips and Charlie Brown even made it to television.

Most of us know the main characters, with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy being the head of that pack. What's interesting is that we not only know all these characters -- and some really are characters -- but that we've even gotten to know those characters who are not ever seen in the strip. A short list of these would have to include the Great Pumpkin, Red Baron and the Little Red-Haired Girl.

Over the years much has been made about who these characters are. That is, what are the meanings these characters symbolize. Whole books have been written about this, though like other great art, maybe all this defining goes far beyond what Charles Schultz envisioned. But art allows for this. The non-specificity lets readers take it into their own spheres.

Is the Great Pumpkin a myth like Santa Claus? A benevolent hope founded on wishful thinking? Or can it be a reference to something more, something senses beyond the senses?

The Little Red-Haired Girl whom we never see is... well, we all know who she is. Like the other symbols, she may have a different name, but we remember her. How could we forget that unrequited longing? Who hasn't been in Charlie Brown's shoes, noticing her but not knowing what to say. The moment comes, it goes, is gone. Anything touched by her, or remotely associated with her, becomes sacred. On one occasion he finds her pencil dropped in the hall. The little teeth marks are a reminder that this is no ordinary pencil.

According to Wikipedia, she first appeared in 1961 in a lunch room scene. We never saw her, but we know she was special because Charlie Brown said, "I'd give anything in the world if that little girl with the red hair would come over and sit with me." We've probably all been there at one time or another.

I guess the Little Red-Haired Girl came mind because of convergence of sorts. When I read Eric Clapton's autobiography a couple weeks ago I learned that his album Derek & the Dominoes was written entirely as an ode to Patty Boyd, George Harrison's wife. He invited her over to hear the album before its release. She rejected his overtures, but the album is a great one, conveying much of Charlie Brown's unreserved, tragicomic stoicism.

Layla was one of the great songs on the album. This link takes you to the lyrics of Bell Bottom Blues, Clapton's Ode to Patty Boyd. To her credit, she remained with George. He wasn't ready for a mature relationship yet.