Source: http://studynarnia.com/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:39:58+00:00

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using questions we've field tested.
One great way to do it is to have a reader's theater followed by a small group discussion.
Reading two chapters a week takes 20 to 30 minutes, with 30 minutes for discussion.
Check back for more resources to help you put on your own reader's theater.
To put on a reader's theater, you'll at least one reader and a maximum of 30, plus a copy of the text for each reader, the sound engineer, and the director. The text of the trade paperback is slightly larger than other versions, but any version will work well. It helps if everyone has a copy of the same edition.
I. Meet the other people in your group.
Tell them your name, what school you attend or where you work, and one thing you like to do in your free time.
II. How accurate are your first impressions?
Lucy thought Mr. Tumnus was a very good Faun, the nicest one she had ever met. He had invited her to rest by a warm fire, and offered her toast - and sardines - and cake. But she didn't know he was secretly planning to kidnap her. Lucky for Lucy, Mr. Tumnus found he couldn't complete the plan once he met her. Was Lucy's impression that Mr. Tumnus was a good Faun right or wrong? How accurate are your first impressions? Have you ever had a first impression that turned out to be wrong?
III. How do you handle hard choices?
When the White Witch asked Mr. Tumnus to be a kidnapper, he knew she could turn him into stone if he refused. If you had been Mr. Tumnus, what would you have done? Why?
Do you tend to go along with the crowd, even if you think they might be wrong? Or do you tend to say no, even though it might be unpopular or costly?
IV. Would you have forgiven Mr. Tumnus?
After confessing his plan to kidnap Lucy, Mr. Tumnus asked Lucy for forgiveness. She readily agreed. Would you have forgiven him?
What if he'd completed the kidnapping? Would you have forgiven him then?
V. What else caught your attention?
I. Meet the people in your group.
Tell the people in your group your name and one of your favorite foods.
II. How adventurous are you?
If someone said they found a door that led to another world, what would be some reasons for you to check it out? What would be some reasons for you to avoid it? Which would you be inclined to choose?
III. Have you ever told people about an adventure and found they didn't "get it"?
When Lucy got back from Narnia, she naturally wanted to share the adventure with her brothers and sister. But when they tried to enter Narnia, they just bumped into the back of a coat closet. Think of a time you tried to share something you enjoyed with people who didn't get it. What happened?
IV. What is your character like?
When Edmund entered Narnia, his apology to Lucy was short-lived. When she didn't immediately respond, he said, "Just like a girl. . . sulking somewhere and won't accept an apology." Perhaps other parts of his character come to mind for you. What do you think of Edmund? What do you suppose Edmund thinks of Edmund? What would help you see your own character like other people see you? Would you want to?
V. What works like Turkish Delight for you?
The Turkish Delight Edmund got from the witch was delicious -- but he found it didn't satisfy. The more he ate, the more he wanted. Many people have things like this in their lives -- things that never satisfy, but still are highly desired. (There's a saying, "You can't get enough of what you don't need.") What are some things that work like Turkish Delight for you?
VI. Do you ever ignore warnings?
Edmund listened to a description of how terrible the witch was -- but at the end, he was still more than half on her side. He was focused on Turkish Delight, so he ignored the warnings. Have you ever ignored warnings you should have listened to? What happened?
VII. What else did you notice in the story?
I. Get to know the people in your group.
Tell them your name and (if you're willing) one way you've let someone down in the past.
II. Are lies ever justified? If so, when?
Edmund said he and Lucy had only been pretending that they got into Narnia. His lie hurt Lucy's reputation and caused her siblings to doubt her sanity. What do you think about lying? Are "white lies" ever justified? What lies are acceptable to you and what lies are not?
If you had believed Edmund - and then found out he had been lying - would that have changed your relationship with him? How?
III. Do you read the headlines of tabloids at the supermarket?
The professor's final advice to Peter and Susan is that everyone mind their own business. Do you keep up on the private lives of sports, entertainment, or political figures? When should the professor's advice that everyone mind their own business be followed? When should it be ignored?
IV. How fast are you to admit you were wrong?
When Peter learned he was wrong about Narnia, he turned at once to Lucy and apologized. How prompt are you to acknowledge to others that you have been wrong? What makes you slow or fast to admit being wrong?
V. Do you help people when it places yourself at risk?
Mr. Tumnus was in trouble. Edmund didn't want to help him, and Susan (at first) wanted to leave Narnia altogether. But Lucy persuaded the group that they should help Mr. Tumnus, since he was in trouble on her account. What would you have wanted to do?
VI. Do you listen to people who have lied in the past?
Edmund called Peter aside and began planting doubts about the robin they were following - and about Mr. Tumnus - and whether the witch really was bad. Do you listen to people who have shown themselves untrustworthy in the past?
VII. What else caught your attention?
Tell them your name and one meal you remember.
II. How do you decide whether to trust people or not?
When the four children were trying to decide whether to trust Mr. Beaver, Lucy used intuition: she thought he seemed nice. Edmund used logic - and didn't have enough information to make a decision. Susan compared her needs with the risk. She thought it was worth the chance to get dinner. Peter decided based on strength: he thought they could overpower the beaver if they had to. How do you decide whether or not to trust others?
III. What names cause strong reactions in people?
When Aslan's name was mentioned, everyone reacted differently. Edmund felt a mysterious horror. Peter felt brave. Susan felt as if she'd just smelled something wonderful. Lucy felt as if she'd just woken up on a holiday morning. What are some names you can think of that people react differently to?
IV. What do you think about predictions about the future?
Narnians had believed three prophecies for hundreds of years without seeing any evidence they would come true. The prophecies said 1) when Aslan appeared, spring would come, 2)the evil time would end when humans were sat in the thrones at Cair Paravel, and 3) the White Witch would die when four humans reigned at Cair Paravel.
Do you trust predictions about the future? What are some you believe? What are some you distrust?
V. Would you want to meet a lion?
Susan asked if Aslan was safe. Mr Beaver was surprised by the question. "Safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good," he responded. Peter said he was longing to see Aslan even though he felt frightened about it. If you had a chance to meet someone who wasn't safe, but was good, would you want to? How do you think you would feel?
VI. Where do you find help?
Peter wanted to go to the witch's house to rescue his brother. But Mrs. Beaver told him the only way he could help his brother was to find Aslan. The witch was too powerful for them without outside help. Have you ever gotten to a point where you weren't strong enough to do something you needed to do? Who did you turn to?
Tell them your name and one Christmas you remember.
II. Do you ever stick with something bad?
Edmund knew the witch was bad and cruel. But he didn't admit this to himself. He might have turned around if he hadn't started planning how he'd run the country when he was king. The plans for constructing his empire distracted him. Have you ever kept on doing something that you knew deep down was wrong? What would have helped you break free?
III. Is it ever too late to change?
The witch had told Edmund, "It is a lovely place, my house." Once Edmund saw it, it didn't seem lovely at all. It looked frightening. But Edmund thought it was too late to turn back. Was it too late? Is it ever too late to change bad behavior?
IV. Are you ever afraid of the wrong things?
Inside the courtyard and the house, Edmund found statues. At first he was afraid of them, because he thought they were real. Then he saw a real wolf and wasn't afraid of it, because he thought it was a statue. What are some times you've been afraid that you didn't need to be? What are some times you haven't been afraid that it would have helped to be more cautious?
V. How do you behave under pressure?
Mrs. Beaver knew they only had 15 or 20 minutes to escape. Instead of immediately leaving (like the others wanted to), she started packing. If the witch had been coming for you, what would you have done?
VI. What do you do when you're afraid?
When Mr. Beaver heard sleigh bells, he ran toward the sound. He thought it was the witch - and he wanted to see where she was going. Sometimes when people think they're being followed, they refuse to turn around and look at the danger they imagine. What would you do?
VII. What signs of hope have you noticed?
The witch had held power for generations. But signs of hope were appearing faster and faster. Lucy had found her way into Narnia - the first human ever there. Aslan was said to be back. And now Father Christmas appeared. What signs of hope have you noticed in your own life in the past six months?
VIII. What are some of your gifts?
Father Christmas brought magnificent, practical gifts. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 that everyone receives at least one gift to use for the good of all. What are some of the gifts you have received? (What are you good at?) How do you use your gifts for the common good?
IX. What else caught your attention?
Tell them your name and one memory you have of Spring.
II. What have been some of your defining moments?
Edmund saw the witch turn a group to stone simply because they were having fun. This was a turning point for Edmund. For the first time he felt sorry for someone other than himself. What have been some turning points in your life?
III. Have you ever had to wait for a change to be complete?
Spring was arriving in a hurry. The snow was melting. Flowers were blooming. Birds were singing. But in the meantime, there was cold, wet slush to slog through. Sometimes when a positive change happens, it takes a while for it to fully arrive. What are times in your life that things were getting better but you still had to wade through slush for a while?
IV. Do you have any topics you avoid?
The witch knew - even though she didn't say it - that the thaw meant not only that her power was crumbling, but that Aslan was truly present in Narnia. She told Edmund and the dwarf that if either mentioned Aslan's name, they would be killed. Do you or your family have any topics you refuse to talk about?
V. What do you think the creator of the world is like?
Before the children met Aslan, they might have thought someone could not look both good and terrible at the same time. But seeing Aslan, the creator of Narnia, they changed their minds. What do you think it would be like to meet Earth's creator?
VI. When have you had to take the lead?
No one wanted to be first to greet Aslan. Finally Peter realized he had to act. Have you ever had to act boldly when you wished someone else would lead the way? What happened?
VII. Have you ever run into danger?
Hearing Susan's horn, Peter ran towards the danger, not knowing what it might be. He did not feel brave, and the action happened too fast for him to think. But he responded. What are times you have faced danger? Do you think meeting Aslan influenced how Peter responded? What has influenced your ability to act bravely?
VIII. What else caught your attention?
Tell them your name and one time friends came to your aid.
II. Have you ever believed a false promise?
What does the witch want to do to Edmund? When they first met, what did she say she wanted to do? Do you think she changed her mind or was she lying when they met? What holds out false promises to you or to other people?
III. Can you trust appearances?
The witch and dwarf could hide because the witch could make things appear different than they were. Similarly, in the business world Enron appeared to be a strong company before it collapsed. What are other examples of things that appear different from what they actually are?
IV. Do you let things go? Or keep talking about them?
After Aslan talked to Edmund, he told the others there was no need for them to talk about what was past. Are you inclined to talk about people's pasts, even after they have changed or asked forgiveness? What do you think about Aslan's command to not talk about past mistakes?
V. When you're in trouble, what do you focus on?
Edmund's fate hung in the balance of the conversation between the witch and Aslan. The witch had a right to kill for every treachery. But Edmund no longer focused on himself or what the witch said. He kept his eyes on Aslan. When you are in trouble, what do you focus on? The action you committed? Your punishment? Something else?
VI. Have you wished you could design the world differently?
When Susan suggested Aslan work against the Emperor's Deep Magic, Aslan frowned in a way that nobody ever suggested something like that again. Have you ever suggested that the world should work differently than it does? What do you think Aslan's response would be?
VII. When have you comforted others with your presence?
Aslan let Susan and Lucy join him on his walk to the Stone Table. He desired company, since he knew what he was facing that evening. When have you walked with someone who needed company because of what they faced? When have you needed company yourself?
VIII. What do you think of Aslan's death?
The witch's friends kicked and hit Aslan, spitting on him and jeering him. What do you think of Aslan's sacrifice for Edmund? How does Aslan's death compare with the death of Jesus?
1. Meet the people in your group.
Tell them your name and one time you were surprised at how something turned out.
II. What do you think of what Aslan did for Edmund?
Lucy and Susan were with Aslan when he died. Because they stayed with his body, they were also the first to see him come back to life. What do you think of Aslan's sacrifice for Edmund? Was it worth it?
III. When have you seen people help in "hopeless" situations?
At first Susan was going to frighten the mice away. Then she noticed what they were doing. The mice were taking action on Aslan's behalf, even though it didn't seem like it mattered. When have you helped someone even though it didn't look like it mattered? When have you seen others help in such situations?
IV. How much do you try to keep things safe?
When Aslan restored the statue of the giant to life, Susan wondered if it was safe to do so. Do you hold back, like Susan, trying to keep things safe? Or are you apt to take action and then see how it works out?
V. Do you ever get to the right spot without a good plan?
Everyone who fought the witch got turned into stone. Then Edmund made a strategic move: when he finally made it past the witch's guard, he took out the witch's wand instead of the witch herself. This left him exposed, but gave his side the advantage they needed. When have you seen others take action for the greater good of all?
VI. Do you help people, no matter what the outcome?
Lucy gave Edmund some drops from her cordial - then wanted to wait to see if he would get better. But Aslan wanted her to heal others whether or not her brother recovered. Do you do as much good as you can, even if you don't see results? Or do you want to wait and see results before taking more action?
VII. What do you think about Aslan's disappearance?
Mr. Beaver had warned the children that Aslan would disappear - and that he would often drop in. "Only you mustn't press him. He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion."
IX. What was one of your favorite memories of the whole story?
X. What suggestions do you have for next time?
Actors read two chapters of C.S. Lewis's beloved story of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. Following the half-hour performance, the cast and audience discusses ideas from the story in a small group format.

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