rthstewart | A is to B as B is to C, Morgan, Aslan and Not-Logic

dkasjDHASKJDHASKJDHKSJ OF COURSE SHE ARGUES WITH ASLAN.

OF COURSE.

And this bit: "It's the A not equaling C problem, Aslan. You love them all; I love them. But I'm proof that your proof doesn't work because I don't love you."

She did not want to say it. It came out as almost a sob, a personal failure. But it was the truth and she could not feel what was a lie. Aslan was too strange, too inexplicable. She couldn't reason out how someone who was supposedly so benevolent and powerful, who was so loved by Narnians she respected, could be so arbitrary and so vague. There must be some explanation, but he hadn't given her one that made any sense.

And then the mirroring bit later:

"Aslan gives, even when you've done nothing to deserve it."

"That is the secret of grace. That it is given, joyfully, to all, and most especially to those who have not earned it."

Just - they reach into my heart and tug, because how Morgan feels is how I feel on a regular basis :)

Incredibly well done as always, I particularly love the mental image of Jalur rolling in the grass like a kitten :DDD

Thanks so much for reading! The themes of grace and compassion are so important to the story and to Edmund's journey. It's very strange for Morgan who, though she loves so much and so well, does still make the Banker's assumption that no one, least of all Aslan, will give to her unless she does something to earn it.

Anastigmat gave me the powerful ideas of Aslan forgiving a great done for the sake of love and it was Greaves' writing of the atheist Marcie who meets Aslan and cries over her pain in wanting to and not being able to believe in God. Both really impacted this presentation.

You know I haven't even read Ch. 15 yet, but YAAY, you posted! :) I'm sure it will be wonderful. No worries.

I really liked Morgan's conversation with Aslan. It worked that she didn't instantly fall in love with him but instead had reservations.

Thanks for writing!

Thank you so much! I'm glad it worked for you. Morgan is going to hate Aslan before she loves him.

Once again, thank you!

I loved Aslan's being prepared to wait for Morgan. I love his implied exasperation with Cook. A good balance of serious theology with light-heartedness - I think that's why I like the Chalion books so much, they have the same balance.

With all this talk of Humans not being sung into Narnia by Aslan at the beginning, is this a good place to post my hypothesis that humans are part of the First Song, but as counterpoint rather than melody? The first voice we hear singing in MN is not Aslan's, but Frank's - and he picks a harvest hymn, at that. I think that's significant, and may be the reason Narnia needs human sovereigns.

THAT is brilliant. Brilliant. What a fabulous bit of meta!! I love that so much! There's a story in there, you know, and you should write it. The idea that Frank and so Humans were part of the Song as the counterpoint does imply being a part of the creation yet not actually made by Aslan. This is beautiful explanation.

And yes, the Chalion books have very much affected how I write Aslan and characters' interaction with a god. I recently re-read part of Paladin of Souls and Ista and Cazaril, and their relationships with their gods, significantly influenced what I try to do here.

I tend to lurk around here, but I read this and gasped. Yes. Yes. YES. Of COURSE.

Wow. Brilliant, wonderful thought. THIS MUST SOMEHOW BE A STORY.

Only one problem - I'm not very good at writing. Idea is hereby made available for anyone searching for plot-bunnies.

Ah, well. Thank you for the inspiration. It has been filed in my brain, and may emerge someday.

Oh, this is such a beautiful thought that it made me gasp in delight. Of course! Of course that's how it ties together, and humans as counterpoint to the Narnian melody is such a hauntingly rich idea that I'm going to be smiling over it all day.

It definitely worked for me. I was alternately chortling, thinking 'oh, of course' and feeling in awe. Great job!

Thank you!

Realization I had just now: Aslan doesn't really mind that Morgan doesn't love Him because she does the same things that she would in his name, just out of her own goodness. It's like that old argument for atheism, that any God worth worshipping cares less about whether deeds are done in Their name, but more about the substance of those deeds. Which is exactly what Aslan says in TLB with the bit about good done in Tash's name is actually done in Aslan's name.

Sorry for incoherency, I'm currently on meds for an upper respiratory thing and a little loopy from it...

I hope you are feeling better! and yes, Aslan's OK with Morgan not loving him now. He knows he's going to be giving her a really raw deal and he did try to warn her. It is too late though and deep down she knows it. The language in that part of the chapter comes from TLB in Aslan's words to Emeth the Calormene, "I take to me the services which thou hast done to Tash. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him."

That is, in turn, taken from the Gospel of Matthew 25:40 which is the conclusion of the parable of the sheep and the goats: "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (KJV).

Yes! I thought of Emeth in LB as soon as I read this chapter. Being the sort of person she is, Morgan can't help belonging to Aslan even though she does not acknowledge it and will not for a very long time.

Ilove this chapter--how you mix the difficult questions Morgan has to ask with the humour and love he Narnians feel for each other and Aslan. (Aslan thwacking Edmund and Morgan with his tail, when reprimanding them is just priceless.)

Then all this contrasts with the sombre aspect of dealing with Seth.

Thanks once again for this great continuing story and wonderful characters.

ClaireI

It was lovely :) Thank you.

Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked what I did with Morgan. The comments over here were so useful, and I really owe a lot to Anastigmat and to Greaves who both have written difficult characters and their interaction with Aslan.

She does really push him and Aslan does end up with considerable sympathy for Edmund. She asks the tough questions some of Aslan's behavior does pose and he doesn't answer them and instead very cleverly deflects it all back at her. Nothing sticks to his furn, so to speak. He is REALLY frustrating to someone like Morgan. I really wanted to convey that it's OK to doubt him and to be angry with him and to really not love him, not yet anyway. Morgan will hate Aslan before she will love him.

I have to re-read before I review, since my part of Down Under has been afflicted with a vile upper respiratory infection that's flattened my entire household this week. Despite my head full of fuzz, I really enjoyed the chapter. And this sentence took me off at the knees. -beautiful.

"Morgan of Linch and of Narnia, it will be a very long time before you love me. For that great, beautiful, passionate love of yours, I will wait."

Thanks. I'm sorry you've been so ill! and you've got travel coming up soon too! Get better soon!!!

Despite the blistering temperatures, I've been feeling the slow chill of story fail. There's something wrong and I can't figure out what it is.

I did read it (and thoroughly enjoyed it), but no time for a real review this weekend, possibly not even this week or the entire month of July. WHEN did summertime start equaling insanity?

I do love that Morgan gets so frustrated with what she sees as a false syllogism, and what she is missing is that Aslan loves on a completely different place. It's not incorrect logic - he just exists above logic. Beautiful.

Thanks so much! I didn't know you were still reading! I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful weekend and that it is not too hot!

fanfiction.net has made a new way of logging in. When I click on the login button, it gives me a message that I need to log in BUT GIVES ME NOWHERE TO DO SO!!!
Thank you for your attention.

I think I'll just post all the quotes I copied while reading. No real comments to them, but telling you that these parts struck me as significant and/or beautiful ...

The Lion rumbled. It might have been grumbling. It might have been laughter. "Would I overrule the judgment of the Murder? The perceptions of the Hounds of the Pack? I tell you truly that no Otter has ever climbed a mountain pass with an orange for me."

"You would do well to heed Lucy in these matters. Your happiness is pleasing to me." Aslan nudged his shoulder. "This is not a message your brother understands, Edmund. Remind him of it when the time comes."

"So you have dominion over everything in Narnia?"
"In greater part, yes. Though I shall admit to you that I have felt the limits of my power where the Cair Paravel Cook is concerned."
She snorted in agreement. Cook was very intimidating.

"What you do for mine, you do for me, Morgan."

"And I can't turn from that now," Morgan said. "I'm Linch. Once we give our loyalty, it's given. I'll never abandon Narnia."

Aslan was too strange, too inexplicable. She couldn't reason out how someone who was supposedly so benevolent and powerful, who was so loved by Narnians she respected, could be so arbitrary and so vague.

"Morgan of Linch and of Narnia, it will be a very long time before you love me. For that great, beautiful, passionate love of yours, I will wait."

"I don't dance!" Morgan cried, denying what she had been doing all evening. He pulled her closer anyway.
"I am wounded, my lady, if you will dance with a Skunk and a Stoat and not with me."

"I know," he interrupted. "I did not mean to suggest otherwise. You see so much more than simply moving sums around on a tally card or balance sheet. Narnia is very fortunate to have you, both for your skill and because you value what we do."
Morgan pulled him close, a little roughly, and kissed him hard, with an edge of possession. Edmund found he was brushing tears away from her face. "Thank you. I've wanted to hear you say that for a long time."

Edited 2012-06-29 21:34 (UTC)

Thanks. I have to say I was surprised at how many people didn't like some of this chapter, the Moose Song in particular and thought it was really raunchy and disgusting. I'd thought it was just a humorous thing. So with the thud of story fail echoing loudly, I just took it out completely. I suppose it's good that my internet access is sporadic right now due to the storm that ripped through our area (2 million people without power in record breaking heat).

I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you for telling me. I really, really appreciate it. (And thanks for going back to review and read Rat and Sword!)

I can't believe it. I love the Moose Song and have done ever since you first included it. And it fits well into the drinking/singing/camping out with dwarves and other assorted Narnians scene. Please don't worry if people don't like bits.

ClaireI

Thanks Clairel, but I just deleted it. I'm not sure if my funk is due to the fact that I'm day 4.5 without power and 100 degree weather or the 30% drop in feedback for H&M, and the corresponding increase in negative about it, or what, but I've about reached the end of my wits with writing generally and the Narnia fandom specifically. So the complaints about the Moose Song -- which has been present throughout the stories and which I'd always assumed was silly -- actually really hurt because it demonstrated once again how really out of touch I am.

I had intended this most recent chapter as very spiritual and even overtly religious. But then I go and screw it up by inserting offensive material and perhaps this is why so many disappeared? It's too late now, I can't go back and repost without it. I can't figure what I"m doing wrong and my judgement is obviously deeply suspect.

Anyway, enough with the navel gazing. Time to try to deal with my vagabond existence and dog just ate a bag of dog treats while the kids and I left the hotel room for food.

I really don't think you are out of touch. I thought there was so much joy and love and humour in this chapter. Then you had the guts to tackle the age-old difficult spiritual questions, in the context of a character for whom they were totally appropriate, and you did it beautifully while staying in character for both Aslan and Morgan. I don't see how people can be upset by that. And then to complain about something like the Moose Song....really people this is a story! And an excellent one too, which is a gift from the author.

However, I can really understand your exhaustion and frustration just now. That heat and no power for days on end must be intolerable. I am wishing you a nice cold snap and the return of electricity. I hope you get some rest.

Take care

ClaireI

I don't think you are out of touch. This chapter was full of joy and love and humour. Then you had the guts to tackle the age old difficult spiritual questions, in the context of a character for whom they were totally appropriate, and doing it beautifully while staying in character for both Morgan and Aslan. I can't think how people can dislike that. And then for people to complain about the Moose Song...Your story is a generous gift of time and talent and I am sure many of us thank you for it.

However, I can see how exhausted and frustrated you must be. That heat and no power for days on end must be intolerable. I am wishing you a nice cold snap and the return of electricity ASAP.

Take care

ClaireI

Er, I'm going to second Clairel here, and declare that Narnia fandom's Ridiculous must be contagious because you did a wonderful job with this chapter and the Moose Song was perfect. I can't say anything else that Clairel hasn't said already, only second it very, very strongly. (You're the entire reason I'm even in the Narnia fandom/wrote Narnia fic!)

I had the same problem logging in. It's because the log-in button shouldn't exist. You have to click one of the buttons to the right, specifying which place you're logging in from.

I read Ch 16, and Ch 15, but will review after July 11 - when I have to submit my first part. Until then, though - they are both wonnnnnderful!!

A is to B as B is to C, Morgan, Aslan and Not-Logic

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Wow.

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Moose Song

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Hi