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Streetcar Line
Reepicheep What You Row
The tale of a tail, tailored to the times.
It might be the best movie line of the year:
“Unhand the tail!”
So said the two-foot mouse, Reepicheep, rapier drawn in menacing fashion, to the prig Eustace Scrubb near the beginning of the latest Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The tail, believes Reepicheep, is “the glory of a mouse,” and his own tail is especially prized because it was given him directly by Aslan himself, the great Lion-Christ. Reepicheep had lost the tail (and almost his life) in battle in Prince Caspian (the second book/movie); and Aslan had been loath to feed the mouse’s overabundant conceit of personal “dignity” by replacing the tail — until all of Reepicheep’s fellow mice had made moves to cut off their own tails in solidarity with their mousely leader. Aslan had relented and, with one breath, restored the appendage in honor of the love the other mice showed for Reepicheep.
When Eustace grabbed the tail, therefore, he was asking for a serious comeuppance — and the mouse proceeded to give the boy a good and embarrassing thrashing.
By the end of that amusing thrashing, long before Reepicheep demonstrated to Eustace that great kindness can accompany great valor, my five nieces and nephews watching the movie already were rapt fans of this Talking Mouse, this great little hero who surely is one of the most memorable and admirable fictional characters of the 20th Century. A scene in the book but not the movie well captures Reepicheep’s chivalry. An excellent chess player, Reepicheep nonetheless is prone to needlessly losing some games because he too readily sacrifices other pieces to protect the honor of their queen — for that is how he would act, always, if he were in those pieces’ places. A knight does not ask the queen to fight his battles.
When the Dawn Treader is attacked by a sea serpent — in book and movie both — it is Reepicheep who is first to counter-attack. When Eustace is turned into a dragon and feels miserably alone, it is Reepicheep who is the only one willing to brave the dragon’s randomly dangerous fiery breaths in order to keep him company through long and otherwise lonely nights. Reepicheep swims with the mermaids and mer-men the voyagers encounter; he rides the bow of the Dawn Treader like a sentry; and he always is at hand to help the child Lucy Pevensie, discoverer and once-and-future queen of Narnia, in whatever hour of need might arise.
Mostly, though, Reepicheep feels a destiny, a destiny to find Aslan’s country beyond the sea, whatever the risk and whatever the cost. The movie made mincemeat of the verse, but the book explains that a dryad nursing him in his crib had recited to him the following prophecy:
Where sky and water meet
Where the waves grow sweet
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek:
There is the utter East.
Narnia, unlike our Earth, really is a flat world; at story’s end, one of the great lasting scenes of literature is of Reepicheep on a little coracle, having found that the sea’s taste had turned sweet as the sky came down to meet it, paddling for all he is worth through the torrent and over the great falls at the world’s eastern edge. Surely Aslan’s country waited, just beyond.
Frankly — as a ten-time reader, while growing up, of each of Narnia’s seven books — I never quite found C.S. Lewis’s great, Christian-allegorical land quite so alluring or exciting again, after that matchless scene… until Reepicheep reappeared at the end of the final story, The Last Battle, to greet, St. Peter-like, all those who arrive at the gates of the Emperor’s Garden in the heavenly country that lasts forever. With the laying down of his rapier and a deep bow, proud tail flourishing behind him for balance and visual effect, the valiant mouse welcomes all whose own good hearts have followed Aslan to journey’s end.
As an old year closes and a new one beckons, here’s the question before us all, a question that challenges us each annum. Do we boldly paddle ahead, no matter how small and unstable our vessel seems, into whatever awaits beyond the year’s final edge? Or do we desperately hold on or, worse, cower before the unknown? Do we rest on laurels or, instead, try to accomplish more, do more good, and brave (as a verb) new worlds?
For our part, conservatives made significant strides this year, but the civic waves are not yet sweet enough for the lasting health of this, our nation. Like Reepicheep, we conservatives have been conditioned, in this case by Ronald Reagan rather than a dryad, to believe we have a rendezvous with destiny. Nor should we forget that we serve not just a nation, but the One who created all nations and endowed us with the liberty to choose. We are at this year’s tail end. Unhand the tail, and reach for the next great task before us.
About the Author
Quin Hillyer is a senior editor of The American Spectator and a senior fellow at the Center for Individual Freedom. Follow him on Twitter @QuinHillyer.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (34) | Leave a comment
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Appleby| 12.30.10 @ 6:33AM
I am sure that knights were never as an aggregate nearly as chivalrous as books make them out to be; however, even in a mouse it is good to see the highest standards modeled. One does meet men and boys who figuratively spread their cloaks before one, or go out of their way to assist one because one is a lady (and being ladylike is also a virtue that is rapidly going out of view), and I take great care to compliment and thank such men and the rare boys who have the same chivalrous countenance. (My brother, just turned 65, has a hard time accepting assistance from respectful young women, who are far more numerous than their male counterparts).
I do not long for the days when women were clapped under hatches while men had all the fun (Lord Peter Wimsey remarks once that 9/10 of chivalry is a desire to have all the fun); however, I would urge my sons and all young men to imitate Reepicheep and his virtues -- especially that virtue that causes him to ignore his small size and lead the charge.
P.S. I was overjoyed to see that Wisconsin has passed a law levying a $500 fine for public display of loud and persistent foul language. I really hope that catches on.
Bill| 12.30.10 @ 7:50AM
Down through the corridors of time it has always been a struggle between good and evil and God will always have his remnant to be a witness to His Kingdom and to fight the good fight. Evil may have its day but God's will has always and will always win the day. Never give up the fight we are called to fight no matter the consequences. Like Abraham we look forward to a home with foundations and yet for those who follow us in this worldly kingdom we have the responsibility to stand firm and shine the light of goodness into the world.
Mimi| 12.30.10 @ 8:22AM
We patriots have fought the good fight and taken the first HILL. Our energy needs some restoring....Thanks Quinn for the " PEP" talk.
Yes, we will begin again....We have a new year of work to do....always, new choices and over-welming challanges...With GOD'S help we will carry on...We are all called to do our "bit" with our own gifts... May we all carry on with COURAGE and DUTY....The nation CALLS!!!
Ryan| 12.30.10 @ 8:26AM
I think that there is a part - or should be - of every man that seeks to emulate Reepicheep's courage and honor. There's something there that we all want to be...
And if you don't, there's something wrong.
fekr7| 12.30.10 @ 9:29AM
http://www.aotar.com/
Oldefarte| 12.30.10 @ 10:18AM
As I [and many others] have said previously, 11/2/10 was the BEGINNING, and certainly not the END. Conservatives have now been joined by independents, moderates and other semi-sane, rational taxpayer-voters. This liberalism wave that was exposed by the November 2008 election of El Chosen One, has been creeping progressively into our existence for most of my substantial lifetime. His election was only the coming out of extreme liberalism into the sunlight for all to see. Now it demonstrates that which even a blind man could see, and the only question is will the conservatives, moderates, etc act in their own best self interests and eliminate this radicalism of liberalism. Being always optimistic, I shall believe that they will do same!!!!!!
Al Adab| 12.30.10 @ 10:35AM
Conservatives know, The Left denies and Libertarians ignore that there is in fact Truth and absolutes which remain bigger than we. For 2500 years The West pursued that Truth and while, for many, it is found, for others the quest continues. It is that quest, and that Truth which forms the basis for human advancement and knowledge through the centuries.
Should we, as our Leftward leaning friends hope, turn aside and seek only a materialism of worldly security (government granted) we err for Western Civilization alone carries forward that quest. Government, rightly understood and established, is obligated to allow for the quest, to acknowledge and respect that Truth, not to use it's power to retard it.
Keith Morgan| 12.30.10 @ 10:51AM
As my wife wisely reminded me this morning Reepicheep's great action in the book, but not the movie, occurs when the sea serpent has the Dawn Treader in it's vise-like grip. The valiant mouse, seeing that swords will not prevail, exhorts the crew to put down their weapons and push the serpent from the ship, changing in an instant, as my wife notes, from Achilles to Odysseus. Perhaps there is also a contemporary political lesson for us there as well.
Steve A| 12.30.10 @ 11:22AM
Sorry guys. I just can't bring myself to read a story about a corageous cartoon rat & contrast that vs. critical politics.
Louis Jenkins| 12.30.10 @ 11:37AM
Steve A, the story was a bit stretch of the imagination. Just can't get into C.S. Lewis.
Renaissance Nerd | 12.30.10 @ 5:04PM
"And while the abilities of the nine-hundredth abridger of the History of England, or of the man who collects and publishes in a volume some dozen lines of Milton, Pope, and Prior, with a paper from the Spectator, and a chapter from Sterne, are eulogized by a thousand pens--there seems almost a general wish of decrying the capacity and undervaluing the labour of the novelist, and of slighting the performances which have only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them."
That's what happened with early fiction, and SciFi and Fantasy still labors under the same prejudice. Have a little mental flexibility dude.
Renaissance Nerd | 12.30.10 @ 5:07PM
By the way that's Jane Austen in 'Northanger Abbey.' Not sure where the first bit vanished to.
Who Knows?| 12.30.10 @ 12:14PM
And, the Roadrunner says, "Beep beep!", as it speeds by.
His story = history is written by the victors.
BHO says, "We won".
Ergo----sleep, sleep, American people, while you are allowed to keep enough for your minimal upkeep.
But, don't get in the way of the Grim Reaper, known as the Democratic Party.
Big Leo| 12.30.10 @ 1:38PM
"the Grim Reaper, known as the Democratic Party." We already knew that. We've been referring to the Dems as the party of death for years. Thanks for conforming it.
Bill| 1.3.11 @ 9:23AM
If history is written by the victors, what happened to the Vietnam War?
Dave F| 1.3.11 @ 12:15PM
The communists (in Vietnam and in the US) won.
Bill| 1.3.11 @ 5:04PM
And who wrote the histories of the Vietnam War that we read?
I once asked about Vo Nguyan Giap's history, which had just come out at the time. No one even knew who General Giap was.
Harry| 12.30.10 @ 12:22PM
Reading this made me realise once again - Ronald Reagan is a figure from Epic myth. In The Lord of the Rings he would have been right at home, perhaps as Theoden,. or even Aragorn.
Oldefarte| 12.30.10 @ 4:06PM
'.... Reading this made me realise once again - Ronald Reagan is a figure from Epic myth....'; yeah right, he was a EPICK MISTIS alright!!!!!!!
Perusha| 12.30.10 @ 2:23PM
The point of view of a fictional animal character to try to understand reality is entertaining.
Read the following, and see what you think--
“The human individual in the midst of perceived reality is like a camera in a room — perceiving everything from a fixed "point of view".
Any one and every one in a room separately perceives the whatever they think and feel they see — but what does the room (itself) really look like? What is the appearance of the room itself — as a totality, as a whole, and As it Is?
The room (itself) is an always unobserved (and Perfectly Unobservable) totality — a seamless, simultaneous, and non-separate whole, indivisibly conjoined (in Prior Unity) with the all-and-All of time, and space, and light, and all the All of Prior's Depth, and all the All of All Reality Itself.
The room (itself), like even the universe as a whole, exists only As it Is, inherently prior to every "point of view" (or ego-"I"), and always (irreducibly) as it would appear when viewed from every possible "point of view" in space-time — not merely as it would appear from any one and particular "point of view" (or separate ego-"I"), or from even any finite collection of the seeming selves of "points of view".
No particular "point of view" can reveal the "room" itself, or the universe itself, or Reality Itself — because every "point of view" is inherently limited and intrinsically "self"-referring.
Reality Itself always already exists. Reality Itself Is the One, and Only, and All, and What That Exists — always prior to "point of view", and always before any individual "point of view" constructs its version of separately "self"-presumed "reality".
"Point of view" is the essence of ego-life: The apparently individual being presumes that he or she is a particularized "point", or a psycho-physically self-organized "point of view", in space-time. And that "point" is "made" by contracting from the always prior and indivisible (and inherently egoless) condition of totality — and, indeed, by contracting from even every mode, form, or state of conditional existence that is not "local" (or even identical) to the "point of view" (or ego-"I") of "self"-reference.
Nevertheless, the "room" itself (As Is) exists always already non-"locally" (or comprehensively, inclusive of innumerable potential "locations" of "point of view") — and, as that totality, the "room" itself exists inherently prior to all possible "points of view", and such that the "room" itself is (inherently, and paradoxically) un-"locatable" and unobservable.”
That’s from “The Unobservable Totality of Light”.
by Adi Da Samraj
Appleby| 12.30.10 @ 3:49PM
When I was in high school I used to think that kind of thing was profound. It was much like musing about whether a tree that falls in the forest makes a sound if nobody is there to hear it, or what time it is on the Moon.
Now that I am an adult, I spend much more time wondering why every single sports figure who comes to play in Toronto, no matter how good he was where he came from or how good he is when he departs, is a total loser while he is here.
Occam's Tool| 12.31.10 @ 12:58AM
Dear Appleby---Toronto's metro area is comparable to Chicago in size. Perhaps there is a tunnel of suck?
Perusha| 12.31.10 @ 1:18PM
Appleby---
Wow!
You traded the childlike wonder of considerations of profound aspects of reality for the enjoyment you could garner from sports played by OTHER humans? In Toronto?
That’s sadly PROFOUND.
The ego always finds some ways to survive, and burying what you now consider to be youthful indiscretions is always expressed by joining one or many more cults.
No doubt, these unevolved days, a large percentage of male adults try to remain in their physical stage of growth, even as the body withers, by attending to the current crop of top athletes, as they get to actually continue a boys game as chronological adults.
And, further proof of the slouching to Gomorrah is how sports coverage has ITSELF become mostly all about the criminal behavior of so many childish players, a la Michael Vick, Ben Rothsleburger (sp?), and going back to at least Pete Rose.
How profound!
Occam's Tool| 1.1.11 @ 1:44AM
Dear Appleby,
the most profound observation made by Freud in his writings was the concept of Transferrence; the idea that your reactions to a person were, to some degree, a reflection of how that individual had reminded you of others in your past.
Other than that and the concept of "splitting," not much of the psychoanalytic literature that I read in my training has been of much use in my practice. In short, if you can't use a theory to predict future events with it, and if it's not tied down to reality in some way, it's not much use.
I like what Perusha has to write, but a lot of it feels like the musings of a refugee from the Bodhi Tree (THE New Age bookstore in SoCal).
I'd like to know why Chicago Sports teams follow a biphase pattern---they either stink to high heaven (usually) or devastatingly crush people (rarely but memorably---Jordan's Bulls, the '85 Bears.). What our dear Perusha does not realize is it is these moments of wonder, coupled with popcorn, chocolate malts, and hot dogs, along with a beverage of choice, that make up the Best Moments of Life that one can share in a public forum.
Happy New Year.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.30.10 @ 5:17PM
Quin,
Whew, that was quite a stretch, bud. I know, I know. I have days when I wander into sillyness too.
handbags | 12.30.10 @ 9:49PM
good post!
nannaw | 1.1.11 @ 1:52AM
Quite a tale. Thanks for making me laugh at the end of grey year.
annie| 1.2.11 @ 6:19PM
Naria is a wonderful movie and every magical , but if you want narnia to be the number one movie in america you guys need to try harder to entertain the people to watch narnia more often.
Bill| 1.3.11 @ 9:24AM
You can say that again!
Nick Milos | 1.2.11 @ 11:36PM
I was inspired to write a song several years ago after reading “Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”
I pitched the song, "Eastward," to Twentieth Century Fox hoping they would pick it up for use in the movie... but alas it was not meant to be.
You can have a listen here: http://www.nickmilos.com/music.htm
Hope you enjoy, and please feel free to pass on to others.
Happy New Year!