One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire…
““One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. "One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker argues that imagined ideals can be more meaningful than a harsh reality, choosing to live by hopeful visions even if they lack tangible proof.
In simple terms: Imagined ideals can outweigh bleak reality.
Embrace hopeful narratives despite doubt.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal philosophy
- literary analysis
- spiritual reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you choose: a comforting illusion or a harsh truth?
- How do imagined worlds shape your real decisions?
Some may view escapism as denial; others see it as essential.