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Chapter 11
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Horse and His Boy, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Freedom and Justice
Bravery vs. Recklessness
Christianity
Gender Roles
Summary
Analysis
Shasta wonders if his encounter with Aslan was a dream. It’s now early morning, just after sunrise, and Shasta drinks from a little stream. He sees that he has somehow crossed the big mountains between Archenland and Narnia, and wonders if somehow Aslan led him through a pass.
Just then, a Hedgehog greets Shasta. Shasta tells the Hedgehog about Prince Rabadash’s army, but the Hedgehog is just about to go to sleep for the day. But then the Hedgehog tells the news to a Rabbit, and soon more creatures hear the news. The Narnian creatures are slow to recognize the danger because they’ve lived such carefree lives. Finally, a Dwarf named Duffle hears and agrees to send the message.
Shasta finally has his first experience in Narnia. The fact that all the animals can talk reflects how Narnians live harmoniously with nature and listen to it. This contrasts sharply with the Calormenes who have built the big city of Tashbaan (the opposite of natural living) and who live near a desert that reflects their more hostile relationship with nature.
Themes
Duffle invites Shasta into his home for food. He starts describing the landscape of Narnia when all of a sudden Shasta falls asleep. He wakes eventually to the sound of trumpets. It’s an unfamiliar melody to Shasta, and it turns out to belong to Lord Peridan of Narnia. King Edmund, Queen Lucy, and Corin are with him. They have stopped at the Dwarf cottage for something to eat, and Corin is surprised to see his lookalike Shasta again.
Once again, Shasta feels lost, but his wandering happens to lead him to exactly the right place, showing how Aslan (or perhaps God) is watching over him and perhaps even subtly leading him. For example, Shasta’s sudden sleep here ensures that he will stay with Duffle long enough to run into the procession coming from Narnia.
Themes
Shasta tells Edmund everything he knows about Prince Rabadash’s attack plan. Corin is eager to join the battle, but a Dwarf named Thornbut reminds Corin that Edmund has forbidden Corin from seeing battle. Corin threatens to knock Thornbut down, but when Thornbut tries to stop him, Thornbut slips on a stone and sprains his ankle. Corin offers to take Thornbut’s place, but Edmund says Thornbut’s armor should go to Shasta instead so that he can join.
Thornbut is a humorous name that probably comes from the expression “pain in the butt,” which reflects Thornbut’s personality. Corin’s eagerness to join the battle seems to have a partly selfish motivation (he wants to seek glory), reflecting how Corin is less mature than Shasta. Perhaps this is because Corin hasn’t faced challenges like the ones that have helped Shasta to grow.
Themes
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