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Chapter 2
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Last Battle, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Belief, Deception, and False Prophets
The Value of Friendship
Redemption and Forgiveness
The End of the World
Summary
Analysis
Tirian asks the talking horse why he was working for the Calormenes. The horse explains that Aslan gave the order, which perplexes Tirian, who feels something must be amiss. Before Tirian can ask the horse more questions, Jewel spots more Calormenes coming their way. Tirian jumps on Jewel’s back and together they flee the Calormenes. Once they are safe, Tirian and Jewel talk about slaying the Calormenes. They feel they were too rash, especially if the Calormenes were working under Aslan’s orders.
Aslan's command for the horse to work with the Calormenes raises questions about who holds authority in Narnia. As the king, Tirian feels that he has always done his best to follow Aslan’s teachings. However, now he thinks that Aslan may have taken a path that Tirian himself would never have taken. While Tirian feels something must be wrong, the more animals he hears say Aslan’s name, the more he begins to question himself.
Themes
Wanting to figure out what is going on, Tirian and Jewel decide to surrender to the Calormenes so that the Calormenes will take them to Aslan. They suspect that something is amiss, but since they have heard from multiple sources that Aslan has returned, they want to see for themselves. The Calormenes arrest Tirian and Jewel and take them to a clearing with a hut, which is surrounded by animals. Inside the hut, Shift is dressed like a human, though his clothes do not fit all. Additionally, he has a paper crown on his head.
Tirian trusts Aslan completely so, if Aslan really is giving orders to the Calormenes, Tirian suspects he will be well taken care of. Meanwhile, Shift’s ill-fitting clothes undermine his authority. Shift is dressed the way he thinks a powerful person (or animal) should look rather than appearing truly powerful. The paper crown on his head symbolizes the frailty of his rule.
Themes
One of the Calormenes presents Jewel and Tirian to Shift, whom he calls the “mouthpiece of Aslan.” Shift takes Tirian’s sword from him and hangs it around his own neck, making him look even more ridiculous. When the other animals see who Shift is talking to, they get a concerned look on their faces. The animals begin asking Shift questions. In particular, they want to know why they never get to see Aslan in person.
Shift takes Tirian’s sword in an attempt to demonstrate that he is now the king of Narnia. However, even though he has fooled some of the other animals, he looks absurd to Jewel and Tirian. The other animals also do not appear to fear Shift, but rather the invocation of Aslan’s name.
Themes
Shift says that as a wise man—for he claims he is a man, rather than ape—he is perfectly capable of relaying Aslan’s messages. Additionally, Shift informs the animals that they must also promise to follow the orders of Tisroc, Calormen’s king. The animals protest, as it sounds like Shift is selling them into slavery. Shift responds that it is not slavery because the animals will be making money. However, he also says that the money they make will go into the national treasury for Aslan to use as he sees fit.
In Narnia, humans are always at the top of the social hierarchy and only men and women become kings and queens of Narnia. Of course, Shift is not really human, but he has to pretend he is to give a greater sense of authority. Although Shift’s lies are easy to see through, including his lie about whether he is selling the animals into slavery, he is successful because he is hiding behind Aslan’s name.
Themes
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The animals are also upset because the Calormenes worship Tash, a different god. They do not understand why Aslan would ally himself with a country with different beliefs and values. Shift claims that Aslan and Tash are the same deity, and the Calormenes just use a different word. Shift’s proclamations upset all of the animals, but they do not question him further. Meanwhile, Tirian does not believe a word Shift says. Quick to anger, Tirian loudly calls Shift a liar. Immediately, Calormenes hit Tirian in the mouth and knock him to the ground. Then, Shift orders the Calormenes to take Tirian away, promising to give his judgement later.
Shift’s claims about Aslan and Tash are just as surprising to the Calormenes as they are to the Narnians. The Calormenes and the Narnians have always been enemies in part because they serve different deities who preach different values. However, here, Shift is telling them that their lifelong beliefs are based on a false premise. In reality, Shift is simply trying to consolidate power, and he thinks the best way to do it is to unite the Calormenes and the Narnians under a single religion.
Themes
