Breaking the Spell: Awakened to Reality
(Reflections on The Silver Chair and the power of the Gospel)
In The Silver Chair, C.S. Lewis paints one of his most vivid pictures of deception and awakening. Deep in the Underworld, Prince Rilian sits bound to a silver chair—enchanted by the Green Witch’s spell. For years he has lived in darkness, enslaved by lies, forgetting his true identity as the son of King Caspian and the rightful heir to Narnia’s throne. The Witch, with her soft voice and soothing lies, has convinced him that her gloomy realm is all that exists. She has erased his memory of the sun, the sky, and Aslan himself.
When Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum finally find Rilian, they hardly recognize him. Each night he is bound to the chair, for during those brief hours the enchantment weakens and he cries out to be set free. But even then, they hesitate, unsure of what is true—until they hear him call on Aslan’s name. Only then do they obey, cutting the cords and releasing him. In that moment, truth breaks in, and Rilian is restored to his right mind.
But the Witch returns, seeking to rebind them all in illusion. She throws green powder into the fire, filling the room with sweet, drowsy smoke. Her voice weaves a soft enchantment: “There is no world up there… no sun, no Aslan… these are but dreams and fancies.” Under her spell, the heroes begin to doubt everything they have ever known. They begin to forget what light even means.
Then comes Puddleglum’s great act of courage. He stamps out the fire with his bare foot, burning himself badly but breaking her spell. The smoky illusion clears, like a mirror shattering into a thousand pieces. The truth floods back in, and they see her for what she really is—a serpent of deception. The prince draws his sword, the Witch is destroyed, and light returns to the darkness.
That scene is a mirror of our own condition before the gospel awakens us. The Witch’s enchantment is the lie of sin—the illusion that this world of shadows is all there is. The silver chair is the bondage of our fallen nature. And Puddleglum’s painful courage mirrors the work of the cross: only through the burning of sacrifice is the spell broken and freedom restored.
Paul writes, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4). But when Christ’s truth comes, the spell is broken and reality rushes in. We remember who we are and whose we are. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Christian conversion is not escaping into fantasy—it is waking up from one! It is the moment when, like Rilian, we discover that the world we thought was real was only a shadow of the Kingdom of Light. The gospel does not merely give us a new set of beliefs; it restores our sight. It teaches us to see the world as it truly is—shot through with the glory of God and ruled by Christ the King!
As Paul says, “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:14). The gospel is the breaking of the spell, the end of the illusion, and the beginning of true sight.
Reflection Questions
- Where in your life are you tempted to believe the “witch’s lie”—that what you can see and feel now is all that’s real?
- What “silver chairs” still hold you—habits, fears, or false beliefs that keep you from living in the light of truth?
- Like Puddleglum, what act of faith or courage might God be calling you to take to break the spell?
- How has the gospel helped you remember who you truly are in Christ?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, break every false mirror that distorts my sight. Shatter every lie that keeps me bound to shadows. Let the light of Your gospel awaken me again to what is true, good, and eternal. Free me from the enchantment of this world’s illusions and help me to live each day as one who has seen the real world by Your light. Amen.