Q4a: Competing philosophies

For during the whole time the Old Narnians were waiting for Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, Trufflehunter never doubted that the stories about the past and Aslan was all true, and trusted that help would come from them. The Badger put his faith in the Penvensies and most importantly, Aslan, who he knew was trustworthy. In other words, Aslan is the reason Trufflehunter had faith, and when you put faith in the most trustworthy Person of all, then that is the most reasonable thing you can do.

With Trumpkin, he initially didn’t believe in Aslan and the old stories because he thought they weren’t logical, but he is clearly loyal to Caspian and faithfully serves him, even though he was sure that help wouldn’t come through the Horn. But, personally meeting Aslan turned what he thought before upside-down and what he believes in changes.

Nikabrik outwardly showed his disdain for Caspian from the very beginning, having hated the Telmarines for so long, but it wasn’t quite clear what he thought of Narnia and Aslan until Chapter 12. He didn’t exactly object trying the Horn, but when help didn’t come as quickly as he liked, he was quick to turn to even the White Witch and her followers. That shows he doesn’t trust Aslan (he even says that since help had not come yet, “either Aslan is dead, or he is not on our side”). He put his faith in the wrong place – although he thought he was being reasonable to look for other help, in reality, it wasn’t. Who in their right mind would call upon a Witch who ruled cruelly and put Narnia in winter for a hundred years?