The Horse And His Boy

Lewis uses the practice of titling his chapters in his children’s books. This literary device allows the author to foretell in a few words what the reader can expects in the coming chapter. Lewis, however, in the scant words of each chapter’s title, can euphemistically and casually set the stage for the stressful, often dangerous excitement the characters are going to experience in the upcoming chapter. An early example of this is the title of Chapter 2: “A Wayside Adventure.” In this chapter, two riders on two horses fly for their lives from a pair of seemingly ravenous lions who draw closer to them with every step. After they escape with their lives, the four serendipitously discover that all are bent on heading for freedom in Narnia. Given the tumultuous events of the chapter, the title is comparatively bland and understated. As the book progresses, readers begin to understand that cryptic chapter titles will not begin to capture the surprises, dangers, and excitement the children will face.

Lewis frequently takes the reader into his confidence using casual comments and asides. This is akin to an instructor or teacher reading an engaging text to a group of school children and pausing during the reading to make a personal comment on the