Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Bravery
Christianity
Growing Up and Selflessness
Temptation
Summary
Analysis
The Dawn Treader sails southeast for 12 days. On the 13th day, Edmund sees a dark mountain in the distance. The Dark Island remains dark even as the ship gets closer. Drinian advises against going onto the island and most people agree, but then Reepicheep speaks out to ask why. Reepicheep believes that noble Narnians shouldn’t ever be afraid of going into the dark. Caspian reluctantly agrees with Reepicheep.
Like fog and invisibility earlier, the darkness here once again represents the unknown—and the dangers that the unknown can present. Reepicheep’s belief that Narnians have an obligation to face danger is an important part of his moral code and the book’s morality as a whole. Reepicheep puts forward the idea that being brave is an inherently good thing and an obligation—even when the rewards aren’t immediately clear.
Themes
The Dawn Treader lights lanterns and proceeds into the darkness. Everyone loses track of time. All of a sudden, a cry of terror comes out of the darkness. Caspian senses someone swimming toward the ship and welcomes the stranger on. The stranger is a disheveled old man (Lord Rhoop).
It only takes a short time near Dark Island to prove Reepicheep correct, as his bravery allows the Dawn Treader to rescue an innocent man from the water.
Themes
The old man proclaims that the Dawn Treader must leave at once because it’s approaching an island where dreams seem to come to life and appear to be true. Reepicheep, who isn’t human, is the only one to fully resist the island’s pull, but Caspian also stays strong and orders everyone to row away quickly.
Dark Island shows how false dreams can be a powerful temptation. This passage parallels other famous stories of temptation, such as Odysseus’s crew passing the island of the Sirens, who promised to fulfill the men’s desires. Caspian’s ability to feel temptation but still do the right thing shows how he is a good person even when it isn’t easy.
Themes
The crew of the Dawn Treader rows for a long time, but they seem to be trapped on the island. At last, one of the men spots a speck of light in the distance. It floats around, almost like a kite, and Lucy thinks she hears Aslan’s voice urging everyone to stay courageous. The ship follows the speck until at last, it emerges from the darkness.
Lucy continues to get strength to resist temptation and hold on to hope from Aslan. The speck of light symbolizes how hope can seem small and distant in difficult times but also how it is nevertheless still there.
Themes
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The old man thanks the crew of the Dawn Treader and reveals himself to be Lord Rhoop, one of the seven lords of Narnia. Rhoop asks Caspian to promise never to bring him back to Dark Island, but just as he says this, the darkness disappears. Everyone is happy as a fair wind comes.
Without Reepicheep’s urging to be courageous, Caspian might have missed ever finding one of the seven lords of Narnia he promised to seek out. The sudden disappearance of the darkness represents how, as hopeless as things might sometimes seem, it’s possible for things to change for the better.
Themes
