What are the Christian themes in The Horse and His Boy?

Answer

The fifth installment of the “Chronicles of Narnia” series by C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy, narrates the tale of a young man named Shasta and a talking horse named Bree as they flee from a life of enslavement in the land of Calormen. Accompanying them in their escape is Aravis, a member of the Calormene aristocracy who runs away from an arranged marriage. Narnia’s Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy play a role in the events, but they are minor characters as the entire story is recounted from the perspective of the fleeing Calormenes.

The main characters of The Horse and His Boy, Shasta and Aravis, face numerous challenges on their journey to freedom: traversing deserts, engaging in battles, and narrowly evading a pursuing lion are just a few of them. When Aravis accidentally uncovers a Calormene scheme to invade the peaceful land of Archenland, it becomes a race against time to alert the king of Archenland about the imminent attack. Ultimately, a prophecy comes to pass, Shasta learns his true identity, and Bree finds a new home among the other talking animals of Narnia.

The central theme of The Horse and His Boy revolves around the dangers of pride and the virtues of humility. Various characters display different levels of pride, leading to various complications, but by the conclusion of the story, the proud are humbled while the humble are exalted, in line with James 4:6. The Lord Jesus (embodied by Aslan) is depicted as the Almighty Ruler who orchestrates the destinies of nations and individuals with equal precision. Other themes evident in The Horse and His Boy include the rejection of “luck,” the embodiment of Christ, God’s universal love, and prevenient grace.