Lesson Plan: Saints, Satire, and Sorcery

Deconstructing the Medieval Mind with C.S. Lewis and Terry Pratchett

Materials Needed:

• A notebook and pen (or digital equivalent)
• Internet access for research
• Primary Text 1 (Lewis): A copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.
• Primary Text 2 (Pratchett): A copy of Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett.
• Reference Text (Optional but Recommended): C.S. Lewis’s The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature. (Even reading the table of contents and chapter summaries online is hugely beneficial).

I. Learning Objectives (The Quest)

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Analyze: Identify and explain at least two key concepts of the "medieval model" (e.g., The Great Chain of Being, Divine Right) as they are seriously applied in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
2. Compare & Contrast: Analyze how Terry Pratchett satirizes, subverts, or deconstructs those same concepts in Guards! Guards!.
3. Create: Write a short, original piece (a character profile, a scene, or a world-building rule) that creatively uses or subverts a medieval concept in the style of either Lewis or Pratchett.

II. The Hook: What is the "Medieval Mind"? (20 minutes)

The "medieval mind" didn't see the universe as a random collection of atoms, but as a divinely ordered, hierarchical, and deeply symbolic structure. Everything had a place and a purpose. We're going to focus on one cornerstone idea to start.

• Activity: The Great Chain of Being
  1. Together, let's look up a diagram or summary of "The Great Chain of Being." You can do a quick search for "Great Chain of Being explained."
  2. In your notebook, sketch out the basic structure. It generally goes: God -> Angels -> Humans (King, Nobles, Peasants) -> Animals (Lion, Donkey, Oyster) -> Plants -> Minerals.
  3. Discussion Question: What does this model imply about order, power, and purpose? If a king is overthrown or a donkey starts talking, what does that do to the whole system?

III. Part 1: The Application — Lewis's Ordered Narnia (40 minutes)

C.S. Lewis, a medieval scholar, built his worlds on this ordered model. Narnia isn't just a magical land; it's a cosmos with rules. Let's find them.

• Activity: Finding the Chain in Narnia
  1. Skim through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, specifically looking for evidence of hierarchy and divine order.
  2. Guided Questions (answer in your notebook):
     • Where does Aslan fit in the hierarchy? How do other characters treat him? (Hint: He's not a "tame lion.")
     • Consider the humans (Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve). What special role do they have that the Talking Beasts or dwarfs do not? Why are they destined to be kings and queens?
     • How is the difference between Talking Beasts and "dumb" beasts an example of the Great Chain?
     • What happens to Narnia's "order" under the White Witch's rule? Why is it "always winter and never Christmas?" (Think symbolically!)
  3. Synthesis: Write a short paragraph explaining how Lewis uses the Great Chain of Being to give Narnia its structure and meaning.

IV. Part 2: The Subversion — Pratchett's Chaotic Ankh-Morpork (40 minutes)

Terry Pratchett knew the medieval model just as well as Lewis, but he preferred to give it a good, hard prod to see what would fall off. He takes these grand ideas and shows how they work (or hilariously fail) on a human, street-level scale.

• Activity: Breaking the Chain in Ankh-Morpork
  1. Now, let's turn to Guards! Guards!. Ankh-Morpork is also a kingdom, but its "order" is very different.
  2. Guided Questions (answer in your notebook):
     • Who is the rightful king of Ankh-Morpork at the start of the book? Who is actually in charge? Compare Lord Vetinari's rule by pure, cynical pragmatism to the "Divine Right of Kings."
     • In Narnia, the lion is king of beasts. In Ankh-Morpork, a dragon appears. Is it treated as a majestic, rightful ruler or as a chaotic, destructive force that upsets the city's delicate (and corrupt) balance?
     • Think about the City Watch. According to the Great Chain, the guards should be noble enforcers of the king's justice. How does Pratchett portray them instead? What does this say about his view of established order?
     • Captain Vimes is a key figure. Is he a noble hero by birth, or does his worth come from his actions and gritty determination? How does this challenge the idea of a fixed social hierarchy?
  3. Synthesis: Write a short paragraph explaining how Pratchett satirizes the Great Chain of Being and the concept of "rightful rule" in Ankh-Morpork.

V. Part 3: The Creation — Your Turn to be the Author (45 minutes)

This is where you apply what we've discussed. Your task is to take a medieval concept and run with it. Choose one of the following prompts.

First, choose your concept:

• The Great Chain of Being (everything has a fixed place)
• The Four Temperaments (personalities based on bodily humors: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, Phlegmatic)
• Allegory (where characters and events represent abstract ideas, like Faith or Greed)

Next, choose your style and task:

• Task A: The Lewis Style (Earnest & Symbolic)
  • Option 1 (Character): Create a character profile for a creature in a new fantasy world. Explain its place in the Great Chain of that world. What is its divine purpose? What happens if it rebels against it?
  • Option 2 (World Rule): Write a short "creation myth" or a paragraph from a "sacred text" for a fantasy world that explains why the world is the way it is, using your chosen concept.
• Task B: The Pratchett Style (Satirical & Pragmatic)
  • Option 1 (Character): Create a character profile for someone living in a city like Ankh-Morpork. How do they exploit, ignore, or get crushed by the "official" version of your chosen medieval concept? (e.g., A con artist selling fake "humor-balancing" tonics).
  • Option 2 (Dialogue): Write a short scene where two characters (like Vimes and Carrot) argue about your chosen concept. One might believe in it earnestly, while the other points out how it doesn't work in the real, messy world.

VI. Assessment & Reflection (15 minutes)

Let's share what you created! This is not about getting it "perfect," but about the process of thinking like an author.

• Read your creative piece aloud.
• Discussion & Feedback:
  • How did you choose to interpret your chosen medieval concept?
  • Which style (Lewis or Pratchett) felt more natural to write in? Why?
  • What was the most challenging part of this exercise? The most fun?
  • Does understanding this "medieval source code" change how you might read Lewis, Pratchett, or other fantasy authors in the future?

VII. Extension (For Further Questing)

If you enjoyed this, consider exploring:

• How Lewis uses allegory in The Pilgrim's Regress.
• How Pratchett satirizes religion and belief in Small Gods.
• Researching other medieval concepts, like Courtly Love or the Seven Deadly Sins, and finding them in the works of your favorite authors.