The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

by C.S. Lewis

Grades 5-7; Genre - Fantasy; GRL W; AR pts. 9.0

Lucy, Edmund, and their cousin, Eustace, are magically transported onto the ship, "Dawn Treader", where King Caspian is searching for the seven friends of his father.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Describe Eustace. Doesn't have friends; collects bugs; enjoys reading non-fiction books; doesn't like his cousins the Pevansies; is bossy and a bully p.3
2. Explain the port side and starboard side of a ship. Port means the left side when looking at the front of the ship; starboard is the right-side p.6
3. How do the children travel to Narnia in this book? When looking at a painting of a boat driving forward in the sea, it came alive and swept the three children into the ocean p.10

Chapter 2

1. Where are the voyagers going? To find the lost counselors of the king p.20
2. What helped Eustace feel better? Lucy’s cordial p.24
3. What sparked the conflict between Reepicheep and Eustace? Eustace swung Reepicheep around by his tail p.33

Chapter 3

1. What mishap occurred when the group went to the Lone Islands? They were captured and were going to be sold on the market as slaves p.41
2. Who purchased Caspian? Lord Bern; one of the Lord’s Caspian’s uncle sent to sea p.46
3. Why did Lord Bern believe that Caspian was the real King Caspian? His voice, Caspian remembered Lord Bern’s name, Caspian spoke the same as his father p.47

Chapter 4

1. Why did Pug call Eustace Sulky? Sulky means to be morose, bad-tempered, and resentful, refusing to be cooperative or cheerful. Eustace is all these things p.63
2. Why does Duke Bern want Caspian to stay? He foresees war from Calormen p.65

Chapter 5

1. Define what a poop is in this context. The aftermost and highest deck of a ship, especially in a sailing ship where it typically forms the roof of a cabin in the stern p.68
2. Why was it a bad idea for Eustace to wander away from the group? He got lost p.78
3. Why did Eustace think the ship would leave him? He thought Caspian and Edmund were out to get rid of him p.81
4. Is this true? No p.81

Chapter 6

1. Why is it a bother for Eustace to disappear? Everyone needed to take the time to find him p.89
2. What made Eustace realize Caspian and Edmund weren’t his enemies? Turning into a dragon made him miss them p.92
3. How did everyone realize the dragon wasn’t going to hurt them? He tried to communicate with them p.96

Chapter 7

1. Explain how Eustace became a human again? Aslan came and helped him shed his skin p.107
2. How did Eustace’s character grow when he was a dragon? He learned how to be helpful and to have a better attitude towards those around him p.112

Chapter 8

1. Summarize this chapter. The ship was attacked by a sea serpent then landed on an island; after getting water, a group decided to explore; they came upon a lake that turned things to gold; they started getting greedy, but they saw Aslan who helped them come to their senses; they came back to the ship with the realization it was a Narnian Lord who was lost at the bottom of the golden lake p.116

Chapter 9

1. Why did the invisible people threaten to kill the group who came on land? To get Lucy to read a spell to make them visible again p.141
2. Why did Lucy need to read the spell? Only the magician or a girl could make the spell work p.141

Chapter 10

1. List two spells Lucy came across in the magic book. Beautification; how to hear what your friends say about you; how to make things visible; cures for warts, toothaches, cramps p.151
2. What did Aslan mean when he said he’d been invisible this entire time? He has been there with her, but couldn’t show him to Lucy since she didn’t believe p.159

Chapter 11

1. Did Lucy need to be afraid of the invisible people when they were made visible? No, they looked like dwarves with one foot p.166
2. Did the Dufflepuds learn to appreciate who they were? Yes p.173
3. Name two things the magician did for Caspian and his party? Fed them; gave them a place to rest; fixed the boat; created a map of where they had sailed; gave them treasures when they left p.173

Chapter 12

1. What happened when Lucy prayed to Aslan for help? A beam of light shined on the ship, an albatross appeared and guided them to the sun; Aslan whispered courage to Lucy and breathed a delicious smell into her face p.186
2. Was it purposeful to go into the darkness? Why? Yes; to find Lord Rhoop p.188

Chapter 13

1. Why had the three Lords fallen asleep at the table? They began to fight over what they should do, and someone grabbed the dagger the White Witch used to kill Aslan p.200

Chapter 14

1. How did Caspian persuade the sailors to sail to the end of the World? He made it sound like it was a privilege and that not everyone could go; by possibly taking away the opportunity they wanted it more and more p.215
2. Predict what Caspian wanted to talk about with Ramandu’s daughter. Listen to your child’s answer p.217

Chapter 15

1. Summarize this chapter. The ship sails and Lucy sees sea people; they can drink right from the ocean and can now handle looking at the sun; they don’t need to eat; the ship sailed without wind p228

Chapter 16

1. Why do the shipmates travel without speaking? The closer they get to Aslan’s land its more sacred and reverent p.234
2. Why aren’t Lucy and Edmund coming back to Narnia? They’re getting too old p.247