The Rings and the Worlds

The Magician's Nephew

This flow traces the children’s discovery of the rings’ actual function and the risks of navigating the world-pools.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Andrew’s Incomplete Theory Andrew’s Incomplete Theory from "The Magician's Nephew". Andrew’s Incomplete Theory Rules presented as certainty Andrew tells Digory that yellow rings send travellers outward and green rings bring them home.

Andrew’s Incomplete Theory from "The Magician's Nephew". Andrew’s Incomplete Theory Rules presented as certainty Andrew tells Digory that yellow rings send travellers outward and green rings bring them home.

Andrew’s Incomplete Theory Rules presented as certainty Andrew tells Digory that yellow rings send travellers outward and green rings bring them home. He admits that the return method has not been tested on people. A knowledge gap The instructions are confident but incomplete because Andrew does not understand the Wood between the Worlds. Digory must rely on those rules while already under pressure to rescue Polly.

A Pool That Fails A Pool That Fails from "The Magician's Nephew". A Pool That Fails The wrong ring Digory and Polly jump into their arrival pool wearing yellow rings and find only shallow water.

A Pool That Fails from "The Magician's Nephew". A Pool That Fails The wrong ring Digory and Polly jump into their arrival pool wearing yellow rings and find only shallow water.

A Pool That Fails The wrong ring Digory and Polly jump into their arrival pool wearing yellow rings and find only shallow water. Their first explanation of how travel works proves inadequate. A new test They change to green rings and successfully begin the return journey, stopping before fully arriving. The trial prevents them from being stranded by an untested assumption.

The Home Pool Marked The Home Pool Marked from "The Magician's Nephew". The Home Pool Marked Near loss of the route Digory is ready to try another pool, but Polly asks whether they marked their way home.

The Home Pool Marked from "The Magician's Nephew". The Home Pool Marked Near loss of the route Digory is ready to try another pool, but Polly asks whether they marked their way home.

The Home Pool Marked Near loss of the route Digory is ready to try another pool, but Polly asks whether they marked their way home. The many identical pools make the danger immediately clear. Practical caution Digory cuts a strip of turf beside the home pool. Polly’s attention to a mundane detail prevents their curiosity from becoming an irreversible separation from home.

The Green Rings Open Worlds The Green Rings Open Worlds from "The Magician's Nephew". The Green Rings Open Worlds A mistaken outward journey Their yellow rings fail in a new pool, because the children misunderstand what Andrew’s materials do.

The Green Rings Open Worlds from "The Magician's Nephew". The Green Rings Open Worlds A mistaken outward journey Their yellow rings fail in a new pool, because the children misunderstand what Andrew’s materials do.

The Green Rings Open Worlds A mistaken outward journey Their yellow rings fail in a new pool, because the children misunderstand what Andrew’s materials do. Green rings carry them out of the Wood into a world instead. Knowledge earned by trial The children begin to understand that the rings’ substance draws toward or away from its own place. Their discovery revises Andrew’s theory and expands the map of possible worlds.

The Rings Retired The Rings Retired from "The Magician's Nephew". The Rings Retired A final safeguard After the adventure, the children gather and bury the rings so no one can use them again.

The Rings Retired from "The Magician's Nephew". The Rings Retired A final safeguard After the adventure, the children gather and bury the rings so no one can use them again.

The Rings Retired A final safeguard After the adventure, the children gather and bury the rings so no one can use them again. The decision answers Aslan’s warning about dangerous knowledge. Discovery contained The rings opened extraordinary worlds, but their repeated use also brought Jadis into Narnia. Their burial marks a deliberate end to exploration by a device Andrew made without wisdom.

before Digory enters the other world

during the children’s first attempt to return

immediately after the trial return

during the children’s next pool experiment

the day after the children return to London