The curse cast in 2022 has left a trail of destruction and despair. It is a mysterious phenomenon that has befuddled scientists and the general public alike. This curse seems to have affected every aspect of life, wreaking havoc on economies, relationships, and mental health. One of the most evident effects of this curse is the economic downturn it has caused. Businesses are shutting down left and right, and unemployment rates are at an all-time high. People are struggling to make ends meet, and the financial strain is taking a toll on individuals and families alike.
Image ⓒ Pauline Baynes
And of course Narnia is a country at war, with a lupine secret police force, and a resistance movement making moonlit flits across the snowy landscape. Father Christmas is the one to bring Christmas to the creatures of Narnia, something he had been unable to do for a long time because of the Witch s powers.
People are struggling to make ends meet, and the financial strain is taking a toll on individuals and families alike. Relationships have also been greatly affected by this curse. Divorce rates have skyrocketed, and families are torn apart.
Season's Readings: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
"Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!" The White Witch who has plunged Narnia into an everlasting freeze is the antithesis to Father Christmas; like him, she travels by sleigh and reindeer, dispensing delightful sweetmeats, but the jingling of her bells is a herald of mortal danger rather than celebration. When, later in the book, her powers on the wane, she comes across a group of satyrs and small animals enjoying their Christmas dinner, she rounds on them: "What is the meaning of all this gluttony, this waste, this self-indulgence?"
When CS Lewis was writing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in 1949, the times were hardly self-indulgent. Though it is only mentioned once, the novel is set during the second world war, the children evacuated from London air raids to the rambling country house in which they find the wardrobe that acts as a portal to Narnia; and it's not hard to see in the longing for comfort and warmth in unending depths of winter a reference to the privations of war and rationing. The book is full of snug boltholes, from Mr Tumnus's cave to the Beavers' hut, and laden with glorious midwinter feasts: the "wonderful tea" Lucy enjoys with her faun ("a nice brown egg, lightly boiled. and then sardines on toast, and then buttered toast, and then toast with honey, and then a sugar-topped cake"), the fresh-caught trout the children eat with the Beavers (accompanied by "a great big lump of deep yellow butter . from which everyone took as much as he wanted to go with his potatoes").
And of course Narnia is a country at war, with a lupine secret police force, and a resistance movement making moonlit flits across the snowy landscape. There's a poignant moment when Mrs Beaver is loth to leave her precious sewing machine behind to be smashed up or impounded: "I can't abide the thought of that Witch fiddling with it, and breaking it or stealing it, as likely as not." Informer Edmund has his own snowy trek, to the Witch's icy palace, during which he gets thoroughly wet and miserable; the wintry landscape is sublime, but also properly hard-going.
While the blanket of snow helps to delineate Narnia's magic at the beginning of the book, with the onset of the thaw heralding Aslan's arrival, an even better literary spell is cast as Narnia is revealed in all its vernal glory ("you will hardly be able to imagine what a relief those green patches were after the endless white"). Lewis's genius is to telescope the symbolic rebirth of Christmas and the real rebirth of spring into a few dozen pages: the jingling of sleighbells, along with the "chattering, murmuring, bubbling, splashing, roaring" sound of running water, breaking in on the muffled stillness of snow.
Lewis takes Father Christmas as seriously as young children do. When she meets him, Lucy "felt running through her that deep shiver of gladness which you only get if you are being solemn and still". Huge, "in a bright red robe with a hood that had fur inside it and a great white beard that fell like a foamy waterfall over his chest", he is a red man rather than a green man, but similarly a pagan life force to set against the Witch's deathly spell. He shares Aslan's quality of inspiring joy and fear.
When I first read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe alone I was still young enough to be genuinely scared by Pauline Baynes's cramped, cross-hatched illustrations, especially the picture of Edmund on forced march, bound in ropes, and the Hieronymous Bosch-like depictions of the Witch's monstrous cohort crowding in at Aslan's sacrifice: they have the corrupting quality of revealing more horrors the longer you look at them. There are some bloody passages in the book – battles in which "everything was blood and heat and hair" – as well as chilling restraint: "Horrible things were happening wherever she looked." Perhaps the most frightening moment comes when Edmund, at first unnervingly referred to by the Witch as "the human creature", eventually becomes an "it" to her.
But reading the novel as an adult I've been heartened by how fresh and nuanced Aslan is – not the portentous Jesus-in-a-mane I'd grumpily cast him as after discovering the Narnia books' Christian subtext. Narnia remains a pagan, pantheistic realm of centaurs and giants, unicorns and satyrs, talking animals and living trees, Bacchus and Father Christmas. Its most pure expression is the overflowing of pan-species joy as the statues enchanted in the Witch's palace come back to life: "the light and the sweet spring air flooding into all the dark and evil places which needed them so badly".
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The curse seems to have amplified existing issues and conflicts, leading to irreparable damages. Moreover, loneliness and isolation have become more prevalent as people struggle to maintain connections in this chaotic world. Another side effect of this curse is the toll it has taken on mental health. Anxiety and depression rates are soaring as people grapple with the uncertainty and instability of their lives. The constant state of fear and distress is becoming overwhelming, and individuals are finding it increasingly difficult to cope. The curse has also had global implications. Political instability and conflicts have escalated, creating an atmosphere of tension and discord. Trust in government institutions and leaders is dwindling, leading to further chaos and uncertainty. The origins of this curse remain unknown, and scientists are working tirelessly to understand and find a solution. However, as the curse continues to wreak havoc, hope seems to be fading. People are living in a constant state of fear and uncertainty, unsure of what the future holds. In conclusion, the curse cast in 2022 has brought devastation and despair in its wake. It has affected every aspect of life, from the economy to relationships and mental health. The lasting impact of this curse is yet to be determined, but one thing is certain – it is an unprecedented crisis that requires immediate attention and action..
Reviews for "Breaking the Curse: Breaking the Pattern in 2022"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really excited to watch "The Curse Cast 2022" after hearing all the hype, but I was extremely disappointed. The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were flat and one-dimensional. Additionally, the special effects were lackluster, and it felt like they were trying too hard to be scary. Overall, I found the movie to be tedious and unimpressive.
2. Sarah - 1 star - "The Curse Cast 2022" was a complete waste of time for me. The acting was terrible, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The pacing was incredibly slow, and nothing seemed to happen until the very end. The jump scares were predictable and didn't add any real scares or thrills. I was expecting so much more from this movie, but it fell flat in every aspect.
3. Michael - 2.5 stars - I had high hopes for "The Curse Cast 2022," but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The concept had potential, but the execution was lacking. The plot was convoluted, and the twists felt forced and didn't make much sense. The film also had pacing issues, with some scenes dragging on for far too long. It felt like the filmmakers were trying to juggle too many ideas at once and didn't focus enough on developing a cohesive story. Overall, I found it to be a disappointing and forgettable horror film.