Eustace Scrubb facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eustace Scrubb
Narnia character
Eustace Scrubb, as portrayed by Will Poulter in the 2010 film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Information
Race	Human
Family	Harold Scrubb (father) Alberta Scrubb (mother) Peter Pevensie (cousin) Susan Pevensie (cousin) Edmund Pevensie (cousin) Lucy Pevensie (cousin)
Nationality	English

Eustace Clarence Scrubb is a character from C. S. Lewis's famous book series, The Chronicles of Narnia. He appears in three of the books: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle. In his first adventure, he travels with his cousins, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie. Later, he goes on quests with his school friend, Jill Pole.

Who is Eustace Scrubb?

When we first meet Eustace, he is often described as a bit whiny, self-centered, and proud. He thought he was better than others. His cousins, Lucy and Edmund, didn't really enjoy visiting him and his parents because of his difficult attitude.

However, Eustace changes a lot during his adventures in Narnia. He becomes a much better person and even a hero alongside Jill Pole. He learns to be brave and smart when facing challenges in the magical world of Narnia. It's also mentioned that Eustace is afraid of heights. This causes him to react strongly when Jill gets too close to a cliff edge, leading to him accidentally falling.

Eustace's Adventures

Early Life and First Trip

Eustace was born in 1933. He is 11 years old when his first Narnian adventure begins in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. By the time of The Last Battle, he is 16. He also keeps a diary, which gives us a peek into his thoughts.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Eustace Scrubb, as portrayed by David Thwaites in the BBC TV series.

The story of Eustace begins with the line, "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." He is the only child of very "modern" parents. They send him to a special school. Eustace even calls his parents by their first names, Harold and Alberta. His parents are vegetarians and don't smoke or drink.

A big part of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is about Eustace growing up. He is pulled into Narnia and onto the ship Dawn Treader with Lucy and Edmund. His adventures help him see how self-centered he has been. His diary entries show how twisted his view of things is. He writes about constant storms, even when the weather is good. He complains when Lucy gets Caspian's cabin. He even gets into trouble with Reepicheep for treating the brave mouse like a circus animal.

One day, Eustace wanders off alone on an island. He falls asleep on a pile of treasure that belonged to a dead dragon. Because of his "greedy, dragonish thoughts," he wakes up transformed into a dragon himself! He also feels constant pain from a bracelet he put on, which is now too small for his dragon leg. When he returns to the Dawn Treader, the crew almost attacks him. But Lucy asks if he is Eustace, and he nods his huge dragon head.

Being a dragon changes Eustace. He stops being sulky and starts helping the travelers. He finds food and shelter, and even helps them find a tree for a new ship mast. The problem is, a ship can't carry a dragon! Reepicheep, despite Eustace's earlier meanness, feels sorry for him, and they become friends.

Eventually, Eustace meets Aslan, the great lion. Aslan changes him back into a human by peeling off his dragon skin and giving him a refreshing bath. After this, Eustace becomes a much better and more helpful member of the group. When the ship is in danger from a giant sea-serpent, Eustace bravely attacks the monster with only a sword. When he returns home, his mother thinks he has become boring. But everyone else sees that he has become a much nicer person.

The Silver Chair

Eustace goes back to his school, but he's different now. The changes from Narnia mean he no longer fits in with the bullies. Instead, he becomes one of their targets. But he is brave and stands up to them. He becomes friends with another student who doesn't fit in, Jill Pole. Their wish to leave the school pulls them back into Narnia. This friendship is surprising because Eustace used to bully Jill. Their bond grows stronger throughout their adventure. They even call each other "Scrubb" and "Pole," as was the custom at their school.

Eustace and Jill travel to the far north of Narnia and into the world below it. Their mission is to find the lost heir to the throne and stop the evil Lady of the Green Kirtle. Eustace still has some faults, like being stubborn, but he is no longer mean. He and Jill start to care for each other. He strongly rejects the Lady's false ideas, choosing instead the Narnian life he has learned to love. He helps Prince Rilian escape the underworld and return to Narnia. They arrive just in time to see Rilian's very old father, King Caspian, before he dies. Fifty years had passed in Narnia since Eustace's first visit.

Eustace and Jill then go to Aslan's Country. There, Caspian is brought back to life and becomes young and strong again, just as Eustace remembered him. At the end of the story, Caspian briefly visits Eustace's world. This is something Caspian had wanted since he met Eustace's cousins many years ago. Caspian helps Eustace and Jill scare away the school bullies. This event leads to the school becoming a much better place for learning.

The Last Battle

Eustace and Jill are sent to Narnia one last time, just before it is destroyed. They help the young King Tirian gather supporters for a final battle to save Narnia. The friends show great courage and wisdom. However, the Narnian forces are eventually defeated.

Meanwhile, a train accident in England causes the deaths of Eustace, Jill, Lucy, Edmund, and Peter, along with Polly and Digory. They all find themselves in Aslan's country, dressed like royalty. They watch as Aslan brings the world of Narnia to an end. After this, they meet many characters they knew from the old Narnia. They climb "further up and further in" to live happily forever in the Real Narnia.

Portrayals of Eustace

In the BBC television series, Eustace was played by David Thwaites. In the 2014 BBC audiobook versions, Marco Williamson voiced him. Will Poulter played Eustace in the 2010 film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

In the film, when Eustace turns into a dragon, he proves who he is to Edmund by flying him to a spot where he has used his fire breath to carve "I am Eustace" into the ground. Also, the painful bracelet he wore as a boy is quickly removed with Lucy's help. As a dragon, Eustace helps the Dawn Treader on its journey. He tows the ship when it's stuck and helps fight a sea serpent. Aslan then restores Eustace to human form by scratching off his dragon skin. Eustace's final act of bravery in the film is racing to place the seventh magic sword on Aslan's Table. This unleashes the swords' power to defeat the evil of Dark Island and save his friends.

The band The Oh Hellos wrote a song called "The Lament of Eustace Scrubb" on their 2012 album Through the Deep, Dark Valley.

See also

In Spanish: Eustace Clarence Scrubb para niños