The strength of a marshwiggle

We talked about Puddleglum and his worst-case-scenarioism today in Clinical Social Work, where we’ve been studying cognitive behavioral therapy.

Our professor had asked us whether such behavior could serve a beneficial purpose, and several classmates pointed out that being aware of the potential disaster can provide incentive to avoid it. I saw another potential benefit, and cited Puddleglum as an example of how gravitating toward the worst-case scenario can be an adaptive trait or strength that aids resilience.

Eustace and Jill initially find his low expectations annoying, and C.S. Lewis uses it to comic effect, when Puddleglum assumes that they’ve slept poorly and that breakfast is awful, but as “The Silver Chair” progresses, it becomes apparent that his ability to see the worst in every situation, and yet still persist, is actually Puddleglum’s chief strength.

Faced with being cooked by the giants, it is Puddleglum who determines the way out of their situation and leads the other two. Trapped in the Underworld with the Emerald Queen, it is Puddleglum who pushes Jill and Eustace to heed Aslan’s final sign when it comes their way; and it is Puddleglum who overthrows the witch’s enchantment and saves them all.

Whenever things go truly south, Puddleglum is the one who keeps his head (if not his foot) and recovers first, because he’s already rehearsed the worst case and is ready for it.

Marshwiggles are everywhere. We’ll all end up knifing each other, I shouldn’t wonder.