Background
Marjorie Preston is a schoolmate and former close friend of Lucy Pevensie, mentioned in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Though she never appears directly on-page, she plays an important role in one of Lucy’s emotional trials during the story. Through the magical spell Lucy uses to overhear a conversation, Marjorie is revealed to be influenced by peer pressure, caught between her loyalty to Lucy and the scorn of another girl, Anne Featherstone.
Marjorie’s brief appearance highlights important themes of friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the difficulty of standing firm under pressure.
Personality
From what we can infer based on the overheard conversation, Marjorie Preston is:
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Initially Loyal – She had a genuine friendship with Lucy before Anne’s jealousy came between them.
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Easily Swayed – Under Anne’s scolding, Marjorie seems to drift away from Lucy, suggesting a tendency toward people-pleasing or fear of social exclusion.
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Weak in Conviction – Rather than standing up for her friend, she allows Anne’s words to influence her.
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Not Malicious – Importantly, Marjorie is not portrayed as cruel—her betrayal is more out of weakness than ill intent.
Marjorie’s actions represent a very human failing: giving in to peer pressure even when it hurts someone else.
Role in the Story
The Overheard Conversation
While in the Magician’s House on the Duffer’s island, Lucy finds the Book of Incantations and is tempted by a spell that allows her to hear what her friends are saying about her.
Giving in to temptation, Lucy uses the spell and overhears Anne Featherstone berating Marjorie Preston for being too friendly with Lucy. Rather than defending Lucy, Marjorie half-heartedly agrees with Anne, effectively turning away from her friendship with Lucy.
This deeply wounds Lucy, making her feel betrayed and isolated, and teaching her an important lesson about trust, gossip, and forgiveness.
Notable Quotes
Marjorie’s exact words are not quoted directly, but the narration makes it clear that she fails to defend Lucy during the conversation with Anne.
Lewis describes the emotional impact on Lucy rather than providing a word-for-word transcript, emphasizing the feeling of betrayal over the exact content.
Analysis & Symbolism
The Pain of Social Rejection
Marjorie’s betrayal reflects the pain of losing friends to social pressure—something many readers, especially younger ones, can relate to. It’s a very ordinary, real-world sorrow placed alongside the magical adventures of Narnia.
Weakness vs. Malice
Unlike Anne Featherstone, who is openly critical and jealous, Marjorie’s failure is one of weakness, not cruelty. This distinction teaches an important lesson: sometimes hurt is caused not by hatred, but by fear, insecurity, or a desire to fit in.
Lucy must learn to forgive both types of wrongs: the malicious and the cowardly.
Forgiveness and Growth
Marjorie’s role, like Anne’s, pushes Lucy toward greater spiritual maturity. After this incident, Lucy recognizes the wrongness of using magic to overhear private conversations, and she learns the deeper lesson that forgiveness must be offered even when betrayal is painful.
Legacy in Narnia
While Marjorie Preston never steps foot in Narnia, she has a lasting influence on Lucy’s development as a character:
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Lucy’s understanding of forgiveness deepens, preparing her for the greater trials she faces later on.
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Lucy matures emotionally, learning that true strength often lies not in confronting others, but in quietly forgiving them.
Marjorie thus plays a small but critical role in Lucy’s personal growth during The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Conclusion
Marjorie Preston is a minor but meaningful figure in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Her brief betrayal reminds readers that true friendship requires courage, and that even well-meaning people can falter under pressure.
Through Marjorie’s failure, Lucy (and the reader) learns that forgiveness is an essential part of love, and that growth often comes through experiencing and overcoming emotional hurt.
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