1. Do you think Lewis made a good choice to have Caspian's story be told in a flashback? Why do you think he did this?
Speaking as a writer, I know how hard it can be to tell a story within a story. If you have a character who is telling a story, it's generally just very awkward to have a character tell a story and repeat very much dialogue from his story. But, he was introducing the title character, and we really needed to hear how Caspian actually behaved and spoke. Overall, it's just a much cleaner way of telling the story than trying to keep Trumpkin in-character while also telling the story.

2. How old do you think Caspian is in this chapter?
Caspian sounds like he's 8 or 9 at the oldest in this chapter. He's still young enough to not know better than to keep telling Miraz the stories, and he also starts crying when he realizes the trouble he's in. He also is still young enough to make a judgment like "I'm going to hate my new tutor", which seems like a somewhat childish thing to do. That seems like the behavior of a child younger than 10.

3. Do you think the nurse told Caspian the stories only to entertain him or did she have other reasons?
She had to have other reasons - telling those stories got her fired, and it potentially could have been much worse. These aren't the kinds of stories you tell just for entertainment's sake.

4. It seems that the Telmarines have a long history of trying to stop stories about Old Narnia and to discredit anything told about them. However, the stories are still around and some do believe them. Why haven't the stories died?
Because these stories are the truth, and as Trumpkin and Cornelius prove, the sources of these stories are still alive. It's hard to kill an idea, and even harder when that idea is an undeniable part of history.

5. Why do the Telmarines fear Aslan so much?
I think the Telmarines, despite their claims of conquering Narnia, know full well that it doesn't really belong to them - that Aslan is the true King, and if he chooses to take it back, then they're in a lot of trouble. They can deny his existence all they like, but I think deep down inside, those who know the stories and try to deny them know better. Why else would they have such fervent hatred for "fairy tales"?

6. Why was Doctor Cornelius unable to find the Old Narnians?
For obvious reasons, the Old Narnians have stayed deep in hiding. Doctor Cornelius may be part dwarf, but he's human enough that if he ever came close to finding Old Narnians, they likely would avoid him, thinking he's another Telmarine. He also probably can't afford to physically search all of the potential hiding places, certainly not without exposing himself to the Telmarines.

7. Lewis says at the end of the previous chapter that he has not given the story of Caspian in Trumpkin's words, partly because it would not have included things that the children found out later. What did this include?
Well, from my future knowledge of the book, I think this comes up more in future chapters than this one. But there may be some parts from Caspian's perspective that the children don't discover until later.

1. Do you think Lewis made a good choice to have Caspian's story be told in a flashback? Why do you think he did this?
Much as I enjoy the little asides, it would probably be more annoying in the end to have the story broken up. A story within a story is not unusual, though sometimes you do have to bring yourself back and remember, "Oh, this isn't the main story."
Did Lewis like his characters interrupting? It was the heighth of rudeness to spoil a Calormene story, and yet in the Chronicles they always were. Well, not interrupting, I guess, but interposing--such a different thing!

2. How old do you think Caspian is in this chapter?
6-ish?

3. Do you think the nurse told Caspian the stories only to entertain him or did she have other reasons?
I would guess that she knew the consequences of telling the stories (Cornelius definitely did) so that implies that she told him for a reason. Perhaps it was so that he would learn to be kind to Dwarfs, as Cornelius also hoped.

4. It seems that the Telmarines have a long history of trying to stop stories about Old Narnia and to discredit anything told about them. However, the stories are still around and some do believe them. Why haven't the stories died?
When did book banning and censorship ever stop something important? The more they try to squelch it, the more it spurts up in fresh places. Contrary creatures, we humans. Another point: whoever else believed or didn't believe, Miraz did without a doubt. And it was at the name of Aslan that he became so angry. Much like the White Witch?

5. Why do the Telmarines fear Aslan so much?
They knew that they were not ruling Narnia according to Aslan's command, and there was "a certain fearful looking for of judgment."

6. Why was Doctor Cornelius unable to find the Old Narnians?
Perhaps they were well-hidden because they knew that if found, they would be treated badly. And they wouldn't have trusted him, because he looked too much like a human.

7. Lewis says at the end of the previous chapter that he has not given the story of Caspian in Trumpkin's words, partly because it would not have included things that the children found out later. What did this include?
Can't think of anything offhand.

Lewis states clearly that the castle is a mile from Beaversdam. I never noticed that before and only had a vague idea of where it was.

1. Do you think Lewis made a good choice to have Caspian's story be told in a flashback? Why do you think he did this?
Yes I do (and I think it could work this way in a film version too). The book starts with characters we are familiar with. If we knew ahead of time, we wouldn't be so interested in the children's story when they first arrive in Narnia. We would already know why they were drawn out of England.
2. How old do you think Caspian is in this chapter?
It is hard to decide. Based on his conversation with Miraz, I would guess 4 or 5. He seems older than that when talking to Doctor Cornelius. That scene could have taken place another year. It is included in a general description about Doctor Cornelius. The material described seems more suitable for an older child - 8 or 9? Unless Caspian learned to read at a very young age. I don't think he could have been any older than 6 and still not pick up on his uncle's tones. I suppose it is possible he was a bit older since he was rather isolated.
3. Do you think the nurse told Caspian the stories only to entertain him or did she have other reasons?
She must have been aware of the rules of Miraz so I cannot imagine she would risk telling Caspian these stories if she did not have a good reason. She might very well have wished him to become a king like King Peter.
4. It seems that the Telmarines have a long history of trying to stop stories about Old Narnia and to discredit anything told about them. However, the stories are still around and some do believe them. Why haven't the stories died?
People like to do forbidden things. The stories are good stories and full of hope. Also, maybe some of the half-dwarves keep them alive.

5. Why do the Telmarines fear Aslan so much?
They try not believe the stories but they probably have little nagging doubts: what if it is true. Aslan would be a formidable foe.

6. Why was Doctor Cornelius unable to find the Old Narnians?
The Old Narnians are still around because they are able to hide well. Doctor Cornelius was enough like a man that they wouldn't want to be found by him.
7. Lewis says at the end of the previous chapter that he has not given the story of Caspian in Trumpkin's words, partly because it would not have included things that the children found out later. What did this include?
I would guess that Trumpkin didn't know all of the details of Caspian's childhood.