A retired star (as in a sun, not a celebrity)

In Chapter 14 they meet a remarkable old man called Ramandu who tells them he is a retired star.  This sets Eustace thinking about what a star is in our world.

“In our world”, said Eustace, “a star is a huge ball of flaming gas.” 

Ramandu replies:

“Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is but only what it is made of....

There is a tantalising hint here of a different attitude to the natural world.  Western, materialistic cultures do indeed tend to view nature in terms of its composition.  But those who believe in God sense that the natural world has something to say about its Creator.  Thus, a star is indeed more than a ball of flaming gas.