full title · The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

author · C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis

type of work · Novel

genre · Children's literature

language · English

time and place written · 1950, England

date of first publication · 1950

publisher · Geoffrey Bless (original London publication)

narrator · Anonymous. The narrator reveals the story of Narnia through the eyes of a child and reveals the thoughts and motivations of the Pevensies, particularly Lucy and Edmund.

point of view · The narrator speaks in the third person and focuses on what the children can observe. The narrator is omniscient, and knows the hidden motives and emotions of the characters. The narrator alternates between providing insight into the actions and thoughts of Lucy, Aslan, and Edmund.

tone · Colloquial and relaxed

tense · Immediate past

setting (time) · World War II

setting (place) · The English countryside and the magical land of Narnia

protagonist · Aslan

antagonist · The White Witch

major conflict · Aslan, who represents good, defends the land of Narnia against the cruel and evil White Witch

rising action · The children enter Narnia and discover that the White Witch has taken Tumnus. Aslan returns to Narnia and breaks the Witch's spell, and Christmas arrives. Edmund betrays his siblings and must forfeit his life to the White Witch.

climax · The Witch murders Aslan, who has sacrificed his life so that Edmund can live.

falling action · Includes the resurrection of Aslan and the final battle between the Witch's forces and Aslan's followers. Also, the reign of the Pevensie children over Narnia.

themes · Christian allegory, faith, the possibility of the impossible, redemption, rebirth

motifs · Winter, spring, mythology

symbols · Narnia, Aslan, the White Witch, the Stone Table, the sea, fish

foreshadowing · Occurs when the Witch makes a bargain with Aslan and we sense evil on the horizon


Important Quotations Explained

"The White Witch?" said Edmund; "who's she?"

"She is a perfectly terrible person," said Lucy. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia thought she has no right to be queen at all, and all the Fauns and Dryands and Naiads and Dwarfs and Animals—at least all the good ones—simply hate her. And she can turn people into stone and do all kinds of horrible things. And she has made a magic so that it is always winter in Narnia—always winter, but it never gets to Christmas. And she drives about on a sledge, drawn by reindeer, with her wand in her hand and a crown on her head."

Edmund was already feeling uncomfortable from having eaten too many sweets, and when he heard that the Lady he had made friends with was a dangerous witch he felt even more uncomfortable. But he still wanted to taste that Turkish Delight more than he wanted anything else.

Explanation for Quotation #1


And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken [his name] everyone felt quite different.... At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.

Explanation for Quotation #2


"Aslan?" said Mr. Beaver. "Why, don't you know? He's the King. He's the Lord of the whole wood, but not often here, you understand. Never in my time or my father's time. But the word has reached us that he has come back. He is in Narnia at this moment. He'll settle the White Queen all right. It is he, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus."

"Is—is he a man?" asked Lucy.

"Aslan a man!" Mr. Beaver said sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion."

"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."

"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."

Explanation for Quotation #3


"Have you forgotten the Deep Magic?" asked the Witch.

"Let us say I have forgotten it," answered Aslan gravely. "Tell us of this Deep Magic."

"Tell you?" said the Witch, her voice growing suddenly shriller. "Tell you what is written on that very Table of Stone which stands beside us? Tell you what is written in letters deep as a spear is long on the fire-stones on the Secret Hill? Tell you what is engraved on the scepter of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea? You at least know the Magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill.... And so that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property... unless I have blood as the Law says all Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water."

"It is very true," said Aslan, "I do not deny it."

Explanation for Quotation #4


At that moment they heard from behind them a loud noise—a great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giant's plate.... The Stone Table was broken into two pieces by a great crack that ran down it from end to end; and there was no Aslan.

"Who's done it?" cried Susan. "What does it mean? Is it more magic?"

"Yes!" said a great voice from behind their backs. "It is more magic." They looked round. There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.

"Oh, Aslan!" cried both the children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad....

"But what does it all mean?" asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.

"It means," said Aslan, "that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward."




Aslan

Aslan is the noble golden lion who epitomizes the goodness and justice of Narnia. When the Pevensie children first hear his name, they immediately feel powerful sensations that they cannot understand. Peter, Susan, and Lucy experience an inexplicable delight. Edmund, who has already betrayed his siblings by siding with the White Witch, is mysteriously horrified. The mysticism that surrounds Aslan's name only grows as the children learn more about him. Mr. Beaver tells the children that Aslan is the king of Narnia and the son of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea. Aslan sets all wrongs to rights, including removing the White Witch from her terrible reign over Narnia. Aslan is awe-inspiring and a little frightening, but unquestionably benevolent and kind. Aslan's power is unmatched and his goodness unlimited.

The children are understandably nervous when they first meet Aslan. With the exception of Edmund, when the children meet Aslan they are powerfully drawn to him. Peter, Susan, and Lucy love Aslan immediately, and believe that he has immense goodness. It does not seem strange to them that they revere Aslan, and would also call him a friend. Aslan always seems one step ahead of the rest. When the Witch brings Aslan the news that he must forfeit Edmund to her or all Narnia will perish, the Witch is clearly expecting to take Aslan by surprise. Aslan, however, is not startled at all, he is just sad. Aslan's amazing love for the Narnia people, even Edmund, a traitor, is demonstrated with painful clarity when Aslan sacrifices his own life to save Edmund. Logically, this sacrifice seems silly, as the Witch triumphantly points out. By losing his life, Aslan seems to be giving the Witch Narnia forever. Aslan is quiet and patient, and he endures torture until he is murdered. Aslan's perspective and foresight contrasts the Witch's myopia. Although the Witch can use magic to gain power, she does not have the vision or the character of Aslan. Aslan is confident that his power is greater than the Witch's strength, but Aslan never shows bravado. Aslan is willing to die to save Narnia. Aslan's ultimate purpose in life is to serve others and to obey the will of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea.

Aslan is an allegorical representation of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion. The novel's depiction of Christ's death and resurrection is a clear allusion to the biblical story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Lewis couches an old, familiar story in a new, vibrant setting in order to help us look at the story from a different angle. Specifically, Lewis wants to capture the attention of children. Lewis seeks to remove children from the oppressive church and Sunday school and to transplant them to a new, fantastic world. There, Lewis can introduce basic concepts of the Christian religion, using an exciting background, with fun characters and talking animals. Aslan the lion lives a similar life as Christ the man, but by using this allegorical device, Lewis can present the story to children with far more immediacy and vividness than could be obtained in any but the most breathtaking reading of the Bible.


The White Witch

The White Witch is, perhaps, your typical witch. The Witch is evil to the core, without even a hint of goodness within her, which we can attribute to her not being human. Although the Witch claims she is human, she is actually part giant and part Jinn. The Witch is merciless, cruel, power-hungry, and sadistic. The Witch claims the throne of Narnia by brute force. She enchants the land so it is always winter and never Christmas and so that the poor Narnians have no hope. The Witch sways many Narnians to her side out of fear or lust for power, so that the Narnians are divided and are completely terrified. The Witch carries a golden wand that she uses to turn living things into stone—she does this rather frequently when she is annoyed. The Witch is hated and feared throughout the land, but no one except Aslan has the power to stop her.

Allegorically, the White Witch could be a symbol of Satan. In the novel, the Witch plays the role of the "Emperor's hangman" and she has the right to kill any Narnian caught in an act of treachery. The Witch's role is parallel to the role of Satan, to whom the souls of damned sinners are forfeited. The Witch's right to kill sinners is a literal representation of Satan's capacity to impose spiritual death after the death of the body. The novel, however, does not seem to make a one-to-one correspondence between the Witch and Satan. Lewis respected traditional gender roles as defined by religion and probably would not have conceived a female devil. Lewis was also more than a little bit sexist, so he may have done so after all. The Witch is an evil figure, but she lacks the fire- and-brimstone aura that surrounds the Christian image of Satan. Lewis does not follow traditional religious depictions of the characters he uses in his allegories, as Jesus is not generally conceived of as a lion either. The events in Aslan's life, his attitudes, and manners directly correspond to those of Jesus. The Witch seems more generic. It is more likely that the Witch is simply an evil person in the service of Satan, rather than an allegorical representation of the Prince of Darkness himself.


Edmund

Edmund's character is probably the most ambiguous in the novel. For the first half of the book, Edmund is as spiteful and mean as it is possible for a young boy to be, but his character transforms halfway through the novel. By the end, Edmund is fair-minded and brave, and he is just as admirable as Peter. This is the whole purpose of Edmund in the novel. The Witch is simply evil through and through. The Witch has no capacity for goodness, possibly because she is not human and was therefore not born with the capacity for both good and evil that human beings possess. Edmund is human, however, and no matter how evil he acts while in the service of the Witch, he is never so far gone that he cannot redeem himself.

The Witch's enchanted box of Turkish Delight initially seduces Edmund. The magical candy causes an insatiable greed for more in the unfortunate eater. Edmund fixates on the candy to an excessive degree, even for a child. Edmund does not seem to care when he hands over his brother and sisters to a woman whom he knows deep down is a dangerous witch. Edmund sees more and more evidence of the Witch's cruelty and evil on, but he rationalizes her behavior. Originally Edmund is a traitor because of his greed for Turkish Delight. Later, it is evident that Edmund is corrupted by a desire for power and by the lavish promises of the Witch.

Edmund does atone for his sins and transform his character. The first change happens when the Witch treats Edmund like a slave rather than a prince. Edmund expresses his empathy and latent kindness when he witnesses the Witch petrifying a happy group of small forest animals. Eventually, Edmund fully realizes the Witch's intentions and the benevolence of Aslan. A discussion with Aslan seems to cement this change. Yet, it is not until Edmund stands up for himself in battle and helps slay the White Witch that he shows his true mettle. Most of Edmund's conversion occurred because of external factors—the Witch's cruel behavior and petrification of the animals at feast or the conversation with Aslan. Ultimately, it is up to Edmund to redeem himself and complete his transformation. This change takes a tremendous force of will and courage, but in the end, Edmund finds freedom. Lewis's message in a similar situation in another book is that "One wrench and the tooth will be out." It just takes one monumental effort and then we will be free.




Themes

The Danger of Gluttony

Critics have proposed that each of the seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia addresses one of the seven deadly sins. Whether or not this is true, it is certainly the case that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe specifically focuses on gluttony. Edmund's descent into the Witch's service begins during his frantic consumption of the magic Turkish Delight. Since this is enchanted Turkish Delight, Edmund cannot be held accountable for his gluttony as if he were overindulging in ordinary candy. The real sin occurs when Edmund allows himself to fixate on the Turkish Delight long after he leaves the Witch. Edmund's consumption of the Turkish Delight may also be a reference to the sin of Adam and Eve, when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge. Adam and Eve also committed a sin of consumption, and God punishes them as well. Edmund's gluttony for the Turkish Delight alludes to Adam and Eve's desire to eat the apple.

The Power of Satan

Edmund is a traitor and his life is forfeit to the White Witch, just as any sinner's life is forfeit to Satan after death without the intervention of God. The White Witch may not be an exact representation of Satan—the imagery that surrounds her does not quite fit that of the devil himself. Perhaps she is a servant of Satan and an overlord of Narnia—Narnia's special patron demon. The Witch claims the lives of all Narnians who sin irrevocably, an allusion to Satan's claim of the souls of such sinners.

Humankind's Redemption

Not everything in Narnia directly parallels the story of Jesus, but the similarities are too striking to ignore. Aslan sacrifices his life to save Edmund, just as Christ gave his life to save mankind. Through Aslan's death, Edmund's sin is expunged, and Edmund is permitted to live. Similarly, mankind is permitted to live in heaven now that Christ's death has expunged Adam's original sin when he disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Lewis's goal is to present us with a variation on the Christian legend. Narnia presents us with a different perspective on faith, and helps the story of Jesus come to life.

Motifs

Seasons

The Witch imposes an enchanted, eternal winter on Narnia, symbolizing a dead, stagnant time. Nothing grows, animals hibernate, and people crouch around fires rather than enjoying the outdoors. Nearly every human being has a visceral negative reaction to winter, even when it is a normal length. We can imagine how quickly an eternal winter would become intolerable. The Witch's winter destroys the beauty and the life in Narnia. There is a pristine appeal to woods blanketed in snow and frozen waterfalls, but our overall impression is one of a barren, empty land. The season of winter represents that Narnia has fallen under an evil regime. As snow falls, so does the land of Narnia. The Witch's snow hides all traces of Aslan or the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Narnia is undoubtedly bleak and grim.

How much more wondrous, then, is the spring that occurs when Aslan arrives in Narnia. Of course, Christmas occurs before spring can come, because Christmas is the birth of Christ. It is Christmas that signals hope for mankind: with the birth of Christ, we are given the hope of new life. Spring follows Christmas and all of a sudden the woods are completely alive—flowers are blooming, springs and brooks are chuckling, birds are singing, and delightful smells waft past on gentle breezes. This is no ordinary spring, just as the Witch's winter was no ordinary winter. The spring is just as enchanted as the winter, only now Narnia is experiencing the epitome of life rather than death.

Symbols

Aslan %

In the allegory of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Aslan represents Christ. Aslan's death to save Edmund's life and his subsequent resurrection are clear references to the life of Christ. Lewis's novel makes some essential changes to the figure of Christ that makes Aslan more accessible to children than the Christ they learn about in church. Lewis's method worked well—he even received a letter from a very distraught little boy pleading for help because he could not help loving Aslan more than Jesus, even though he knew he was supposed to love Jesus above everything else. The very shift from a man to a lion is quite significant. Christ is a human being, which is both confusing and compelling, particularly for a child. Christ seems almost too familiar to a small child, blurring the boundary between a god who deserves reverence and a friend who deserves affection. The beauty of the figure of a lion is that a child would have no problems showing both emotions for a lion. A lion, as king of the forest, is fearful and intimidating. The lion is also a big cat, and Lewis emphasizes this side of Aslan by depicting him as romping and playing merrily with the children. A talking animal at once inspires love and respect, magic and mystery. Lewis adapts the figure of Jesus for children while still maintaining all the essential characteristics of Christ.

The Stone Table

The Stone Table refers to the stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai, according to the Bible. These tablets contain the Ten Commandments and they represent an older, stricter form of religion. In the days when the Ten Commandments were brought down from the mountain, infractions against God would be punishable by death—retribution was swift, harsh, and irrevocable. When Aslan rises from the dead, the Stone Table is shattered, signifying the end of an older, crueler time and the advent of a newer, kinder era. Aslan has defeated death by rising from the dead, signaling the end of harsh customs and death as an acceptable punishment. Instead, human beings enforce justice and mete out punishments.

The sea

There are only a few passing references to the sea in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but they are significant because of the context. We only get a glimpse of the sea and we learn that the Emperor-Over-the-Sea, who is Aslan's father, is God himself. The sea becomes a boundary between Narnia, the Earth, and "Aslan's country," or heaven. Lewis reveals in later novels, such as Voyage of the Dawn Treader, that it is actually possible to physically sail across the sea to Aslan's country. Moreover, the sea is also a boundary between Narnia and our world. In traditional imagery, the sea often represents death, and that seems rather appropriate here—but not death in the sense that we have come to know and dread it, as the Grim Reaper with a hood and a scythe, rather, it is death that is life, or death as rebirth into heaven.