The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the continuation of the Chronicles of Narnia series and a sequel to the Magician's
Nephew. In the previous book, Aslan had foretold a prophecy that because humans (Digory and Polly) had brought the witch Jadis into Narnia, human would also be the ones responsible for removing her from power. Those humans come in the form of four siblings: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie. They are sent to live in the English countryside with Digory, who is now old and called Professor Digory, to escape the London Blitz. While at Digory's estate, Lucy comes across a magical wardrobe that leads her right into Narnia, where thousands of years have passes since Digory first journeyed there. She meets a kind faun named Mr. Tumnus, but must leave soon afterward because the White Witch, Jadis, has ascended to rule Narnia and plunged the entire land into an eternal winter. She hunts any known humans and kills them, knowing of Aslan's prophecy.
Eventually all four siblings end up in Narnia, but when they go to check on Mr. Tumnus, they find that he has been captured by Jadis and taken to her castle. Luckily, before they can be captured, a talking beaver and his wife take them to the safety of their dam and tell them of the prophecy. They also tell them that Aslan has returned for the first time since Jadis rose to power and is waiting for the four siblings at a place called the Stone Table. However, while they are being told all of this, Edmund, who had been under the influence of the White Witch's spell, snuck away to her castle, planning to betray his siblings in return for power over Narnia. The witch had just been tricking him though, and takes him prisoner before setting off after the other Pevensies. The three, plus the Mr. and Mrs. Beaver escape to the Stone Table and meet with Aslan, who then negotiates with the White Witch to save Edmund. Aslan allows himself to be killed in return for Edmunds life. Susan and Lucy witness his execution on the Stone Table itself, only to find that hours later the table splits in half and Aslan come back to life because of the magic the Stone Table holds: if someone willingly takes the place of a condemned prisoner, they will be brought back to life because of their selfless actions. Aslan, Susan, and Lucy then go to the White Witch's castle and free all of her prisoners, including Mr. Tumnus, who act as reinforcements for Peter, Edmund, and the other Narnians, who had been fighting the Witch's army. Aslan is able to kill Jadis in battle. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy then ascend to be kings and queens of Narnia, leading the land into a golden age.
Nephew. In the previous book, Aslan had foretold a prophecy that because humans (Digory and Polly) had brought the witch Jadis into Narnia, human would also be the ones responsible for removing her from power. Those humans come in the form of four siblings: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie. They are sent to live in the English countryside with Digory, who is now old and called Professor Digory, to escape the London Blitz. While at Digory's estate, Lucy comes across a magical wardrobe that leads her right into Narnia, where thousands of years have passes since Digory first journeyed there. She meets a kind faun named Mr. Tumnus, but must leave soon afterward because the White Witch, Jadis, has ascended to rule Narnia and plunged the entire land into an eternal winter. She hunts any known humans and kills them, knowing of Aslan's prophecy.
Eventually all four siblings end up in Narnia, but when they go to check on Mr. Tumnus, they find that he has been captured by Jadis and taken to her castle. Luckily, before they can be captured, a talking beaver and his wife take them to the safety of their dam and tell them of the prophecy. They also tell them that Aslan has returned for the first time since Jadis rose to power and is waiting for the four siblings at a place called the Stone Table. However, while they are being told all of this, Edmund, who had been under the influence of the White Witch's spell, snuck away to her castle, planning to betray his siblings in return for power over Narnia. The witch had just been tricking him though, and takes him prisoner before setting off after the other Pevensies. The three, plus the Mr. and Mrs. Beaver escape to the Stone Table and meet with Aslan, who then negotiates with the White Witch to save Edmund. Aslan allows himself to be killed in return for Edmunds life. Susan and Lucy witness his execution on the Stone Table itself, only to find that hours later the table splits in half and Aslan come back to life because of the magic the Stone Table holds: if someone willingly takes the place of a condemned prisoner, they will be brought back to life because of their selfless actions. Aslan, Susan, and Lucy then go to the White Witch's castle and free all of her prisoners, including Mr. Tumnus, who act as reinforcements for Peter, Edmund, and the other Narnians, who had been fighting the Witch's army. Aslan is able to kill Jadis in battle. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy then ascend to be kings and queens of Narnia, leading the land into a golden age.
All Four Siblings Travel to Narnia
As seen above, the two oldest Pevensies, Peter and Susan, don't believe that Narnia exists until they arrive in the land itself. Edmund didn't believe Lucy at first but stumbled onto Narnia by himself and then lied about it to his oldest siblings, making Lucy very upset at his manipulation. That is why Peter gets so angry at Edmund once they arrive in Narnia and yells at him to apologize for lying. For most of the movie and the book, Edmund is the black sheep of the Pevensies: he complains about everything his siblings do, bullies Lucy, and has an unfounded animosity towards Peter. Fortunately, his unpleasantness is a blessing in disguise, since his badly aimed cricket hit is the event that eventually leads them into Narnia by rousing Mrs. Macready's anger over the commotion. Her footsteps seem to come from every direction at once, cutting off the quartet's escape routes through the house until they are forced into the spare room and herded into the wardrobe. It seems that fate is at work on the four even outside of Narnia, pushing them towards their destinies and fulfilling the prophecy. The scene itself is an example of one of the themes of the book: that a divine power is watching over all of its children, leading them on the right path and protecting them from harm.
The Quest For Tumnus
Dear Mr. Tumnus, as Lucy calls him, is an unimposing, well-mannered faun. He may not seem like a very important character in the grand scheme of the book, but he is the person who sets the main events of the book in motion alongside Lucy. In the beginning, he saves her from the White Witch, to whom he was going to give Lucy to be executed. His change of heart and rescue put him at great risk of capture and death, and made little Lucy love him dearly for his kindness. She is brokenhearted after he is captured and turned to stone, and blames herself for his misfortune. That emotional pain, though, was a blessing in disguise. Lucy shows herself to be a very resilient and determined person after Tumnus’ capture and is completely focused on rescuing him. Her bond of friendship with the faun allows her innate wisdom and maturity to shine. She grows as a character, and later as a queen of Narnia.
Lucy’s determination keeps her siblings bound to Narnia, preventing them from leaving unless they are willing to allow a helpless man to suffer. That one decision altered the course of the Pevensie’s lives and the course of Narnian history, all because of a simple faun! One could even say that The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is not a story of fighting for Narnia, but that the entire book is the merely the quest to rescue Tumnus. Tumnus’ connection with Lucy ripples to affect many other people, as he helped her grow into a queen. She is called Queen Lucy the Valiant because of her determination to find her friend. To be part of a great queen’s namesake is quite the accomplishment for an seemingly unimportant faun!
Lucy’s determination keeps her siblings bound to Narnia, preventing them from leaving unless they are willing to allow a helpless man to suffer. That one decision altered the course of the Pevensie’s lives and the course of Narnian history, all because of a simple faun! One could even say that The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is not a story of fighting for Narnia, but that the entire book is the merely the quest to rescue Tumnus. Tumnus’ connection with Lucy ripples to affect many other people, as he helped her grow into a queen. She is called Queen Lucy the Valiant because of her determination to find her friend. To be part of a great queen’s namesake is quite the accomplishment for an seemingly unimportant faun!
A Christ Figure? No, A Judas Figure!
Edmund betrays his siblings to the White Witch, planning to sell them for money and power, just as Judas sold out Jesus for a few silver pieces in the Bible. But most importantly, Edmund betrays Aslan, distancing himself from God and casting suspicion upon himself. The big difference, which solidifies Aslan’s role as Jesus, is that Aslan forgives Edmund and offers up his own life in Edmund’s place. Forgiveness plays a huge role in Jesus’s teaching, as he encourages everyone to have the strength to forgive those who have hurt us.
Many stories of traitors in literature are based on the legacy of Judas, the apostle that betrays Jesus Christ to the Romans. The Chronicles of Narnia does this even more so than other books because it has so many Biblical themes and allusions. The situation that he finds himself in is similar to the story in the Bible: Jesus was already and enemy of the Sanhedrin priests of Israel for garnering people’s support and loyalty against their government and religion when Judas betrayed him. Aslan and the Pevensie children were at odds with the White Witch as soon as they set foot in Narnia and were also forming an attempt to overthrow Jadis’ rule when Edmund betrayed them. Both Edmund and Judas sold out their companions for greed: Judas was bought out by a sum of silver pieces and Edmund was manipulated into potentially harming his own family with the promise of power and a place of power close to Jadis.
Judas is not usually mentioned in literature after his initial betrayal and the death of Christ, but the Bible actually speaks of him being overwhelmed by guilt and repenting for his transgression. He gives the silver pieces back to the priests and hangs himself as atonement. Edmund is the same: immediately after he realizes that Jadis has manipulated him and actually a sinister tyrant he regrets his decisions and longs to return to his family. Luckily, he does not kill himself (that would be quite inappropriate for a children’s book!) and is returned to the safety of the Narnian camp.
Many stories of traitors in literature are based on the legacy of Judas, the apostle that betrays Jesus Christ to the Romans. The Chronicles of Narnia does this even more so than other books because it has so many Biblical themes and allusions. The situation that he finds himself in is similar to the story in the Bible: Jesus was already and enemy of the Sanhedrin priests of Israel for garnering people’s support and loyalty against their government and religion when Judas betrayed him. Aslan and the Pevensie children were at odds with the White Witch as soon as they set foot in Narnia and were also forming an attempt to overthrow Jadis’ rule when Edmund betrayed them. Both Edmund and Judas sold out their companions for greed: Judas was bought out by a sum of silver pieces and Edmund was manipulated into potentially harming his own family with the promise of power and a place of power close to Jadis.
Judas is not usually mentioned in literature after his initial betrayal and the death of Christ, but the Bible actually speaks of him being overwhelmed by guilt and repenting for his transgression. He gives the silver pieces back to the priests and hangs himself as atonement. Edmund is the same: immediately after he realizes that Jadis has manipulated him and actually a sinister tyrant he regrets his decisions and longs to return to his family. Luckily, he does not kill himself (that would be quite inappropriate for a children’s book!) and is returned to the safety of the Narnian camp.
Mullah Beavers?
Mariam, from A Thousand Splendid Suns, had Mullah Faizullah there to lead her through her tumultuous childhood and give wise guidance. Her connection with him led to a stronger bond with God, and the strength that he raised her to have as a child lasted an
entire lifetime. People are most vulnerable to different beliefs and teachings when they are children and need to be morally guided by people like Mullah Faizullah, or, in the case of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, like Mullah Faizullah, are much older than the Pevensies and Mariam. They have the benefit of many years of experience to guide their decisions and the lessons that they pass onto their companions. Wisdom and kindness are characteristics that define them, which are especially important in the settings of both the books: wars. Vulnerable young children need adult figures to lead them through dangerous times or else they will end up as more casualties. Faizullah and the Beavers do that: the Beavers take the Pevensies to Aslan and safety, saving them from the White Witch’s grasp and Mullah Faizullah’s lessons instilled in Mariam give her the fortitude to not give up on life when the war begins to ravage her home. The characters’ bonds with God are also a commonality: Mariam is educated about her faith and the Pevensies are literally led to God. They all teach moral values through examples, such as how the beavers took the Pevensies into their home with graciousness and hospitality and how Mullah Faizullah spends time with Mariam and her mother, despite their status as outcasts. Guiding the younger generation was their goal in the stories.
entire lifetime. People are most vulnerable to different beliefs and teachings when they are children and need to be morally guided by people like Mullah Faizullah, or, in the case of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, like Mullah Faizullah, are much older than the Pevensies and Mariam. They have the benefit of many years of experience to guide their decisions and the lessons that they pass onto their companions. Wisdom and kindness are characteristics that define them, which are especially important in the settings of both the books: wars. Vulnerable young children need adult figures to lead them through dangerous times or else they will end up as more casualties. Faizullah and the Beavers do that: the Beavers take the Pevensies to Aslan and safety, saving them from the White Witch’s grasp and Mullah Faizullah’s lessons instilled in Mariam give her the fortitude to not give up on life when the war begins to ravage her home. The characters’ bonds with God are also a commonality: Mariam is educated about her faith and the Pevensies are literally led to God. They all teach moral values through examples, such as how the beavers took the Pevensies into their home with graciousness and hospitality and how Mullah Faizullah spends time with Mariam and her mother, despite their status as outcasts. Guiding the younger generation was their goal in the stories.
The Kings and Queens of Narnia
The coronation scene is the long awaited resolution of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It shows the four Pevensies fulfilling their destinies and becoming the rulers of Narnia, as well as Edmund returned to is former self, having been saved from sin and death by Aslan. Mr. Tumnus has also been rescued, having been turned to stone by the White Witch for helping Lucy. This scene is actually a parallel to the chapters in the Bible that record the story of Jesus appearing several times to his followers after his death and resurrection. He tells them to continue to spread his teachings and carry on without him, and that he has taught them all they need to know to spread the word of God. Aslan, being a symbol of Jesus in the story, is telling the Pevensies this in his own way after dying and being resurrected from the Stone Table. He has given them all the tools the four need to rule as kings and queens of Narnia and spread peace throughout the land, and his departure right after the coronation is a parallel to Jesus' final ascension to heaven.