Book Review: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis #Narniathon21

This was a reread of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) as part of #Narniathon21 hosted by Chris at Calmgrove. He has discussion prompts for the book up so do head there if you’d like to join in.

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a truly classic children’s fantasy tale which can appeal to children and adults alike, giving one different aspects to enjoy at different times in life. Lewis himself of course, knew this as he observes in his wonderful dedication of the book to his god-daughter, Lucy (the dedication was something I immediately loved, even on my first read, and I’d decided I’d love the book even before I started it.)

…you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound, you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again….

The story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one probably familiar to all. Four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent away to the country during the war, as was common. There they are to stay in a huge house with an eccentric but immediately likeable old Professor and his much less likeable housekeeper, Mrs Macready. Exploring the house one rainy day, Lucy, the youngest walks into a huge wardrobe. But this is no ordinary wardrobe but a door to a magical land, Narnia. Here she meets a faun, Mr Tumnus and learns of the White Witch who has Narnia under her spell. When Lucy returns and describes her adventures, the always truthful girl is disbelieved. Edmund separately finds Narnia and meets the White Witch who entices the spiteful and selfish boy with enchanted Turkish delight and promises of Narnia’s crown. But he wants to keep all to himself and refuses to back Lucy. Eventually the truth is revealed and all four children enter Narnia and find they are the subject of a prophecy and only they with Aslan the lion, lord of all the world can free Narnia from the witch’s spell, because of which ‘it is always winter but never Christmas’. And so begins their first adventure in which they must take on and defeat the witch. In the process they meet and befriend many creatures and must also face danger, some of it coming from their own.

This was as I found on my previous reads a magical and charming story, but not one that is entirely in the realm of fantasy for we deal with very real characters and situations including betrayal by one’s own. The scene of Aslan’s sacrifice is another which makes one feel angry and helpless, even a sense of guilt (the reader feels at one with Susan and Lucy) in that he must face not only death but humiliation for the deeds of another. In these emotions, some of the allegory in the book also stands out. This was in fact the first time when reading the book, the allegorical elements actually stood out clearly to me–Aslan dying for a betrayer/sinner, Edmund, his ‘resurrection’ and Edmund as the ‘Judas’. (Of course, this is probably barely surface level, and there is plenty to ponder over.)

The story has most of the classic fantasy elements, a group of children accidentally finding a magic world, talking animals and other magical creatures, trouble or a curse on that world, and a prophecy according to which it is them on whom the task of rescuing that world falls. One thing perhaps not usual in fantasy stories was having an adult in the form of the old Professor who not only believes the children, but encourages them in their adventures. In fact it is he who by simple logic convinces them of the truth of Lucy’s story. Lucy has told them of her time in Narnia and meeting with Mr Tumnus but Peter and Susan put it down to her imagination, somewhat reminding one of instances in other children’s fantasies (Peter Pan or the Little Prince, for instance) which bring up the need for belief in ‘magic’ or children’s ability to be able to ‘see’ and accept what adults cannot, are too rigid to, perhaps. I loved how the Professor was able to show them so simply what they were unable to see.

Narnia itself is cold and depressing, under the witch’s spell, but even within this snowy place, there is warmth in its inhabitants–Mr Tumnus’ cave or the Beavers’ little home, their friendship and hospitality. With the arrival of the children and the return of Aslan, some of the spell automatically begins to break as Father Christmas too returns, and slowly spring begins to break through–a bit of magic I loved very much.

In the children themselves we see different characteristics–Lucy is honest and caring, open to magic and adventure and wants to help her friends, Peter and Susan are just and caring but falling into rigid human ways unable to believe magic till they are shown the way; they are able to face their fears as well, Peter in battle and Susan her reluctance to continue on. Edmund is right from the start spiteful, selfish and somewhat greedy too, and ends up betraying his siblings and their friends (a contrast to Mr Tumnus who risks his life to protect Lucy, all but a stranger). But then he redeems himself somewhat by his bravery in battle. One thing that I had forgotten from my previous reads was some explanation that we get for his nature–the school he is attending. He may have learnt his lesson but I still felt he would be a kind of person that would remain hard to trust.

Coming to some lighter things, I also loved all of the food in the book, very reminiscent of Enid Blyton, and a staple I look for in children’s stories.

This was a lovely revisit, and I’m looking forward to continuing on with the rest of the books soon!