Both Eustace and Edmund have major shortcomings that negatively affect others. Yet Lewis does not leave his characters there, fallen and shamed. He redeems them. Edmund becomes a King of Narnia and breaks the White Witch’s wand; Eustace is transformed by Aslan back into a boy and returns to Narnia for many more adventures. Lewis’s writing “affirms that it is possible for the weak and foolish to have a noble calling in a dark world” (McGrath). However, neither of these characters changed until after they met Aslan. It was his love that changed their lives. Throughout the series, Aslan is the one constant, the only character appearing in all seven books. His presence and direction drives the book and is the other main theme: providence.
Defined as “divine guidance or care,” providence is found in the person of Aslan. His involvement in both subtle and visible avenues drives the series (“Providence”). Perhaps the biggest example of Aslan’s guidance is the fact that he decides when the children are piloted into Narnia. Even in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, the wardrobe was not a reliable door into Narnia. At the end of the book, the Professor advises the Pevensie children by saying, “‘Don’t try to get there at all. It’ll happen when you aren’t looking for it’” (Lewis, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe 206). Professor Kirke recognized that the only way for the children to get into Narnia was for Aslan to call them.
Aslan also takes a more direct role in the books. In The Silver Chair, he instructs Jill and gives her four signs to aid them on her quest. Patiently, he goes over the signs with her, admonishing her to remember them. “‘Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia,...
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...egory, challenged the reader with complex themes and employed a plethora of mythical creatures is the reason for the success of the series. However, another reason for the popularity of the books has not yet been mentioned. Their acclaim comes from the way they illustrate the real world through Aslan. “It is as if Aslan offers a mirror in which we see ourselves as we really are. Or a light which reveals what we are really like, no matter how uncomfortable this may be” (McGrath). Lewis magically surpassed the barrier between fantasy and reality so that the reader finds parts of himself reflected in the books. The enchantment of Narnia leaps off the pages so that the morals and characters remain with the reader long after the book has closed. Somehow, Narnia is as tangible as planet earth in the mind of the reader. That is the true charm of The Chronicles of Narnia.
Aslan is the King of Narnia. Lewis tries to resist any recognition that Aslan is Jesus Christ. When readi...
...as created controversy where his books are studied and dissected by academics. He is outspoken and interacts with critics about the themes in his book, which are the antithesis of C.S Lewis Narnia series. Controversy and debate are forms of creating interest in a book that send sales soaring. Everyone wants to read the book that is creating such a furore.
The Chronicles of Narnia are enticing books, which offer a wonderful fictional plot line, but also a deeper philosophical importance if one analyzes the series. Many religious allusions can be found between characters in Narnia and biblical people. Deeper understanding can be found throughout the stories even in many overlooked aspects of everyday life. “The Chronicles of Narnia” is a piece of literature filled with religious symbols and allusions, such as the actions of Aslan and the personality of Peter, that enhance one’s perception and understanding of the books.
In conclusion, C.S. Lewis’ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is not only a children’s story filled with creatures that are only of imagination, but an allegorical representation of biblical history and a quest to find one’s strength. Although author like J.R.R Tolkein once criticized his Narnia books, they remain among the most beloved books of classic Children’s Literature selling over 100 million copies.
The Magician’s Nephew is the genesis of Narnia. It all starts with a curious but cowardly Professor and two kids who want to find out what the Professor is doing so secretly in his lab. When they get there, the Professor tells the kids that he has found a way to travel between worlds and tricks them into trying his invention. Catastrophes and wondrous adventures follow.
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality.” Clive Staples Lewis, known as C.S. Lewis, was a popular Irish author, famous for his Christian works, especially “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Throughout his novels, Lewis enlightened his readers with his views about faith. Although his novels were revolved around Christianity, Lewis was not always a believer. There were many things that influenced Lewis as a writer, but the most significant were his love of fantasy, his fascination with mythology, and his Christian beliefs.
One of his most famous series is the Chronicles of Narnia. It is a story about four kids that find a magical land of talking animals and a kingdom in need of their help. When Narnia is taken over by the White Witch. This place came about when C.S. Lewis was very young him and his brother made up a magical world called Boxen. As C.S. Lewis got older he has perfected this world and made this world into Narnia. This fantasy world of Narnia is full of wonder full creatures that can communicate to humans and each other by talking, some of the animals even have special abilities. The land of Narnia is ruled by multiple people which are Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, and later ruled by Caspian X and his descendants.
Pullman's first novel from the His Dark Materials collection, The Golden Compass has many imaginary and realistic modern-day aspects of the world he envisions; such as Daemons, Dust, and the Alethiometer. The Golden Compass takes place in an alternate universe with definite similarities to that of our own Earth. Slight differences, however, define this innovative and beautiful world Pullman has created for his audience. A key difference between the two worlds is the existence and association of Daemons with Humans. These otherworldly creatures known as Daemons are the window to a person's soul. They expose you for who you really are as a person in the world. Daemons are representation of the emotional and mental state of a person, especially the humans' ‟ souls" which can communicate with their "owners”. Ultimately, revealing their true inner self, intentions and a way of life. Daemons are important throughout the entire novel, because it gives us a look under the mask of each main character presented to us in the novel. This relationship between daemon and human can be observed heavily through Lyra, the main protagonist and her daemon; Pantalaimon and Lord Asriel and his daemon; Stelmaria the Snow Leopard and finally, Mrs. Coulter with her daemon, The Golden Monkey. Daemons associated with different lifestyles and mindsets of their owner. They not only help their predestined owner with various tasks and devising plans, as shown from Lyra, but as well are an external representation of themselves that understand the owner's motives and thinking shown by Mrs. Coulter.
Through a magical doorway, past the golden thrones, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was created by C.S. Lewis, in 1950, in England. Over the course of the past 64 years, this book has become one of the most famous books in the world. Lewis was “one of the most commercially successful authors” (The Life & Faith of C.S. Lewis: The Magic Never Ends). The hidden archetypes and intricate themes in this book are what sets it apart from others.
In conclusion, C.S Lewis symbolizes good and evil into his characters. The good one would be Aslan and the bad one would be the White Witch. They embody their role with characterization. This can be shown with the description of the two characters. Aslan is pure of heart and powerful and the Witch is cruel and terrifying. Also, their actions are key facts to demonstrate their chosen side. Aslan is always doing beneficial action for others, instead of the Witch that wants more and more power, willing to destroy life to achieve her goals. Through this book, the two opposite characters are really well explained and analysed.
...c child who is an innocent and has no place in the world of the wicked. His troubled self’s resolution comes at the end after Edmund has spoken to Aslan, the true ruler and god of Narnia. Both Edmunds own initiative and, less directly, religion lead Edmund back to before he was spoiled by the school he went to and the enchantment of the witch’s candy. Lewis therefore is following the Romantic tradition of innocence as a part of childhood since it was not Edmund’s fault he performed the incorrect behavior and was drawn to the side of evil.
“Not only was resurrected from death, but gives life back to the witch’s statues; he represents the good and is quite clearly a figure of Christ” (Source B). Aslan, a mighty lion was a symbol for Jesus Christ, there were many ways that C.S. Lewis uses Aslan to symbolize Jesus, including: Aslan’s death for others, his resurrection, how he brings others back to life as stated above. “The most important character in Narnia is Aslan. Aslan founded and rules the kingdom” (Source G). Just like Jesus Christ founded and rules over the world, Aslan rules over Narnia. Throughout the book Aslan’s name has a certain glow to it that is unlike other names.
Fiction has always been used as a way to relay different types of messages throughout time. In many cases authors use fiction to make political commentary, use stories to bring out the major flaws that society has, as well as a way to spread different types of beliefs or ideals. C.S. Lewis’s used his work, “The Chronicles of Narnia”, to reiterate the messages of the Bible to those who might have gotten lost during their lifetime. Though his whole series was full of connections the book that have the most prevalent connections are The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In both there are places that are very similar to and very different books in the Bible. Taking into context when Lewis wrote this series is extremely important to see what some of his motivations might have been. These stories were started soon after World War II had ended. These stories were a way to teach the next generation some of the morals that the Bible was teaching. By creating these fantastical stories Lewis was able to make connections to help bridge the learning gap between the two generations. Also by using children as a target audience Lewis was able to remind adults as well, instead of being ignored because of the recent war. Lewis was able to address these lessons and morals in a way that both taught the children the way of the Bible, as well as to put a new spin on old tales so that adults were able to come back to religion, after losing some faith during the brutal war.
One of the most read series in all literature is Harry Potter. The seven-book succession has sold over 400 million copies and has been translated into over sixty languages. What is it that makes this series so wildly famous? What is it about the boy who lived that makes frenzied readers flock to their local bookstore at midnight on the day of the release to buy the latest installment? How is a story set in a world that doesn’t exist about wizards, witches, magic, and mystical creatures so popular? The series has been able to earn its spot on the New York Times Bestseller list and has granted author J.K. Rowling multiple awards because it is relatable. It is not the setting or the events in the plot of the story that we relate to. We relate to what Harry, his friends, mentors, teachers, caretakers, and even enemies feel. Harry is in a lot of ways exactly like us. He represents some of the good characteristics that all of us have as well as the bad. The series as a whole, is about one thing that is stressed over and over again in the novels, love. The Harry Potter series is one of the most read sequences of novels because the central theme is love and self-sacrifice, and readers are looking for a novel that shows them just that.
Lewis, was a book which changed children’s fantasy metaphorically and literally. In the book, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie stumble upon Narnia, a frozen land under control of the White Witch, through a wardrobe inside the house. Levy and Mendelsohn describe how the fantastic is contained in the sense that “the true fantastic is found at the heart of the home” (41). This book follows that same idea that there is a separation between the real world and the alternative world Narnia. When Lucy finds Narnia and rushes back to tell the others about it, they do not believe her at first because it sounds made up. It is not until the others stumble upon the alternative world themselves that they are blown away by the fantastic elements and characters. In Narnia, there are many fantastic characters including the faun Mr. Tumnus, the White Witch, talking beavers, dwarves, centaurs, minotaurs, and Aslan the talking lion who represents a godly figure. These four siblings have to learn who to trust and who they cannot trust. Levy and Mendelsohn point out that “Lewis changed the mood and direction in ways that have endured, although other forms were to emerge in the 1970’s … understanding that much children’s fantasy would be otherworldly, either physically or spiritually” (106). In James E. Higgins, A Letter from C. S. Lewis, Lewis describes how "[t]he Narnian books are not as much allegory as