the Chronicles of Narnia, a seven-volume saga for children by CS Lewis, reveals a world that exists parallel to our own, populated by men and women, dwarfs and talking animals, giants and merpeople, centaurs and fauns, and ruled by a lovable but amazingly ferocious lion and lion. gigantic named Aslan. Lewis, who died on the same day as JFK, November 22, 1963, combined the three passions of his life – classical mythology, medieval tradition, and Christian-based philosophy – to create a microcosm of moral struggles in Narnia. facing our own world. .
Characters and plot
Along with Aslan himself, the heroes of the Narnia books are the four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Taken from their home in London to avoid Nazi bombing, they are accosted by an elderly bachelor professor at his rambling mansion in the country.
While playing hide and seek, Lucy, the youngest of 8 years, hides in an old closet full of coat racks. Moving further back to escape detection, he makes his way between the coats, expecting to slam against the back of the closet at any moment. Instead, Lucy feels the branches of evergreen trees, hears the crunch of snow at her feet, and sees in the distance the glow of a lamppost like the ones she had seen many times in London.
This marks the beginning of the many adventures of the four brothers in Narnia. Each of the books, although loosely connected to the others, can also be independent. We eventually learn where the streetlight came from and how the closet became a portal. We also learn more about Aslan, what it takes to be his friend, and who his enemies are.
The deepest meaning
For those who know how to be vigilant, Lewis has filled Narnia, not only with interesting characters, majestic landscapes, and thrilling action, but also with Christian allegories. Aslan himself represents Jesus Christ, “the lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 7:14). The Pevensie children finally feel so comfortable in Narnia that they see it as their homeland and this world as the place where they are visitors. Lewis, in his books on Christian apologetics, describes the spiritual world as existing parallel to the physical, having the quality of being, not gloomy and insubstantial compared to the physical, but more real, more colorful, and much, much more alive.
As Paul explains,
… many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. His destiny is destruction, his god is his stomach, and his glory is in his shame. His mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ … (Philippians 3: 18-20 (see also Hebrews 11: 13-16).
Disney movie
The first book of seven, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is now the subject of a major film produced by Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media and directed by Andrew Adamson. At the climax of the story there is a beautiful sacrifice, Lewis portrays the death of Christ.
If you go to the movie, watch how the Stone Table was broken, symbolizing how Christ’s death and resurrection brought an end to the Law of Moses by satisfying its demands for blood atonement. Also note the role that Susan and Lucy play in witnessing the death and revival of Aslan, which corresponds to the historical role played by women as mourners for the death and burial of Jesus and as the first witnesses to His resurrection.
The professor helps Peter and Susan decide how to receive Lucy’s testimony about Narnia: if she is not a liar and she is not insane, then logically she must be telling the truth. This corresponds to the testimony that Jesus gave about His own identity, and the testimony that His followers gave about Him, which Lewis describes elsewhere as the trilemma about Jesus: Is He Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?
Another significant parallel is this: Aslan’s loyal followers play an important role in the battle against the White Witch. Like our own spiritual warfare, Christ ensures final victory, but calls his followers to personally participate in the fight. For passages relevant to that conflict, see Ephesians 6: 10-18; 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5; 1 Timothy 1: 18-20; 1 Timothy 6:12; and 2 Timothy 4: 7).
There are plans for six more films to follow this first one, in which the rest of Narnia’s story unfolds. If they are as true to the books and well conceived and produced as this one, all diehard Lewis fans welcome them as a Narnia introduction to a jaded world. We hope that viewers understand and appreciate the allegorical features as much as the superficial story. The goal is not just to know about Aslan and Narnia, but to become His friend and subject and live in His kingdom forever.
Do you want to go deeper?
You can search for articles that include more details on the Allegory of Narnia, including these three: “The Lion, the Witch, and the Allegory,” “The Closet as a Christian Metaphor,” and “Myth Made True: The Origins of the Chronicles of Narnia.”
If you want to buy and read your own copy of the Chronicles of Narnia, are available in a variety of editions, from the one-volume paperback edition to the seven-volume hardcover or softcover boxed set. Also available is Official Illustrated Movie Companion by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, with photos from the film and interviews from the director and cast members, as well as EJ Kirk Beyond the Closet: The Official Guide to Narnia. (My blog provides links to all of these, giving you access to substantial discounts, from 24% to 33% off retail prices.)