Topic > An Analysis of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia are undoubtedly CS Lewis's most popular writings. They are known as children's fantasy literature and have found favor with both older students and adults. Many Christian theologians also like these Lewis stories; for there are many spiritual truths to be gleaned from them, if one is familiar with the Bible. However, having said this, it is noteworthy to say that Lewis did not write these chronicles for an allegorical didactic of the Christian faith, but wrote them so well that young readers could understand the Christian doctrine through captivating imagination and thus gain knowledge thorough. appreciation for this. With this in mind, and in the interest of this task, the purpose of this article is an attempt to analyze one of the many doctrines of the Christian faith from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (LWW), namely, temptation and how Lewis illustrates this through an individual character, Edmund. Before delving into LWW's temptation, let us look at its prolegomena as found in The Magician's Nephew: In the Genesis creation story, two rudiments of evil are found: Adam and Eve direct disobedience to God's commandment (Gen 2-3 ) and the deception of the serpent (Gen 3). The witch in The Magician's Nephew can be seen as a representation of the introduction of sin, but also, later in the story, as a figure representing the character of the serpent. This marks a move away from the theme of creation and a step towards the theme of temptation in the Chronicles of Narnia. The theme of temptation is present in both the Bible and the Chronicles of Narnia, and Lewis often models his presentations of temptation on stories and characters from the Bible. A good example of this is found... in the middle of a sheet of paper... in, and Aslan pays for it with his life, as Christ did (Rom. 5:8). The Chronicles of Narnia have already established themselves as timeless literary works. They are aimed at both atheists and God-fearing people, both the ignorant and the scholars; to children and adults. Understanding the biblical allegory contained in these books is not essential to their appreciation. A critical analysis of these works, however, allows the reader to more fully appreciate Lewis's unique gift for simplifying complex narratives and creating beautiful childhood fantasies. This, in turn, allows the reader to gain both a deeper understanding of Lewis as a skilled creative writer and a deeper satisfaction with his craft. Being able to appreciate C.S. Lewis as such a craftsman can only add to the enjoyment of his works.