The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis. New York: HarperTrophy, 2000. ISBN 0064409422. Pb., 208 pp., $8.99.
C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children, edited by Lyle W. Dorsett and Marjorie Lamp Mead. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1985.
This season’s opening of the film “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” has taken many of us back through the wardrobe into Narnia. My hope is that the new travelers have not only the film trip, but also the wonderfully imaginative one through the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which was the first of the seven books in the Narnia chronicles by C. S. Lewis.
Some wonder at the staying power of Lewis. He was a scholar, a medievalist, and professor of literature at both Oxford and Cambridge, and for some years an agnostic. His path to faith sets him as a premier example of one who reasoned his way to the brink of faith. One cannot reason all the way. He said the final step was like diving off the high diving board for the first time.
Lewis’ writings ranged beyond excellent works in his professional field to the publication of his World War II radio talks — now available as Mere Christianity. Countless Christians found their first doorway into faith through that book. Beyond these moving apologetic pieces (never out of print), he published novels and science fiction.
Of prime importance to us is the series of the Narnia Chronicles. Here the children wander through a wonderful wardrobe into the land of Narnia, where it is always winter but never Christmas. The White Witch rules and her kingdom is defeated only by the quite remarkable lion, Aslan (pronounced by Lewis Ass-lan). Many have seen in Aslan a Christ figure. He suffers (“velveting his paws,” emptying himself of his power) and lays down his life for others. He comes bouncing back to life and breathes life into countless elves, dwarves, and animals that have been turned to stone by the White Witch. One of the children (Edmund) is a Judas figure, a sneak and a traitor. The fearful children (like the disciples) join the risen Aslan to do battle against evil.
Some ask whether we have “read in” our Christian theology here. Did Lewis intend to tell the Jesus story? In this essay I share Lewis’ own words in the revealing book C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children. We do not have the children’s letters, but to our great pleasure we have C. S. Lewis responding to them.
A child asked in 1953 about Aslan’s other name (is he Jesus?). Lewis responds: “Has there never been anyone in this world who (1.) Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas. (2.) Said he was the son of the Great Emperor. (3.) Gave himself up for someone else’s fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people. (4.) Came to life again. (5.) Is sometimes spoken of as a Lamb (see the end of the Dawn Treader). Don’t you really know His name in this world?” (p. 32)
To a fifth grade class in 1954, Lewis answered, when asked whether he had represented Jesus in this world as a lion: “Let us suppose that there were a land like Narnia and that the Son of God, as He became a Man in our world, became a Lion there, and then imagine what would happen.” (p. 45)
In 1955 a mother had written that her son loved Aslan more than Jesus and it was bothering him (and her). Was this idolatry? He replied: “1/ Even if he was loving Aslan more than Jesus …” it was not idolatry and “2/ But Laurence can’t really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that’s what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. When Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving Jesus…” (p. 52)
Lewis wrote about his wife’s illness and a time of remission: “But Aslan has done great things for us and she is now walking about again …” (p. 76)
In 1960 he wrote about whether he represents the real Christian story (saying he does not do so point by point, but plays out the themes in a land like Narnia) with seven points, among them: “3. The stone table is meant to remind one of Moses’ table. 4. The Passion and Resurrection of Aslan are the Passion and Resurrection Christ might be supposed to have had in that world — like those in our world, but not exactly like.” (p. 93)
Yes, Lewis writes the story of Jesus and his resurrection in the form of Narnia and Aslan. He did not set out to do so, but to write a good story.
Lewis wrote in 1963 his thanks to a young reader who found the Christian story in Narnia: “If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope you may always do so. I’m so thankful that you realized [the] ‘hidden story’ in the Narnian books. It is odd, children nearly always do, grown-ups hardly ever.” (p. 111)
Children should read the Narnia books. Grandparents and parents should read them to their kids — and hear them for themselves, maybe letting the little children lead them. In Aslan (Jesus) there is hope for those whose hearts and lives have been turned to stone. In Him we believe that ultimately good will triumph over evil — a shaky proposition in light of current world news. We can hold firm to the faith and fight the good fight.
As one who teaches theology and literature, I find many powerful writings about death, but I find few good literary pieces that convincingly depict the resurrection. This one does. My hope is that beyond viewing the movie, a new generation will turn to the book. For some of us, Lewis’ theology is a bit thin and simplistic. That is OK. For many it is a great starting point for the life of faithful reflection and devotion. Lewis has staying power as one who can introduce a new generation to Aslan (Jesus).
John B. Trotti is professor emeritus of bibliography at Union-PSCE in Richmond, Va.
