The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe facts for kids
.jpg)
First edition dustjacket
|
|
| Author | C. S. Lewis |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Pauline Baynes |
| Cover artist | Pauline Baynes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Chronicles of Narnia |
| Genre | Children's fantasy, Christian literature |
| Set in | Narnia |
| Publisher | Geoffrey Bles |
|
Publication date
|
16 October 1950 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback), e-book |
| Pages | 172 pp (first edition) |
| OCLC | 7207376 |
| LC Class | PZ8.L48 Li |
| Followed by | Prince Caspian |
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a famous fantasy novel by British author C. S. Lewis. It was published in 1950 and is the most well-known book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. This book was the first Narnia story Lewis wrote. However, in newer editions, it's often listed as the second book based on the story's timeline. Like the other Narnia books, it features beautiful drawings by Pauline Baynes.
The story mostly takes place in Narnia, a magical land filled with talking animals and mythical creatures. Narnia is ruled by the evil White Witch, who has made it always winter. The story begins with four English children who are sent to live in a big country house to escape the dangers of World War II. The youngest child, Lucy, finds Narnia by stepping through a magic wardrobe. Later, all four children enter Narnia together. They learn about an old prophecy that says they will help save Narnia. The great lion Aslan sacrifices himself for one of the children. He then comes back to life, defeats the White Witch, and helps crown the children as Kings and Queens of Narnia.
C. S. Lewis wrote this book for his goddaughter, Lucy Barfield. In 2003, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was voted ninth in the BBC's The Big Read poll. Time magazine also listed it as one of the 100 Best Young-Adult Books of All Time.
Contents
Story of the Adventure
The Pevensie children—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—are sent away from London in 1940. They go to live with Professor Digory Kirke in his large country house to escape the war. While exploring, Lucy finds a magical wardrobe that leads to Narnia.
Lucy's First Visit to Narnia
In Narnia, Lucy meets a faun named Tumnus. He invites her for tea and tells her about the White Witch. The Witch is the false ruler of Narnia and has made it always winter. Tumnus was supposed to report Lucy to the Witch, but he feels bad and helps her return home instead. Lucy's siblings don't believe her story at first.
Edmund Meets the White Witch
Edmund later follows Lucy into the wardrobe. He ends up in a different part of Narnia and meets the White Witch. She calls herself the Queen of Narnia. The Witch gives Edmund magical Turkish delight and promises to make him a prince if he brings his siblings to her. Edmund returns home with Lucy but lies to Peter and Susan, saying Narnia isn't real.
All Four Children Enter Narnia
Soon, all four children enter Narnia together. They find out that Tumnus has been arrested for helping Lucy. A friendly pair of beavers, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, help the children. They tell them about a prophecy: the White Witch's rule will end when "two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve" (meaning two boys and two girls) sit on the four thrones of Cair Paravel. They also say that Narnia's true ruler, the great lion Aslan, is returning.
Meeting Aslan and the Battle
Edmund secretly goes to the White Witch's castle. He finds many of her enemies turned into stone statues. Edmund tells the Witch about Aslan's return. The Witch then orders the capture of Edmund's siblings and the Beavers. Meanwhile, the Beavers lead the other children to meet Aslan. On their way, they meet Father Christmas, who gives them magical gifts, including weapons.
The children and Beavers meet Aslan and his army. The White Witch's wolf captain, Maugrim, attacks Susan but is killed by Peter. The White Witch arrives and demands Edmund's life, saying ancient magic gives her the right to kill him for his betrayal. Aslan talks to the Witch alone. He then announces that the Witch has given up her claim on Edmund.
Aslan's Sacrifice and Return
That evening, Susan and Lucy secretly follow Aslan to the Stone Table. They watch as the Witch kills Aslan, as part of their secret agreement to save Edmund. The next morning, Aslan is brought back to life by even older magic. This magic can reverse death if an innocent person willingly dies in place of a traitor. Aslan takes the girls to the Witch's castle and brings all the stone Narnians back to life. They join the Narnian army fighting the Witch. The Narnians win, and Aslan kills the White Witch.
Kings and Queens of Narnia
The Pevensie children are crowned kings and queens of Narnia at Cair Paravel. They rule happily for many years, growing into adults. One day, while hunting a magical White Stag, they find the lamp-post that marks Narnia's entrance. Without realizing it, they pass back through the wardrobe and return to England. They are children again, and no time has passed. They tell their story to the Professor, who believes them and says they will return to Narnia one day.
Main Characters
- Lucy is the youngest Pevensie sibling. She is the first to discover Narnia through the wardrobe. Her siblings don't believe her at first. In Narnia, she becomes Queen Lucy the Valiant.
- Edmund is the second-youngest. He often argues with his siblings and is known for lying. The White Witch tempts him with power and treats, leading him to betray his family. He later regrets his actions and helps defeat the Witch. He is crowned King Edmund the Just.
- Susan is the second-oldest sibling. She doesn't believe in Narnia until she sees it. She and Lucy witness Aslan's sacrifice and his return to life. She is crowned Queen Susan the Gentle.
- Peter is the oldest sibling. He tries to keep peace among his younger siblings. He also doesn't believe Lucy's stories at first. He becomes a hero by defeating Maugrim and leading the Narnian army. He is crowned High King of Narnia and called King Peter the Magnificent.
- Aslan is a powerful lion and the true King of Narnia. He sacrifices himself to save Edmund but is resurrected. He then helps the Narnians and the Pevensie children defeat the White Witch. Lewis wrote Aslan to represent Christ.
- The White Witch is the story's main villain. She calls herself the queen of Narnia and has kept the land in endless winter for 100 years. She can turn creatures to stone with her wand. She fears the prophecy of the "Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve." Her real name is Jadis.
- The Professor is the kind old man who takes in the children. He is the first to believe Lucy's story about Narnia. He hints that he knows more about Narnia than he lets on.
- Tumnus is a faun and the first Narnian Lucy meets. He becomes Lucy's friend, even though the White Witch ordered him to capture any humans he found. He is later turned to stone by the Witch but is brought back to life by Aslan.
- Mr and Mrs Beaver are two friendly beavers. They are friends with Tumnus and help Peter, Susan, and Lucy find Aslan.
How the Story Was Written
C. S. Lewis explained how he got the idea for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in an essay. He said it started with a picture in his mind: "a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood." He had this image since he was about 16. When he was around 40, he decided to write a story about it.
During World War II, many British children were sent away from cities to the countryside to escape bombings. In 1939, three schoolgirls came to live at Lewis's home near Oxford. This experience helped him understand children better. He started writing a children's story soon after.
Lewis also mentioned the idea of entering a new world through a wardrobe in 1946. He used it to describe how he felt when he discovered great poetry. He said it was "as if a cupboard... proved one day... to lead to the garden of the Hesperides".
In 1948, Lewis talked about finishing a children's book. Then, in early 1949, everything changed. Lewis said, "Aslan came bounding into it." He had been dreaming of lions around that time. Once Aslan was in the story, he "pulled the whole story together," and then the other six Narnian stories followed.
The book was finished by March 1949. Lucy Barfield, Lewis's goddaughter, received it by May. When it was published in October 1950, Lewis had already finished three more Narnia books.
Illustrations in the Book
Lewis chose Pauline Baynes to draw the pictures for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the rest of the Narnia series. He was very happy with her detailed drawings. Lewis even wrote to Baynes, saying that the Carnegie Medal they won for The Last Battle was "our medal" because her illustrations were so important.
The British edition of the novel had 43 illustrations. Earlier American editions often had fewer, and some were even cut down. However, all the original illustrations were put back for the 1994 HarperCollins edition, which is now used worldwide.
Reading Order of the Books
There has been a lot of discussion about the best order to read The Chronicles of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first book published. For many years, most copies of the books were printed in this publication order.
However, in 1980, a new edition started listing the books in the order of the stories' timeline. This meant The Magician's Nephew came first, as it tells the very beginning of Narnia. When HarperCollins published a worldwide edition in 1994, they also used this timeline order. They said it was what C. S. Lewis wanted.
But Lewis himself wrote to a young fan, Laurence Krieg, about the reading order. He said, "I think I agree with your order... [but] perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone reads them." He also mentioned that he didn't plan the series beforehand. So, while there's a suggested timeline order, Lewis thought it wasn't super important which way you read them.
Christian Themes
One of the most important themes in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is Christianity. Many parts of the characters and events in the book are similar to ideas from the Bible.
The lion Aslan is a clear example. His death is very much like the death of Jesus Christ. Aslan sacrifices himself for Edmund, who betrayed his family. This is similar to how Christians believe Jesus sacrificed himself for people's sins. Aslan is killed on the Stone Table, which can represent old laws. When he comes back to life, it shows how forgiveness and grace can replace strict justice.
After his sacrifice, Aslan comes back to life. He then continues to help the children save Narnia. While this is very similar to Jesus's death and resurrection, there are some small differences. For example, Aslan died to save Edmund specifically, not all of Narnia. Also, Aslan was dead for one night, while Jesus returned on the third day. Despite these small differences, Aslan's story strongly reflects the biblical account of Jesus's death and resurrection.
Adaptations of the Story
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been made into television shows, plays, and films.
Television Shows
The story has been adapted for TV three times:
- A 10-part series was made by ITV in 1967.
- An animated TV miniseries was broadcast in 1979. It won an Emmy Award for Best Animated Program.
- The BBC produced a third TV adaptation in 1988. This version used live actors, puppets, and animation. It was nominated for an Emmy and won a BAFTA award.
Theatre Productions
Many stage versions of the story have been performed:
- A version was staged in London in 1984 by Vanessa Ford Productions.
- A musical adaptation was created in 1986.
- A one-act play was published in 1989 and performed many times in the United States.
- In 1997, a Filipino Christian theatre company, Trumpets Inc., created a musical version. Lewis's stepson, Douglas Gresham, felt this was very true to Lewis's original idea.
- The Royal Shakespeare Company performed an adaptation in 1998.
- An Australian musical production toured in 2002, using puppets and actors.
- In 2012, a "tented production" was staged in Kensington Gardens, London.
- A new stage adaptation started at Leeds Playhouse in 2017. It later moved to London's Bridge Theatre in 2019 and the West End's Gillian Lynne Theatre in 2022.
Film Versions
In 2005, a theatrical film of the story was made. It was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media. This film was followed by two more Narnia movies: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
