Often, religion is associated with inhibition and suppression and many never fully understand what it means to enjoy the kind of relationship with God that Christianity is meant to allow. During his youth, C.S. Lewis struggled with his own aversion to religious faith and wondered why it was so difficult to feel the way people said that one should feel towards God ("C.S." 330). Eventually, during his adult life, Lewis came to accept Christianity and became a popular apologist and advocate of his new-found faith, realizing that it was not meant to stifle and limit life, but to enable people to enjoy it to its fullest extent. In his fictional works, Lewis attempted to break down the barriers of skepticism and inhibition to reveal the true essence of Christianity. This can be seen in Lewis's children's series, The Chronicles of Narnia, where he uses Biblical allegory to teach about fundamental Christian principles in a way which appeals to the imagination rather than relying on dry, rigid doctrine. The underlying message of these stories is developed through genre, direct Biblical parallels, and repeating themes that illuminate the beliefs that Lewis feels are essential to understanding Christianity.
The most fundamental way Lewis was able to present his ideas was through his use of genre. In the beginning, Lewis started writing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a simple fairy tale because it was a type of literature that had always fascinated him. Because of his intimacy with fairy tales, fables, and Norse mythology he was also aware that fairy tale characters come with their own pre-established personality traits and symbolism (Walsh 137). Since allegory is literature used to convey a message through extensive symbolism and metaphor, and is so closely related to the fable (Encarta), the book's fairy tale form easily facilitated the gradual transformation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe into an allegory. In addition, Lewis believed that children's books, as with all literature, should be written on more than one level. In his book, Of Other Worlds, Lewis states that "a children's story which is only enjoyed by children is a bad children's story" (24). He disgustedly notes that many children's books focus on the fulfillment of the child's desires in the areas of popularity, success, and indulgence which are only superficial, temporary pleasures. Lewis preferred the fairy tale as a genre because he felt that in a sense, it is more realistic because it deals with danger, death, sacrifice, and heroism. The end results in a great sense of true satisfaction obtained through a moral quest for the common good against ever present corruption and evil (30). Because of this philosophy on literature, the inclusion of a positive moral message was a very natural progression for Lewis in the development of his story.
Along with these viewpoints came the development of Aslan, the great Lion, which inspired Lewis to formulate a hypothesis which he worked into the rest of the series (36). The Chronicles can be seen as a type of experiment in the imagination of Lewis as to what would occur if there were a world like Narnia which had somehow become overrun by evil and needed God to come and redeem it as he did in our world (Freshwater 99). Being the same God to both worlds, he would behave in many of the same ways and for the same reasons. Through this hypothesized fairy tale, Lewis sets the conditions for the allegorical plot and themes which are developed throughout the Chronicles.
This blending of fairy tale and allegory facilitated the inclusion of many Biblical parallels which Lewis used to reveal different lessons in each of the Chronicles of Narnia. In the chronological order of Narnian history, The Magician's Nephew, although not the first written, is a logical beginning to the parallels. This book explains the origin of Narnia and of the evil witch from The Lion, both of which bear similarities to the creation story in Genesis which illustrates God's relationship to man and the universe. The first part of the story introduces Jadis, the infamous witch. An eccentric man named Andrew coerces two children, his nephew Digory and Digory's friend Polly, into putting on magic rings he invented which would transport them to other worlds. They stumble into the dead world of Charn and, upon finding a room full of frozen figures, an inscribed, magic bell tempts Digory to ring it, despite the warnings of Polly. The consequence is that he freed the evil Queen Jadis who uses the children to transport her into a new world to conquer. They inadvertently arrive in Narnia on the day of its creation, introducing evil for the first time. This episode uses Digory to show mankind's propensity to sin, or to succumb to the temptation to indulge one's own desires at the expense of suffering. The outcome of his inconsideracy is not only unpleasant to the two children, but also to the entire land of Narnia which has to deal with this unleashed evil force.
The second part of The Magician's Nephew concerns Aslan and his creation of Narnia. Aslan sings Narnia into existence and creates animals from the ground, giving some of them the gift of speech and intellect. This is remarkably similar to the initial creation described in Gen. chapter 1. This correspondence is used to give insight into who Aslan really is and to illustrate how the world has such an intimate, vital connection to him. When he meets Aslan face to face, the lion is stern because of the trouble Digory had just started. However, his most notable characteristics are that he is compassionate and father-like to Digory; knowing that the boy's mother was suffering from a terminal illness. Digory notes that "great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes ... as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself" (Lewis 127). Aslan gives Digory a chance to make things right by retrieving a magic apple which could be used to keep the Witch out of Narnia. The boy is successful despite the fact that the Witch tries to convince him that he should take the apple of life for himself and mother, rather than to obey the Lion. When he returns, Aslan rejoices, and rewards him with an apple from the resulting tree which could be used to cure his mother. Digory sees that his choice to obey had better consequences than if he would have taken the Witch's advice, because she stole and ate an apple, gaining immortality, but also a tortuous eternity of living in her own cruelty and despair. This take-off of the story of the temptation in the garden of Eden serves to show not only the consequences of transgression of God's guidelines, but also the positive results of adherence. Colin Manlove agrees in his analysis of the Narnia Chronicles, stating that "By the end, Digory can see through the deceptions of the witch ... showing that he has gained full control over himself and his life, even when he submits both to Aslan's will" (99). Essentially, The Magician's Nephew portrays the world the way God intended it to be. Aslan has a very close, dynamic relationship with his creations, giving them the ability to reason and know goodness. It illuminates the Christian belief in a very active, fatherly God who knows what is best for his creations; delighting in the fact that they would choose to follow his will and forgiving them for their tendency to stray.
The second book in chronological order is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The plot of this story closely follows the sequence of events of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. It effectively portrays the significance and emotional depth of this immense Christian concept in a tangible way. It begins when four siblings accidentally uncover the land of Narnia at the back of an old wardrobe. The two youngest go there first, and of these two, Edmund comes in contact with the aforementioned Witch. She fears the prophesied return of humans to Narnia because it would trigger a sequence of events leading to the downfall of her evil reign over the land. Therefore she convinces Edmund to turn over his brother and sisters to her by tempting him with fame, fortune, and all the Turkish delight he can eat. Edmund becomes a traitor, and coincidentally there is a law, written by the Great Emperor Beyond the Sea, that all traitors fall under the jurisdiction of the Witch who decides that his punishment must be death. This is reminiscent of a key point made in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death", reinforcing the idea that rebellion against God's law deserves punishment. However, Romans goes on to state that because of mankind's state, Christ died, taking the punishment which mankind deserves upon himself so that we can be free and reconciled with God. Hence the entrance of Aslan, the Son of the Great Emperor Over the Sea, coming to Narnia to save Edmund and the rest from the dominion of the Witch, the embodiment of evil. Aslan offers himself to the Witch in place of Edmund, because he wants to save him, yet cannot break the law established by his father the Great Emperor. Aslan has the advantage over the Witch because although she knows the law of "Deep Magic, there is a deeper magic still which she did not know...when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, .. Death itself would start working backwards" (Lewis, Lion 132). Therefore Aslan the great Lion solemnly accepts capture, mocking, and finally death at the hands of the Witch and her minions just as Christ, with as much heavenly power as he was believed to have held, submitted to the same fate. Lucy and Susan, Edmund's sisters, witness the ordeal and the story goes on to described the terrible sadness and loneliness they experienced. Lewis as the narrator adds that "it was all more lonely and hopeless and horrid than I know how to describe" (128) leaving it up to the reader to decide how it must have been. However the most joyous part of the book immediately follows when Aslan comes back to life and partakes in an enormous "romp" with the amazed children and then helps Peter and the Narnians fend off the Witch's army. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe shows the extent to which Aslan loves Narnia and its inhabitants and is willing to serve them. The fact that it is recognizably based on events in the life of Jesus automatically leads the reader to make the connection between the love of Aslan and the love of God. Therefore the poignant story enhances the most fundamental of Christian beliefs: that God loves mankind so much that he died so that we wouldn't have to bear the horrible shame and punishment, but that because he did not deserve to die, he came back to life, thereby defeating death and evil.
In addition to the parallels seen in The Lion, Aslan shows a number of similarities to Christ in Prince Caspian as well. The role of Aslan in this story is that of a teacher, guide, and healer which is the role of Jesus in the synoptic gospels. The original four siblings have been transported back to Narnia the next summer, but thousands of years later in Narnian time. Their mission is to aid the underground resistance movement of Caspian, the boy King, and the Narnians to regain their rightful position which had been taken away by Caspian's evil Uncle Miraz. However, before they can begin the battle, they first must find Caspian and his army of Talking Beasts, and learn some important lessons along the way. They are guided in part by the loyal dwarf, Trumpkin, and must navigate through the Narnian wilderness which has changed considerably over the millennia. Peter takes the lead since he is the oldest and was named High King of Narnia by Aslan the last time they were there. However, Lucy, the youngest, sees Aslan in the distance motioning for them to follow. The others cannot see him and are too stubborn to change their course. By nightfall, they become very lost on rough terrain so they stop to sleep. Again Lucy sees Aslan and runs to reach him. He asks her why she did not come to him the first time and she surprisedly replies, "How could I - I couldn't have left the others and come up to you alone, how could I? Don't look at me like that... oh, well, I suppose I could. Yes, and it wouldn't have been alone,... not if I was with you" (117). this seems to be a parallel of Matt. 19:29 when Jesus tells his disciples "everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much." The lesson here implies that, although it may not seem to be at all convenient or practical at the time, it is best to follow God's directions to make everything work out. Lucy learns that by leaving her siblings she would have made them follow her to Aslan, and they would have gone in the right direction. Lucy tries again, but when they wake up, they cannot see Aslan, and do not believe that he is there. Finally, Edmund decides to be open minded, and only then can he see the Lion. Last of all to realize his presence were Susan and Peter who, being the oldest, felt too superior to the others to admit that they might be mistaken (Lindskoog 94). Here, Aslan teaches another of Jesus' lessons. Matt 5:8 states that "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God". Because Lucy was the only one at first to be humble and open-minded, she was the only one to see Aslan and to understand what he wanted of her. The others were being too arrogant and self-reliant to let Aslan help them, but once they submitted themselves to the will of the youngest among them, they were able to be open and selfless enough to let Aslan back into their lives.
Once they are reunited and are able to join Caspian, Aslan runs around the Narnian countryside with a steadily increasing throng of followers. He releases children from schools, lets all of the Narnian creatures come out of hiding, and even stops to heal a little boy's sick aunt. This can be compared to the actions of Jesus who wandered around Galilee and Jerusalem with his followers, teaching and caring for those around him. Because Aslan's behavior portrays him as a loving, adventurous, and charismatic individual, his character illuminates that of Jesus, and leads the reader to a greater understanding of the kind of person he was.
Later, in The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" , the characters' brief encounters with Aslan further expound upon his qualities, and illustrate two important concepts in the lives of Christian believers. The first idea is that of salvation by belief in Christ and the changes this acceptance brings. When the story opens, the readers meet Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and if it is not evident from the name, he is a very unpleasant, unlikeable, arrogant child who refused to believe in his cousins' stories about Narnia. He is then transported to Narnia against his will, along with his cousins Lucy and Edmund. They find themselves on the "Dawn Treader", a ship of their old friend King Caspian, and he tells them of his plans to sail to the end of the world (because Narnia is flat). While the others are having a great time exploring new islands, Eustace is sulking and keeping a journal in which he records his thoughts. He believes everyone to be extremely vile and ignorant and is convinced of the superiority of his actions and intellect, even though he is always the one who fails to see things beyond his own interests. One day he runs off and hides in a dragon's cave only to discover the next morning that he has become a dragon himself. He immediately realizes how isolated he is and longs to be back with the others who he had taken for granted before. He recognizes that he had not always been the nicest person towards them and tried to make it up by being useful in his dragon form. However, the real change came one night when Aslan appeared to him and told him to take off his skin. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get all of it off by himself, so he had to trust Aslan to do it. After the dragon-skin had been shed, Aslan threw him into the water and dressed him in new clothes. Eustace "began to be a different boy" (Lewis, Voyage 92), losing his egotistic, self-centered attitudes, and for the first time, he begins to enjoy life. This episode demonstrates the concept of becoming a new person in Christ seen in 2Cor 5:17 : "Therefore whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." This means that by accepting and believing in Christ it is possible for anyone to let him get rid of their sinful corrupt nature in order to enjoy life by being in a proper relationship with God. Eustace could not do it by himself, he needed Aslan to intercede to completely rid himself of his dragonish nature. Saltzgiver agrees, stating that "There is nothing we can do on our own to overcome our sin and its penalty, and be acceptable to God" because self-centeredness is a part of human nature that prevents people from being able to be open to Him (5). But Lewis emphasizes that God still gives us a way out through Christ, just as Eustace was given a second chance by Aslan.
The second major topic covered by The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" is the concept of the Holy Spirit. In John chapter 14, Jesus tells his disciples that he will be leaving the world shortly, but not to worry because he will give them a counselor who will always be with them; describing the Holy Spirit. Aslan also keeps this promise during the course of the story by intermittently appearing to each of them as a guide who never lets them stray too far off track. Even though he is not a constant physical presence in the story, he is always there in the thoughts of the children, and sometimes appearing in various forms to serve as a reminder to them. For example, he first came to Lucy who tries to help break an invisibility enchantment using a wizard's spell book. Aslan appears in time to stop her from using any of the more harmful ones for her own pleasure. He also emerges near two of the newly discovered islands to guide Caspian out of impending danger. Next, Aslan turns Caspian around right before the edge, reminding the boy of his responsibilities as king back home in Narnia. Finally, Aslan greets Eustace and his companions when they reach his country at the end of their journey. He is in the guise of a lamb, symbolizing Jesus, the "lamb of God" (John 1:29) and offers the seafarers a grilled fish breakfast, just as Jesus does with his disciples after his resurrection at the end of John. Aslan's actions throughout Voyage reaffirm Christ's promise at the close of Matthew, "surely I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt 28:20). Aslan is an everlasting guardian to the Narnians (Manlove 51). The Holy Spirit of Christian belief, like Aslan, gives strength, understanding and guidance to those who seek it (Saltzgiver 4). Through Aslan, Lewis portrays the Holy Spirit as a very comforting, constant, and dependable presence which anyone, even someone like Eustace, can enjoy if they open their heart to Christ.
These Narnian adventures serve to enhance the reader's understanding of certain doctrines through similarities which make the original concepts more tangible and attractive. However, the mission of an allegory, in addition to teaching through parallels, is to go above and beyond them to cultivate the most significant ideas (Encarta). Thus Lewis transcends the parallels of the Chronicles in order to stress certain Christian beliefs which are the most important to him.
The first method he uses to do this is through incorporating a few obvious discrepancies in the Chronicles' correspondence to Biblical events. By not adhering to the original stories, Lewis provides an alternative look at the ideas presented in each situation.
One interesting example of this occurs when the Witch, playing the traditional role of Satan, tempts Digory to steal the magic apple from the Garden. As the story in Genesis goes, Adam succumbs to the same temptation in the Garden of Eden, causing mankind's alienation from God. However, in The Magician's Nephew, Digory resists and Aslan is overjoyed. Rather than focusing on the terrible consequences of sin, Lewis uses Digory's triumph to demonstrate the wonderful rewards of obedience.
Another very telling discrepancy is the fate of Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In a letter to one of his young fans, Lewis explains that "Edmund is like Judas, a sneak and traitor. But unlike Judas, he repents and is forgiven; as Judas would have been if he'd repented" (Letters 93). The fact that Edmund, who prepares to sell his siblings' lives and who precipitates Aslan's death, is completely absolved of his misdeeds sends a powerful message about God's eagerness to forgive and take back even the most depraved. However, Lewis makes it clear that this can only happen provided that the guilty party humbles himself enough to seek it.
Both of these modified lessons also serve to discuss another of Lewis' beliefs concerning free will and sin. In his book, Mere Christianity, Lewis maintains that God gave man free will, the ability to choose between right and wrong, because "a world full of automata... would hardly be worth creating". While this makes it possible for people to be evil, it is deeply satisfying to God to see people love him and try to please him of their own accord rather than him forcing them to (52). Each of these alternative episodes shows a human being facing a dilemma over whether or not it would be in his best interests to follow God. Through the positive results of the boys' choice to ally themselves with Aslan, Lewis presents his case concerning the significance of the choice we are each given. He shows that although people are given to following their own misguided whims, it does not always have to come to that end. Lewis maintains that the alternative to blind, self-inflicted misery is a bright future which stems from choosing to listen to God.
The second way Lewis was able to emphasize his personal beliefs was through recurring themes which are interwoven throughout the Chronicles. One of Lewis' own significant beliefs is his theory of "Sehnsucht", or joy, which can only be obtained directly from God (White 296). Lewis says that "we find ourselves in a world of transporting pleasures, ravishing beauties and tantalizing possibilities, all coming to nothing" (qtd. in Lindskoog 38). He believes that there is a certain pleasure which people are subconsciously driven to seek all of their lives, but no matter what they pursue to fulfill this desire, they are always let down. It is simply something that cannot be found in this world. He contends that we are made this way and that this happiness cannot be found apart from God (Lewis, Mere 54). Saltzgiver supports this idea, stating that "we are meant to be in a right relationship with Him. God wants us to have full, joyous, abundant, meaningful life" and that "He is the very One for whom we are made" (3). This urgent longing is personified through Lucy who hates nothing more than going back to her own world at the end of each story. She is always portrayed as the one most fervently seeking and following Aslan. At the close of The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader", Lucy is terribly distraught at the thought of departing once more, crying "It's not Narnia, you know, it's you [Aslan]" (142). Lucy knows that she can never feel as loved and fulfilled as when she is in the presence of Aslan (Freshwater 100). Lewis uses her anguish to effectively illustrate his argument in emotional terms. This concept of deep longing is also portrayed through the militant mouse, Reepicheep (Manlove 64). Reepicheep is constantly fighting for honor and recognition, at the front of every battle in Prince Caspian and is the most adventurous character of all in Voyage. However, nothing excites Reepicheep more than knowing that he is sailing to the end of the world to stay forever with Aslan. Lewis is trying to show that nothing we strive for on earth can even remotely compare with the joy that can be experienced with God, because he is the only permanent, dependable answer to that mysterious inner longing for love and fulfillment.
In addition to emphasizing his belief in Sehnsucht, Lewis consistently uses the Chronicles to support his views on the most essential of all Christian virtues and on the chief cause of sin. In his book, Mere Christianity, Lewis describes what he feels are the "Cardinal Virtues": "Prudence, Temperance, Justice and Fortitude" (74). Some of these virtues are demonstrated by several of the main characters throughout the chronicles. For example, Caspian signifies justice because he overthrows the slave trade on the first island he discovers, and in his everyday interactions he is constantly concerned with the fair treatment and well-being of everyone aboard the "Dawn Treader". Caspian is a king, yet he goes out of his way to serve his friends, giving them his own cabin and some of his dry clothes when he rescues them from the ocean. He is portrayed as an admirable character and becomes a role model of impartiality and fairness.
Fortitude, or courage is personified by Reepicheep, who is only a one foot high, talking mouse, but who proves himself to be more resolute than any of the characters he is with. Reepicheep is fearless and chivalrous. He never backs down from a challenge, and despite his size, is always the first one to rush into danger. Lindskoog notes that Lewis believes "that where courage is not, no other virtue can survive except by accident" (103). Reepicheep's courage translates into many other qualities, such as perseverance, compassion, and leadership abilities. Most importantly, "Reepicheep always dares to believe" (Lindskoog 105). For his unwavering convictions, he is rewarded by being permitted to stay forever in Aslan's country which is the Narnian equivalent to heaven. His courage made it possible for him to have faith which is the most essential ingredient to any religion. Through his treatment of Caspian and Reepicheep, Lewis is able to persuasively describe the rewards that come from adherence to Christian ethics.
The second key moral point that is made in Mere Christianity is that pride is the worst of all vices. According to Lewis, pride leads to every other evil (109). Saltzgiver defines sin as a state in which man puts himself at the center of his life without making room for God (5), and this is precisely what Lewis tries to explain through the antagonistic characters of the chronicles. As the Witch and Digory's Uncle Andrew discover Narnia, the only thing they can think about is exploitation and conquest. They see Aslan, but they cannot understand what he is, or what he is doing. The children can see that Aslan is singing and creating Talking beasts, but the adult antagonists convince themselves that they are only hearing roaring, and will not accept the truth because it would stand in the way of their own plans. When Edmund succumbs to the Witch's temptation, it is because she appealed to his sense of pride, promising to make him a prince if he would turn over his siblings. Another example of pride standing in the way of the truth occurred in The Last Battle when the dwarfs would not let themselves see Aslan because they feared they were being taken in by a hoax and did not wish to risk damaging their integrity. As a rule in the Chronicles, pride and selfishness lead to separation from Aslan (Manlove 53). The actions of these characters are in direct opposition to those of Lucy, whose humbleness gave her the ability to see Aslan, or of Reepicheep who constantly risked his reputation and well-being for the sake of finding Aslan's country. Lewis wishes to make it clear that the selfish and prideful always miss the real pleasures in life, and, by continuing in their ways, will inevitably come to a destructive end, like the Witch.
The most essential theme that arises in the Chronicles of Narnia is that God is permanent, and is the only reality (Manlove 50). There are innumerable times, in all seven books of the series, in which the main characters become lost or confused, but each time Aslan appears in some form to guide them and lead them out of danger. When they are not sure what is real or who to trust, Lewis shows that everything turns out for the best when they rely upon Aslan. One such example is when Aslan appears as an albatross to steer Caspian out of Nightmare Island. No one knew where to go or what was really happening since in the realm of the island, nightmares become reality. Another example of this occurs when Digory chooses to bring the magic apple back to Aslan, even when the Witch told him that he should keep it for his mother rather than listen to a strange lion. In both cases, Aslan was the only concrete entity that the children could trust, and each time they did, they discovered that it was the only logical choice they could have made. This theme was most heavily dealt with in The Silver Chair. It is many decades later in Narnian history when Eustace is brought back with his friend Jill to find King Caspian's lost son Rillian who has been kidnapped by an evil, subterranean-dwelling, green witch. The children are assaulted with a barrage of illusions, and are constantly being misguided by the green witch and her trail of enchantments. However, right before they set out on their journey, Aslan gives Jill explicit instructions which she has to obey in order to have a successful quest. Several times they are distracted from the instructions; each time almost leading to defeat. One example of this being when they accept the hospitality of seemingly friendly, but actually man-eating, giants. Once Jill and Eustace learn their lesson they are able to find the green witch's underground kingdom and rescue Prince Rillian from her web of deception. They discover that nothing in Narnia is quite what they expect it to be, and that the only hope they have of retaining their sanity is to trust in Aslan. Aslan is the permanent, dominating force throughout Narnian history and, as shown at the end of The Last Battle, he even outlasts Narnia itself. This is a very reassuring theme which Lewis means to be applied to our own world. As the children in these stories came to learn, there is hope for anyone who has ever been scared, misguided, or confused. Through the Narnia Chronicles, Lewis reveals his belief in a compassionate, loving, dependable God who is trying to reach us and guide us through our trials and the confusing messages of the world around us.
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