Trncfjanti NG THT I MAG I NATION
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
trNCFJANTING THT IMAG I NATION ln TheLion, TheWitch and the Wardrobe,the first book writerJ.R.R.Tolkien; the two men began Lewiswrote aboutNarnia, four British children aresent a writing-and-discussiongroup called to live with an old professorduring the bombings the Inklings. Tolkien and other Inklings of London in World War II. Each of the children is a played alargerole in helpingLewis came little like all of us: Lucy has a childlike trust and the face-to-facewith the claimsof the Gospel wonder of innocence,Edmund carriesthe resentment ofJesusChrist. As a Christianapologist, and one-upmanshipof ordinary selfishness,Susan Lewis wrote some of the 20th century's representsthe skepticismof the almost-grown,and Peter most important books on faith (The showsthe impartialityand valor to which eachof us Screw tape Letter s, MereChristianity, longs to be called. SutyrisedbyJoy, The Great Divorce) as c.s. tEwls ATHts DESK StorySummary THE LEWISFAMILY WARDROBE well as the sevenNarnia Chronicles. While exploringthe house,Lucy the youngest,climbs through a magicwardrobe Why Did Lewis Write the Chronicles? into Narnia,a land of talking animalsand m;,thicalcreatures who areunder the Lewis himselfstated that the taleswere not allegoriesand thereforeshould not evil White Witch'sspell of endlesswinter. When Lucy returns,her brothersand be "decoded."He preferredto think of them as "supposals,"as he explainedin 'supposing sisterdont believeher tale.Edmund entersNarnia a few dayslater and meetsthe this letter to a young woman namedAnne: "I askedmyself, that White Witch, who feedshim TurkishDelight and promisesto makehim a prince therereally was a world like Narnia and supposingit had (like our world) gone of Narnia if he will bring his siblingsto her. Shesecretly wishes to kill them, wrong and supposingChrist wantedto go into that world and saveit (asHe becausean ancientrhlme saysthat the evil time of the White Witch will end did ours) what might havehappened?' The storiesare my answers.Since when four humanssit on the four thronesof Narnia.All four children enterNarnia Narnia is a world of TalkingBeasts, I thought He would becomea Talking togetherand hearabout Aslan, the greatlion, who will end the evil spell and make Beastthere, as He becamea man here.I picturedHim becominga lion there thingsright. Eagerfor more TurkishDelight, Edmund slipsaway and betrayshis because(a) the lion is supposedto be the king of beasts;(b) Christ is called 'The siblingsto the White Witch. Lion of Judah'in the Bible; (c) I'd beenhaving srrange dreams about lions when I beganwriting the work." When Aslanappears, the White Witch claimsEdmund's life, citing the Deep "Remember your Magic of Narnia that sentencestraitors to death.Aslan offershis own life in fairy tales. Spells Pastthe Watchful Dragons placeof Edmund's,allowing himself to be killed and unlocking a DeeperMagic are used for Suchsupposals help to sneakpast the internal "death by which Aslancomes back to life and makes startworking backwards." breaking "watchful dragons"that so thoroughlysnuffed the Ultimately,the witch is killed, Narnia is releasedfrom her deadlyspell, and enchantments as life out of Lewis'early experience of faith. Lewis the children are crowned as kings and queensof the happy land. well as for inducing understoodthat learningbegins in the imagination, (IrLore detailson panels5-6,) thern. And you and where thought and experiencecome together. I have need of the Who was C.S. Lewis? What the Chroniclesdo better than much children's strongest spell that Born Clive Stapleson November29, 1898,Lewis literatureis this: They createin us a desirefor God. can be found to declaredat agefour that he wished to be calledJacksie; Through the enjoymentand experienceof meeting wake us from the in his teens,he becameJack.After the devastatingdeath and following a king like Aslan,we can be better evil enchantment of his mother when Lewiswas only nine, young preparedto recognizethe realitiesof the Christian Jack of worldliness...." endureda seriesof horrible boardingschool experiences faith. Additionally, the Chroniclesare suides to --4's'LEWfs' THE wilaHr oF GLow during which he rejectedfaith and becamean atheist. assistus in growing up in Christ. The adventures Later,during his careeras an Oxford professorof English and challengesfaced in Narnia grow in complexityappropriate to a maturing C.S.LEWIS WIIH TOY languageand literature,Lewis met a lifelong friend in Christianlife. IVrLCOMr Tf NAF::NIA --4-< f Nilrni..r is the rvonclerful rl,orlcl crcatccl rl lHl N\)Rl I i nu'rurlifu->,- or-rtof nothing lLrythe song of Aslan. lts - r \Nf-:. -NORrrr r rl * in halri tan ts i n cl uclc talki n g bcasts, rl,vthical \N\L Island located one day's creatLues,hurnans, ancl one evil r,r'itclr. voyagenorth of Cair Paravel; All the chroniclecl cvcnts that ckr not takc F its inhabitants are lamous for NARNIA LIrln5m(lOI- place in our rvorlcl (Lonclon, Engiancl their seafaringexpertise. arouncl 1940) takc place in Nilrnia. BiverShribb/e Island southeastof Galma containing one city lnhabitecl b1,giants. thcsc lanclsarc honre to Ilarfing. castlc of bzrclgizmls. Shi{tsHome Stablc Hill t2a0Snatiep/ Group of isiands forming tl-re t,rncivilizccl colrntrv borclcring \\,cstcnl -tLL__MAR.a third stop on the Dawn f-Da Narnia; c-ontninsa garclerr r.r'itha plccious t,l Treader\ voyage. teTeDtnrnta apple trcer. I tt \- 6 Three islands on the edge Thc crty ernclcastlc liom r.vhich Narnie of civilization; the fourth is mlccl cluring the Co]clen Agc ol'Narnia, stop on the Dawn thc place rvhere Aslan crowns the [bur Treader\voyage. Pevensiechilclrcn. Mt.Pire F:rr bcyoncl thc rvestern InoLlntainslics I tftclr,'ttt,' ,'l tlt, teitlittg,l)ir;lt( \ ll,ln rrur I \\rrrlrl\\ltu -ttrtrtbl,tl irtl,, ltlttter 1l1li,trgh I a c:rve, fherr clescenclants,the Tclmarincs, Dragonlsland TheTall wave* invacleclNalnia. driving out the Olcl ^ Dealhwate,lsland Rr -bi;;bRrrrnl h, t2 Nl'nians ancl ruling r Nerv Narnia in r,r,hiclr o{the Duffles r)l-:'\ Oland thc truth about Aslan is mostlv lirrgollcu. '<-oFLN lsland 1\-\" *Dark Ramandu's6- lsland Lilies TJre1r'ienclly countryjust sor.rlhoI Narrria is ruleclb1' King I-une. FrccpL seaPeoPle Tehishbaan Norro sca e la lirr the C:rlornrcne inversion in T/rc Hor.sc -4* _\n tnd His Rov. Archenlancl is a salc'zucl peacelul place. s CALORMEN First inhabirccl bv outlar.vsliour r\rchcnlatrd. Calormen is arr urrpreirs:rrrr crnplrc lirll o[ rvarlike peoplc r,vho scek iloa @ Teebeth to enslavr othcrs. I'he Calomrcnes clo I nol rccognize Aslan. but in-stcircllrrrrship # Cottageo{ Arsheesh a clemon cal]ed'Iash. I ' :::1i,,:r: ' ttit-,,i.tt;r;:rrli' i frllrl: iiri . ,riiLlt li, "ilr[] .: ':rilritl] I '[] . , T I l:'irrr'l I trt llt, jit;i,i:l 1.,L 1: ir , ,,it,iir I l THr Gosrcl rNTHE LroN, THE WrcH €rTHyWAnpxonr ln Narnia Inthe bible ln Narnia InThe bible r 1. The land of Narnia and The creationwaits in eager r 5. Aslan choosesto die in In fact, the law requiresthat nearly its inhabitants have been expectationfor the sonsof God to be Edmund's place, allowing him to everything be cleansedwith blood,and under the control of the evil revealed.For the creationwas go free, which satisfies the White without the sheddingof blood thereis no White Witch for a long subjected to frustr ation, not by its Witch's claims on Edmund's life. forgiveness. (Hennrws 9: 22) time, yet the Narnians know own choice,butby the will of the But Goddemonstrates his own lovefor us that somedayAslan will onewho subjectedit, inhope that in {his:While we werestill sinners,"Christ deliver them and set the creationitself will be liberated diedfor us. (RoneNs5:8) everythingback to right. from its bondageto decayand broughtinto the glorious of Jreedom t 6. Aslan willingly goes to the ...hewas led as a sheepto slaughter;and as the children of God.. White Witch's camp and allows a lambbeJore its shearer is (RoraNs 8:19-2L) himself to be mocked, shaved,and silent,so he doesnot open' humiliated by her followers. hismouth. (Acrs 8:32 ) r 2. The White Witch calls Yousaid in your heart, "I will herselfthe queenof Narnia ascendto heaven:I will raisemy r 7. Aslan'swilling deathsets Narnia Christ redeemedus from the and demands obedience. throneaboye the starsof God;I will and Edmund free, therebydestroying curseof the law by becoming Sheis beautiful,proud, and sit enthronedon the mount of the Witch's plans.The DeeperMagic a cursefor us,for it is scheming. She will not allow assembly,on the utmost heightsof at work states:"When a willing victim written: "Cursedis etteryone . the name of Aslan to be the sacredmountain. I will &scend who had committed no treacherywas who is hung on a tree." mentioned;she is sure that aboyethe topsof the clouds;I will killed in a traitor'sstead, the Table (Ger-qrnNs3:13) she will be victorious over mahemyself lihe the Most High." would crack and Death itself would Aslan bv her treacherv. (Isaun14:13-14) start working backward."Through For he has rescuedus from the dominion oJ ...Satanhimselfmasquerades qs an Aslan'sdeath, the power of sin and darhnessand brought us into the hingdom of angelof light. (2 CoruruHm,NsI I: 14) deathis broken.Aslan's resurrection the Sonhe loyes,in whom we hayeredemption, restorespeace and freedom. theforgiv enesso/ sins. (ColossnNs I :14*14) I 3. The White Witch When tempted,no-one should say, deceivesEdmund by "Godis temptingme."For God I 8. Aslan restoresEdmund to his For I will Jorgivetheir wichednessand will offering him what he most cannotbe temptedby evil, nor does siblings and tells them there is no remembertheir sinsno more. (Hmnews 8:12) wants (Tirrkish Delight) and he tempt anyone;but eachone is need to discussEdmund's crime promising to make him the temptedwhen, by his own evil becauseit is in the Dast. king of Narnia.