Fantasy: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

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Evaluation of the book:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the famous story of siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy who discover the land of Narnia in the back of a wardrobe. The book is written in simple, clear prose that clearly points to children as its intended readers. The simplicity and elegance of the prose compliment the exciting and adventurous story, letting young readers enjoy the experience of reading this book without being bogged down by overly complicated writing.

In addition to the simple prose, the book is filled with little, simple illustrations. These small, black and white sketches of creatures in Narnia remind the reader that the beings described in the book are not human - they’re beavers, fauns, lions, etc. The book contains a lot of dialogue; it’s easy to forget who’s - or what’s - talking. The illustrations are a little reminder to the reader that they have entered a fantastical world, Narnia.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe contains many exemplary, virtuous characters (Mr. Tumnus, Aslan, the Beavers, Lucy, etc.) for young readers to imitate. The distinction between good and evil is clearly drawn; the witches, wolves, and ogres are the bad guys while the humans, lions, and beavers are the good guys. That being said, the book is not overly didactic in tone, it simply illustrates good vs. evil in a way that children can observe and learn from, if they choose.

Response:
As a Christian, I see (and agree with/believe in!) all the parallels C.S. Lewis draws to salvation history in this book. Aslan as a Christ figure coming to save the world from the White Witch (sin), Lucy and Susan (the women on the road to calvary) accompanying Aslan to his death, etc. The Christian overtones are hardly veiled (sacrificial death of the main character is a bit too dramatic to hide completely), but the book can also be enjoyed by non-Christians because of its engaging, fast-paced plot and its virtuous characters. Well-written and fun, even if simple, the Chronicles of Narnia is an excellent, wholesome series of books. I loved the stories as a kid; I enjoyed revisiting as an adult.

Conclusion:
Even though this book is written in simple prose and contains simple illustrations, its story is far from a simple one, nor does it attract a simple audience. Children are drawn to exciting stories like those of Narnia; C. S. Lewis does a good job hiding a few lessons in virtue in his pages so that the book might contain more than a simple story. I’d recommend this book to any child, but especially those who might be more hesitant readers. I bet a story with talking beavers, an evil witch, and heroic children could draw in even the most solid anti-reader - and the simplicity of the prose won’t scare anyone away!

APA Style Reference:

Lewis, C. S. (1994). The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. New York, NY: HarperTrophy.