The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Reason Book was Chosen:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was one of the first books I remember reading by myself as a kid. In fact, I would turn on my fish tank light so that I could read it by that dim light so that my parents would think I was sleeping. Even with that early start, I never read through the entire Chronicles of Narnia series. It's time to remedy that. I may read some of these to my daughters as part of the reading project.My Thoughts
If you’ve followed this reading project, you’ve heard me talk about a few things. First is that my main goal is to seek Truth through the best books. Second, my hinge book is The Sacred Romance. In that book, author John Eldredge effectively argues that the reason movies, literature, and art move us is because they tell of a larger story, a meta-story, a Sacred Romance. All myths and stories then contain at least an element of a larger Truth. Eldredge concludes that the ultimate story, the ultimate truth is found in Jesus Christ. In seeking Truth in the best books, I’m attempting to seek elements of this larger story sprinkled through the books I read. To me, it’s a treasure seeking quest of sorts.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe makes this process quite simple. The storyline is very close to the storyline of the life of Jesus. But C.S. Lewis writes in a way that helps you understand it deeper. Yes, this is a children’s story and can be read at a basic level. It can also be read in a way that broadens your understanding of what you find in the Bible. Of how the son of the Emperor-Beyond-The-Sea (Aslan) would be required to die and take the place of Edmund, a traitor. How the White Witch could claim the following (in speaking to Aslan):
“You at least know the magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill.”
and
“He (Aslan) knows that unless I have blood as the Law says all Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water.”
So Aslan has to die. The White Which claims victory. But though she references magic in the quotes above, Aslan says there is yet a “deeper magic.” The deeper magic is that “death would start working backward.”
This is one of the first books I remember reading as a child. This story to me is as old in my memory as the Bible stories my mother read to me every night. Reading it again as a 40-yr-old brought back a level of magic to my soul. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
3 Comments. Leave new
I had the measles as a child & was not supposed to read and would take a flashlight & use under the cover and read for fear I’d be in trouble with my parents????
That’s awesome!
It is the best book ever written