Religion is the foundation of living. The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is written by C.S. Lewis. Characters from Narnia depict religious figures and events that happen in The Bible. The White Witch is a reminder to readers that no witch is good, even though white usually represents purity but in her case, represents coldness and snow. Lucy and Edmund both are opposites who love each other but Lucy speaks the truth when Edmund tells the lies. Lucy is a forgiving soul towards Mr. Tumnus who had a job to do that went against all morals. Because of age, Edmund may be seen as more trustworthy but later revealed that he is a coward. The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Lord of The Rings: The fellowship of The Ring is an allegorical retelling of The Bible.
Mr. Tumnus feels the guilt of his mission when meeting Lucy for the first time. He invites her in for food and drinks but as time passes he feels immensely guilty and says “It’s no good now, you know,” said the Faun, laying down its flute and shaking its head at her very sorrowfully.”( Lewis, 20). Guilt is a huge lesson the scriptures teach. Guilt is a sin because it means a person has done something wrong as that is the root to the guilt. Guilt is a feeling that
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occurs when a person sins. Guilt appears In The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring, as Andrew Krivak, "Author of 'The Rings': Tolkien's Catholic Journey," "Gollum is unlike anything anyone has ever seen or wants to become, and yet he mirrors what it means to bear the ring for any amount of time, something all in the ring's path both hate and desire: to become a slave under the deception of its power. For the ring symbolizes the very opposite of "the ennoblement of the humble." It is the temptation of power that, in the end, knows only how to destroy" (Krivak 13). He is a creature that feels guilt but can not do anything about it. Evil has warped his mind into a dark miserable creature. From scripture "my guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden to heavy to bear" (Psalm 38:4). Just like in the Scriptures, guilt will force the truth out as Mr.Tumnus breaks from guilt not able to hold such a terrible secret from Lucy. Both claims of guilt are very similar as the scripture claims the reason and responses that happen after feeling guilt. It is a very accurate way to describe how Mr. Tumnus feels towards his actions and intentions towards Lucy. After going back and forth with Lucy about his intentions, he states that he “can’t give you[Lucy] up to the Witch; not now that I know you. But we must be off at once.” The good gets the better of Mr. Tumnus and he folds. His job changes and rather than turning her in he has to get her out of there and back to the wardrobe. It is primal in the scriptures to fix what went wrong and redeem oneself. "Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed" (Daniel 4:21). Although Tumnus makes a sinful mistake, he is determined to make it up by doing what is right and not turning Lucy in. He can not turn her in because he knows how sweet and innocent she is. He would rather die than give her up to evil. White does not give the White Witch a good purpose. Both, Narnia and the Scriptures depict a world where there is no good Witch. As Edmund tells The White Witch about himself, her attitude towards him changes as she says with compassion, “My poor child,” she said in quite a different voice, “how cold you look!” (Lewis 46). When first meeting Edmund, The White Witch cam across as rude and arrogant. Only until finding out who he is which is a son of Adam. Her plans for him become wicked and to entice him she gives him Turkish Delight which has been enchanted to take advantage of Edmund and have him coming back for more. The white Witch is similar to the ring. The ring turns good to evil as Gandalf explains that "the power in the Ring works on the major flaw of all characters and by this means attempts to turn them to evil (Tolkien 91). They are both very similar because the main purpose of the ring and the witch is to go against and eliminate the good. Only will powered characters that are chosen will have the ability to see through the evil. In Scriptures, "Let no one be found among you... who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, or engages in witch craft"(Deuteronomy, 18:10) for they are going against the good of God. The White Witch put a spell on the Turkish delights which causes Edmund to crave more and do anything in his power to taste them. Any type of sorcery is detestable towards God as only these types of abilities are false and take advantage of the ignorant and even wise. Getting away from evil for a minute to take a look at the strong willed. Lucy preaches The Scriptures by staying strong in her belief of Narnia. After Lucy finds out Edmund has seen Narnia, she is excited to tell the others. She finds them all and tells them the story but Edmund with a look of confusion quickly tells Peter and Susan, “Lucy and I have been playing—pretending that all her story about a country in the wardrobe is true” (Lewis, 43). Lucy is a young girl with a lot of hope and joy in the world. At first only she visited Narnia so no one believed her and that hurt but Edmund as proof there was nothing Peter and Susan could think if Edmund also visited the land and says it is real. Lucy is distraught that Edmund would lie but she is still strong to what she sees and does not give up hope on the jailed land. Frodo is a young hobbit who stays home and never goes on a journey but seeing such evil, "I will take the ring," he said, "though I do not know the way" (Tolkien, 302). He accepts his fate by doing what no other can do. Quite similar to Frodo, Lucy accepts her fate by staying strong on what she believes. They both see the true good as The Scripture says "Stand firm. Let nothing move you" (1 Corinthians 15:58). This passage is very accurate. At Lucy's age, kids change their minds all the time to fit in. Lucy is much more than just a kid because a lesson that is learned at a much older age has already been grasped by a child. Her words and beliefs are so concrete, she brings the land of Narnia a new hope. Frodo also is giving himself to saving the lands. He is. It much but he has a big heart and knows it must be him to destroy the ring. Edmund is a character who tests Lucy. Edmund is a good kid but is set astray be the wicked doing of the White Witch. The White Witch warmed up to him and while asking him many questions, Edmund could only think "of trying to shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could, and the more he ate the more he wanted to eat” ( Lewis, 37). Right away, Edmund comes across as an annoying brother who always starts trouble, but because he is a kid, he can be taken advantage of quiet easily by an adult. In this case the adult is the White Witch and she uses food that has been enchanted to use him for giving up the location of his siblings. “His longing [for Turkish Delights], focused on the pleasure the witch has promised him…is not open to the explanation of the prophecies and of Aslan” (Ford 189) If Aslan is an allegory to Christ, then Edmund has turned his back to Christ and instead has chosen to follow the White Witch, or Devil. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (James 3:15). Edmund is a kid who is still learning right from wrong. Still understanding what he should and should not do. There is evil in the world that he has no idea about and that is the evil that has control over him. He is week because he can not understand what has taken over his mind to think good from evil. Edmund goes to the castle in search of more Turkish delight. The witch is mad because Edmund does not have his brother and sisters but he begs her by saying “they’re in the little house on top of the dam just up the river—with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver” (Lewis, 90). Edmund is a good kid but is being controlled by the sweet desire of Turkish delights. It is important to note he tells the witch about there location because he is under her spell. It is important to “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). With temptation all around, it is somewhat obvious to see that Edmund is confused and taken advantage of. Without more knowledge, Edmund is nothing, not a voice, not a speck, and not even a person. He is an object to the White Witch, only good for helping her rule the land of Narnia. Edmund is a character who symbolizes a religious role. Just like Judas being tempted by money to turn in Jesus, Edmund is tempted to turn in Aslan for Turkish delights. Like Judas is forgiven by Jesus, Edmund is forgiven by Aslan. The witch furious that Edmund was rescued, claims “that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property” ( Lewis, 126). Edmund is “the second person to be favorited with the sight of Aslan. Aslan salutes him…and breathes on him an air of greatness henceforth hangs on him” (Ford 190). This is similar to Jesus’ forgiveness of Judas when he says “forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23-24). Forgiveness is the most important message throughout both works because not only did he save all people and creatures but forgave them. Jesus and Aslan have one job and that is to save humanity. The forgiveness was added to show how much love existed. Love is an action that God shows to all things for no reason other than that he cares. As part of the humiliation begins for Aslan as he walks towards the White Witch while being mocked, the witch yells “Stop!” said the Witch. “Let him first be shaved” (Lewis, 137). This is important because it is humiliation. Gandalf is also humiliated, after escaping Salemun he says"They took me and they sent me alone on the pinnacle of Orthanc" (Tolkien 254). The cage was on top of the tower and all Gandalf could do is watch the enemies build and grow stronger. He sat on the tower for everyone to see. Both are depictions of the most memorable story told in scriptures. To be humiliated is one of the worst things a person can think of because it destroys that person on a mental level. Aslan has to go through this though, to show how powerful his lobe is towards Edmund who betrayed him. The guards in Jerusalem "stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him" (Matthew 28). The humiliation is an add on to know how much worse the suffering was. Not only physical torture but humiliation to a point where the victim feels naked and afraid. Aslan suffers the same way Jesus does and the stripping and shaving are both key elements to both crucifixions because it makes the readers think how much worse it was by adding humiliation which all humans feel because of original sin. All this happens because both Aslan and Jesus have a plan that takes time to get people to understand and believe. Because Tumnus refuses to give Lucy over to the Witch, he is arrested and turned into stone. Eventually, he is transformed back into a faun and is the “first-named friend to be rewarded and honored and the coronation of the kings and queens” (Ford, p.441) Analysis: John 5:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” He is honored first because he has truly embodied the spirit of Christ. The Witch bases her power on something called “Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time,” “what in our world is known as the moral law, or the Law of Nature” (Schakel, 7) Aslan, the hero of the story, bases his power on something called “Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time,” “a magic inherent not in created things but in their creator, the greater magic of God's grace, love, and forgiveness” (Schakel, 7). The “Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time” is related to sin. The Witch does not do good because she is sinful. “Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17) She does not know about the “Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time” or, God’s love and salvation. Aslan is the stronger of the two because he lives with the of Jesus. Like all Chritians, Frodo is called to risk his life through great peril to save others. Frodo, like us, does not appear to be up to the task. He does not have any obvious talent suited for war. But he is chosen, as we are. We are all necessary for God's grand plan to be fulfilled; and even the most unlikely and disgusting Gollum-like beast in our life is necessary. When Frodo asks, "What can a little hobbit do"(Tolken 4)? — Isaiah answers, "A little child will lead them" (11:6). The Hobbits are very peaceful creatures living in the shire. They are small and very defenseless. They are not fighters but enjoy company and avoid adventure because with adventure comes violence and they do not live like that. A peaceful soul leads them all" because violence is not the answer. In the Shire, the Hobbits come naturally to living a beatific life that Christ calls Christians to live by. The Hobbits are the meek that inherit the earth, the merciful who receive mercy, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers (Mt. 5:3-12). They are important to salvation because not many people live such lives. The elves live a lavish but somewhat holy lifestyle but war is too much on their mind. They fight constantly but they do fight the evil, being somewhat the protectors of the land. The protagonists pursue absolutes, rejecting any willingness to compromise or relativize.
In Middle-earth there is an absoluteness of what is right and wrong. There is no hint of moral relativism that separates the different peoples, races, or creators of the freelands. Aragorn says to Eomer: "Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among men" (Tolken 428). This is important because for all things good and evil is defined the same. The bad know they are bad and the good know they can be tempted by the bad. It is important because everything made by God is good but when it is morphed by man it becomes bad just like the
oarks. Edmund is a stubborn brother who gives Lucy and hard time about the magical wardrobe. Even though he is very crude to her she stays strong in what she saw. She never loses faith. Aslan is reminiscent of Jesus as both of them sacrifice themselves to save who they love. It is the total sign that the novel and scripture are so closely related. Mr. Tumnus recovers from possibly turning in Lucy which redeems him and saves him from the total destruction of evil. C.S. Lewis writes The Chronicles of Narnia, The lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a way of retelling the Bible with all the messages still within. Messages like love, forgiveness, faith, and bravery are retold though C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, The lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Everything a person needs to know about the scriptures is also in the novel. It is put in a way that kids can understand due to the scriptures being more confusing and for a more mature audience. Without faith it is hard to live a meaningful life when there is not much to live for
Guilt is a very potent emotion that an individual always feels in relation to others and has its genesis in the wrong done by some person to other. The two prominent works of literature that is Macbeth and The Kite Runner, though contrived centuries apart, revolve around an unremitting feeling of guilt felt by the central characters that are Macbeth and Amir, and the ordeal they had to go through owing to the psychological and practical consequences of that guilt.
Guilt acts as one of the strongest and most prominent emotions humans feel throughout their lives. Guilt can cause people to help others, push through obstacles, or make friends. Guilt, however, may not stop one from doing amoral actions. This can happen as a result of a perceived bonus outweighing the negative feeling one may experience from completing the action, or a heat of the moment action, where one may not fully understand the consequences of their actions.
The Chronicles of Narnia are enticing books, which offer a wonderful fictional plot line, but also a deeper philosophical importance if one analyzes the series. Many religious allusions can be found between characters in Narnia and biblical people. Deeper understanding can be found throughout the stories even in many overlooked aspects of everyday life. “The Chronicles of Narnia” is a piece of literature filled with religious symbols and allusions, such as the actions of Aslan and the personality of Peter, that enhance one’s perception and understanding of the books.
The presence of guilt has been felt by all human beings. As guilt grows in a
Everyone knows the feeling. The nagging in the pit of your stomach that makes you rethink your actions. The feeling that makes you nervous, sweaty and scared. Guilt, an emotion that occurs when a person believes that they have violated a moral standard. Imagine a world without guilt. People would feel no remorse in anything they did, no conscience that monitored their actions. It is a powerful feeling that can both hold people back and push them towards action. This strong emotion is portrayed in several very popular pieces of literature. In the novel Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows how Macbeth’s guilt motivates him to make fatal decisions to try and hide his culpability, such as killing the king, killing Banquo and killing Macduff’s family.
Since the beginning of man’s first ability to articulate his thoughts into words, he began traditions that exceeded all written text. These traditions included passing on stories from one generation to the next with the hopes of conveying some hidden moral principle to our children in a memorable and entertaining fashion. As society has progressed and developed over the years, and as thoughts became words, words turned into stories, and stories in some cases. became novels. In modern life, novels can be transformed using symbolism and archetypes through the art of film making. In the film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, just before Lucy’s first discovery of the magical land of Narnia, she is seen opening the door of a beautiful wardrobe. As the door opens three white marbles roll out, symbolizing the path of good, the free will of mankind, and evil. Through the use of symbolism, most predominately the three white marbles, the film portrays the choice of all humans regarding whether to follow the path of the free will of mankind by choosing to become more Christ-like, or to follow the wicked and be shrouded in darkness.
Guilt is a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, whether real or imagined. There are different types of guilt. Guilt can be caused by a physical thing a person did that he isn’t proud of, or wanted to hide, can be something a person imagined he did to someone or something else, or can be caused when a person did something to his God or religion. Everyone at some time in his or her life has a run in with guilt, and it has a different impact on each person. People, who are feeling guilty because of something they did or said, can influence how other people act and feel. Some people are affected worse by guilt than others, for example, Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter. Talked about in The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale, a man with the deepest guilt, was responsible for the moral well-being of his people. He went against his teachings, committed adultery, and left the woman to suffer publicly alone while he stayed like a hero in the town. On the other hand, sometimes the masses are affected by one person’s guilt. He was affected much more by guilt, because he didn’t tell anyone of what he had done. By keeping guilt internalized, a person ultimately ends up hurting himself. More than seventy percent of all things that make people feel guilty are found out later on in their life by other people. Guilt has three categories that it affects the most in people: physical, mental, and spiritual.
The youngest Pevensie brother, Edmund, is the mischievous child among his siblings in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He is a representation of the possibility of what can go wrong when a child is not properly taught and does not follow set boundaries. Edmund’s subversion of set standards is the cause of a great deal of the troubles the Pevensies face in Narnia. For example, when he goes to the White Witch’s castle instead of listening to the others when they say Aslan is the true leader. In order to redeem himself, he must first be renewed and return to an earlier state. He is not allowed to stay indignant, but is reformed when he learns that Aslan is really the true ruler, and Jadis is not. He is allowed to do so because of his status as a child who is still developing. Edmund’s corruption and later redemption show that he is not really wicked, but has an innate goodness.
Shakespeare? Guilt is defined as the fact or state of having offended someone or something. Guilt may cause a person to have trouble sleeping and difficulty in relationships with others. The effects of guilt tie into Macbeth with the theme of night
The symbolism between C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, and the New Testament in the Bible, particularly the account of Jesus’ death is not merely coincidental because The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is, in fact, an allegory. An allegory is a story with morals in which characters, plots and settings are used as symbols. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis is rich with Christian symbolism even though the allegorical nature of it is the subject of much controversy. Nonetheless, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is an allegory. In this tale, four ordinary children find a wardrobe that leads them into Narnia, an extraordinary land parallel to our universe with talking animal and fantasy creatures. An evil witch has cast a spell of eternal winter over the land and has lured one of the children into betraying the others for enchanted Turkish Delights. Meanwhile, a magical lion, the nemesis of the witch, has arrived after a 100-year absence because of the betrayal of Edmund and ancient prophecies. Soon the children find themselves as involved in the battle as the other creatures and the lion must free Narnia from the clutches of the evil witch and atones for Edmund’s betrayal. The symbolism in the characters, plots, setting, miscellaneous things and themes prove Narnia is, indeed, allegorical
First, some may ask the question “What is guilt?” Easily enough, guilt is the feeling one has after doing something that has a bad consequence. Guilt can easily push a person into doing actions that they didn't even think they were capable of, causing depression or large amounts of anger and sadness (Guilt). Being...
C.S Lewis is the author of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Warrdrobe. Lewis was born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. He was born Clive Staples Lewis to Flora August Hamilton Lewis and Albert J. Lewis. Lewis’s mother passed away when he was on ten years old. After his mother died he went on to get his pre-college education at boarding schools and he also received help from a tutor. Lewis served in World War I with the English Army, but unfortunately was sent home when he was wounded. Lewis was a graduate of Oxford University with a focus on classic philosophy and literature. As a child, he was disappointed with the Christian faith, but when he became older he found himself embracing Christianity. During World War II, he gave popular radio broadcasts on Christianity and they won many converts. Lewis’ speeches were collected in Mere Christianity. In the year of 1954, C.S. Lewis joined the staff of Cambridge University as a literature professor. He met an English teacher by the name of Joy Gresham and in 1956 they married each other and became a happily married family. The two were joyful during their marriage; unfortunately in 1960, the wife became ill with cancer died. Lewis began publishing his works in the mid- 1920s. Lewis started to publish The Chronicles of Narnia during the 1950s. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first in the seven book series to be released. This was the story of four siblings who discovered a wardrobe with a magical land in the back of it (“Clives…”). In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lewis describes Aslan, Edmund, and Lucy.
J.R.R Tolkien’s work of fiction The Lord of the Rings, have with the advent of Peter Jackson’s film adaptation brought the series to newfound heights of fame. As with many works of it’s kind, The Lord of the Rings depicts a battle between good and evil, with the main characters in the books striving to thwart evil’s plan. In many other works, the author’s personal belief system or worldview drives the narrative, with the message being paramount and the characters the vehicles of conveyance for the point of the story. C.S Lewis, a friend and contemporary of Tolkien’s, is a prime example of this. Lewis’ popular series The Chronicles of Narnia is an allegorical work, teaching Christian principles through the use of fiction. While raised as a Catholic himself, Tolkien does not explicitly promote his religious background, nor does he engage in allegory. However, Tolkien’s views of morality can be found throughout the work, specifically in the way in which evil is portrayed, the use of power and moral freedom of choice. Randel Helms writes in his book, Tolkien’s World, “Tolkien’s particular myth parallels his Christianity, … positioning a malevolent and corrupting outside influence, spiritual and probably eternal, against which man is doomed to fight, but which he has no hope of conquering” (67).
Guilt acts as one of the strongest and most prominent emotions humans feel throughout their lives. Guilt can cause people to help others, push through obstacles, or make friends. Guilt, however, may not stop one from doing amoral actions. This can happen as a result of a perceived bonus outweighing the negative feeling one may experience from completing the action, or a heat of the moment action, where one may not fully understand the consequences of their actions.
The Chronicles of Narnia are veritably the most popular writings of C.S. Lewis. They are known as children’s fantasy literature, and have found favor in older students and adults alike, even many Christian theologians enjoy these stories from Lewis; for there are many spiritual truths that one can gleam from them, if familiar with the Bible. However, having said this, it is noteworthy to say that Lewis did not scribe these Chronicles for allegorical didactics of the Christian faith, but wrote them in such a well-knit fashion that young readers might understand Christian doctrine through captivating fantasy and thus gain an appreciation for it. With this in mind, and in the interest of this assignment, the purpose of this paper is an attempt to analyze one of the many doctrines of the Christian faith from The Lion, The Witch, And, The Wardrobe (LWW), namely, temptation and how Lewis illustrates it through an individual character, Edmund.