Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are siblings who come to live with an old Professor in his home "in the heart of the country" during the war, since air raids are throwing London into a state of terror. Peter is the eldest, followed by Susan and Edmund, and Lucy is the youngest. The Professor is an old, unmarried man who lives with a housekeeper and three servants. Lucy is a little afraid of him when they first meet; Edmund, revealing his unpleasant personality, tries to cover his laughter at the sight of the old man.

As the four children say good night and ready themselves for bed, they exclaim over the woods and mountains surrounding the house. Lucy hears an owl in the night, and the children exclaim in excitement about the badgers, snakes, and foxes that they may discover in the forest.

The following morning, however, they awaken to rain. Following Peter's lead, they decide to explore the rooms in the mysterious house. There are many old passageways and rooms linking to other rooms and leading out onto balconies, with walls covered in books and old armor. The children then come upon an empty room with a large wardrobe, but while the others move on, Lucy, the youngest, stays behind and opens the wardrobe door. She looks in out of pure curiosity, and two moth-balls drop out. Inside, she sees a row of long fur coats. Still driven by curiosity, she climbs in and reaches past the coats, careful to leave the wardrobe door open. As she crawls further inside, surprised that she doesn't immediately encounter the back of the wardrobe, she notices that the hard floor has become mysteriously cold and soft, and that something prickly is all around her. She realizes that the prickliness comes from the branches of trees, and that the floor is covered in snow. She is standing in the middle of a wood; it is night, and snow is falling.

Fearful yet excited, Lucy looks back and sees the wardrobe door and a bit of the empty room. She walks for ten minutes, and finally reaches a lamp-post. Just as she is thinking how odd it is to find a lamp-post in the middle of a wood, she is met by a man with the legs of a goat and two horns on his head. Carrying parcels and an umbrella covered in snow, Lucy imagines that he has just finished doing his Christmas shopping. The creature is called a "faun", and when he sees Lucy, he drops his parcels and exclaims, "Goodness gracious me!"

Analysis

This first chapter immediately situates the reader, pulling him into the narrative and introducing him to the wonders of Narnia. The time is firmly established: it is wartime, and the children have been evacuated to the safety of the countryside for the summer holidays. The house is a fertile place for exploration, and from the beginning the reader gathers that the children, while on holiday, are about to be educated in another way - a way that they would never experience in school.

The children's individual reactions to the Professor immediately give the readers insight into their personalities. While the Professor is described as very old and unmarried, he inspires fear in Lucy, and mockery from Edmund. The attention paid to the different views expressed by the two younger siblings foreshadows the conflict that is to come. Additionally, we immediately learn that Lucy reacts with humility and timidity to the unknown, while Edmund reacts with disrespect.

Lucy is the youngest of the children, and perhaps the most apt to believe in a fantasy. She is also the first to peek into the wardrobe that leads into Narnia. She is the logical character to choose as the primary protagonist, since she is the youngest, and thus more open to the joys of wonder, belief, and curiosity for curiosity's sake. There is nothing about the empty room or the wardrobe to spark one's curiosity; in fact, it is something that most would overlook, as is shown at the very end of the story, when Mrs. Macready, the housekeeper, skips over the room with the group of sight-seers. The fantasy world, it seems, is beyond the attention of adults, or at least of adults who do not like children. Lucy's pure, childlike curiosity, however, is rewarded by the appearance of a strange entryway, and an even stranger adventure.

By beginning the story with "Once there were four children" and concluding the first chapter with Lucy in a strange wood beyond the wardrobe, encountering a faun, Lewis successfully links the reader's own curiosity to the narrative. There is hardly any time, the reader notes in retrospect, to question the veracity of Lucy's experience. It is simply experienced. As the narrative unfolds, however, and as Lucy relates what has happened, the reality of the experience comes into question.

It is also important to note the seasonal difference between the summer holiday and the winter's night that Lucy walks into: everything pleasurable about a summer holiday is reversed in Narnia. The soft fur coats hanging in the wardrobe transform into cold, prickly fir trees. At the same time, there is still a sense of wonder. Lucy has discovered a doorway into a fantasy land, and the lamp-post, though an odd sight in the middle of a wood, strikes the reader almost like a painting in which the images do not combine on a purely rational level, and yet make sense within the context of the work. For Lucy, the lamp-post is the first signal that the wood she has entered is not a regular wood, closely followed by the second signal: the appearance of the faun.

Lucy greets the faun, and he asks her if she is a "Daughter of Eve", a "girl", or a "human". Confused, she says she is "Lucy", but confirms that she is human. The faun introduces himself as Mr. Tumnus, and explains that Lucy has stumbled into Narnia, the land that stretches between the lamp-post and the castle of Cair Paravel on the Eastern Sea. Lucy notes that it is summer where she is from, and Mr. Tumnus sighs, telling Lucy that it has been winter in Narnia for a long while. He invites her to his home for food and cake, and though she is hesitant at first, she follows him over the little hills into a valley, where he lives in a cozy cave.

By the time Lucy settles in the cave, she feels as if she has known Mr. Tumnus for a long time. Mr. Tumnus presents two little chairs: "one for me and one for a friend," he says. Lucy notices the books on the shelf, and enjoys the delicious tea. They share sardines on toast and cake, and Mr. Tumnus tells her stories of the forest, of Nymphs, Dryads, and Fauns, as well as the milk-white Stag who offers wishes if you catch him. The merry stories, however, belong to summertime in Narnia, and Mr. Tumnus sighs, since it is always winter now. He plays his flute, and Lucy begins to feel drowsy.

Suddenly, Lucy realizes that she has been gone for hours and hours, and exclaims that she must go. Mr. Tumnus begins to cry, only sobbing harder when she comforts him by giving him her handkerchief. He tells her that he is a bad faun, and Lucy counters by saying that he is good, and is in fact the nicest faun she has ever met. He confesses, however, that he is in the service of the White Witch, the one who has made it always winter in Narnia, yet never Christmas. He has been ordered to kidnap any Sons of Adam or Daughters of Eve that happen upon his path, and Lucy insists that he will do no such thing. He cries that he has already done it, that she is the child, and that he has lured her to his cave, pretending to be her friend, only to kidnap her and take her to the White Witch. The punishment for not following her orders is harsh: he will be turned into a statue at her house until the day that the four thrones of Cair Paravel are filled.

In the end, Mr. Tumnus chooses to defy the White Witch by leading Lucy back through the wood. He says that they have to be careful: even some of the trees are her spies. When they reach the lamp-post, Lucy sees the wardrobe door. Mr. Tumnus asks to keep her handkerchief, and she agrees, fleeing for the door, and reentering the wardrobe. She finds herself back in the empty room, and calls out to the others, who she can hear in the passageway, and yells, "I've come back, I'm all right."

Analysis

Lucy's encounter with the faun confirms three things about Lucy's identity in Narnia. She is: (1) a girl; (2) a Daughter of Eve; and (3) a human. These three facts cleverly allude to three different ways of reading the story. The story is a children's story about "a girl", but can also be read as a tale about the Christian faith. Lucy can therefore also be viewed as "a Daughter of Eve", a clear reference to the Genesis story of how God created Adam and Eve. Lucy is, however, also a "human", which hints that the story of Narnia can be read as a human story; a universal coming-of-age lesson.

Lewis himself never indicates a preference for how the story ought to be read; his concern lay more with the breadth of his audience, as well as his desire to fill their hearts with the power of his story. Just as a line of poetry may strike at the chord of an emotion, a good story reveals an essential fact about life itself.

Lucy, having confirmed the three possible identities, follows Mr. Tumnus deeper into the wood, to his home. There, they strike up a friendship as they share food and Mr. Tumnus educates Lucy about the forest. Friendship and food are continually linked through the course of the narrative. The encounter between Mr. Tumnus and Lucy is the first instance of shared revelry in Narnia, though it is important to note that it was, at least at first, a ruse. However, Lucy's belief that Mr. Tumnus is a "good faun" (reinforcing her tendency to believe in the inherent goodness of people) fills Mr. Tumnus with a desire to prove himself. "Belief", it seems, has the power to impact reality.

Mr. Tumnus, in an almost romantic display of chivalry, chooses to defy the orders of the White Witch, and seals his friendship with Lucy. In this manner, Lucy becomes knit into the fate of Narnia. The question, however, lingers: will the White Witch discover Mr. Tumnus's betrayal and punish him? The gift of Lucy's handkerchief serves a token symbol of friendship, foreshadowing its later role in the narrative.

Lucy also learns from Mr. Tumnus that the White Witch is the cause of the perpetual winter in Narnia. The fact that it is never allowed to become Christmas plays on a child's natural delight in the holiday, and reveals the constant suffering of the forest creatures, who are never given a cause to celebrate. In Narnia, the normal cycle of the seasons has been halted. Additionally, the allusion to the prophecy that the White Witch's spell will be broken when the four thrones at Cair Paravel are filled foreshadows the arrival of the four children in Narnia, and creates anticipation for what is to come.

Lucy fears that she has been away from the Professor's house for hours and hours, but when she rejoins her brother and sisters, they are confused by her anxiety, because no time at all has passed while she has been in Narnia. Lucy tells them about the magic wardrobe and the forest, and describes the wintry scene that she encountered in Narnia, but when they look in the wardrobe again, they see nothing out of the ordinary. The others pound on the back of the wardrobe, but find nothing. Lucy insists that she is telling the truth, but Peter suggests that she stop making things up. Her siblings worry aloud that Lucy is crazy, and Lucy begins cry. Peter and Susan think that her behavior is particularly strange, because she has always been a truthful girl, but Edmund takes this opportunity to sneer at his sister. The days pass: Lucy remains downcast, and is unable to properly enjoy the good weather and play out-of-doors with her siblings. Peter and Susan continue to worry. Lucy thinks to herself that she will wait for another rainy day to return to the wardrobe, and figure out once and for all whether Narnia is real.

When another rainy day comes, the children decide to play hide-and-seek. Susan is "it". Lucy takes this opportunity to peek into the wardrobe once again, to determine whether Narnia is really there, or if it was, in fact, only a dream. She isn't planning on hiding in the wardrobe, but she hears footsteps, and impulsively leaps inside.

The footsteps belong to Edmund, who sees Lucy dart into the wardrobe. He follows her and shuts the door behind him, "forgetting what a very foolish thing this is to do." Inside the wardrobe, he sees a light, and, believing that the door has somehow opened, moves towards it.

Suddenly, Edmund finds himself in a forest. The sky is bright blue, and it is winter. He calls out to Lucy, but she doesn't answer. Edmund decides that she is ignoring him because she is still mad, and is hiding or off "sulking somewhere." Suddenly, he hears the sound of jingling bells. A sledge pulled by two white reindeer, with a fat dwarf behind the reins, comes to a stop in front of him. In the sledge, Edmund sees the tallest lady he has ever seen in his life. She wears a white fur coat and a gold crown, and carries a long, gold wand. Her face is as white as snow, with a very red mouth: her countenance is beautiful, but her expression is "proud and cold and stern." The lady asks Edmund who and what he is, and Edmund replies that he is "Edmund". The lady introduces herself as the Queen of Narnia.

Analysis

In this chapter, an essential difference between Narnia and the "real world" is revealed: the two places have different timelines. While Lucy feels as though she has been away for hours and hours, she emerges from the wardrobe to discover that no time at all has passed: life picks up just where she has left it. When the children gather around the wardrobe to prove Lucy's story, however, they find that it is quite ordinary. The point of entry is not a constant, and certain conditions must be met in order for the door into Narnia to open. Lucy's initial discovery suggests that the wardrobe can only be transformed into a doorway by someone who is pure and innocent, and is not intent on proving or disproving the existence of Narnia.

When Lucy tells her siblings about Narnia, she is upset by the fact that they do not believe her. Though she is a truthful girl, the others are convinced that she has made up the whole thing. In this scene, Edmund reveals his unpleasant personality when he sneers at his sister and makes fun of her. Over time, the skepticism of her siblings causes Lucy to begin to doubt the authenticity of the experience herself.

On the next rainy day, Lucy decides to look into the wardrobe again to determine whether or not Narnia was a dream. The sound of Edmund's footsteps, however, causes her to leap into the wardrobe. The narrative implies that she enters the wardrobe with the requisite feeling of innocence, not out of a desire to prove or disprove the existence of Narnia. Presumably, had Lucy entered the wardrobe with the express desire to address her siblings' skepticism, the door would not have opened for her.

Edmund follows Lucy with the intention of teasing his sister, not out of a desire to prove or disprove the existence of Narnia. Therefore, Edmund also exhibits the requisite, child-like sense of "innocence." Edmund is also the second-youngest of the siblings, and the narrative - quite logically - allows him to progress into Narnia next. It is also important, however, to note that Lewis draws particular attention to the fact that Lucy and Edmund are polar opposites. He specifies that Lucy is careful not to shut the wardrobe door behind her, but emphasizes Edmund's carelessness and lack of foresight by specifying that he shuts the door when he enters the wardrobe.

Once in Narnia, Lucy disappears, and Edmund finds himself standing alone in the woods on a winter's day. Once again, Lewis draws the reader's attention to the differences between Lucy and Edmund: Lucy believes in the inherent goodness of everyone whom she encounters, while Edmund focuses on the negative. When he realizes that Lucy is missing, Edmund immediately leaps to the conclusion that his sister is angry with him and "sulking somewhere." Clearly, Lewis wishes to indicate that Edmund is a poor judge of character.

When Edmund arrives at the same lamp-post that his sister encountered earlier, he meets not Mr. Tumnus, but the White Witch herself, suggesting the divergent paths that Lucy and Edmund are about to embark upon.

The White Witch is confused by Edmund, and asks whether he is a "Son of Adam", a "boy", or a "human". Edmund responds that he is a boy, and also a human. The White Witch angrily raises her wand, but then appears to suddenly change her mind, and tells him to sit down beside her. Edmund is disquieted by the encounter, but when the "Queen of Narnia" uses her wand to give him something warm and delicious to drink, and then asks him what his favorite thing to eat is, Edmund begins to feel more comfortable. Edmund tells the White Witch that his favorite food is Turkish Delight, and she presents him with several pounds of the treat in a large, round box tied with a green bow. Edmund begins to eat the best Turkish Delight that he has ever had, but the food is enchanted, and infuses him with an insatiable desire for more.

The Queen takes this opportunity to ask Edmund a series of questions. She expresses interest in the fact that there are four children, and that one has already visited Narnia and met a faun. She insists that Edmund bring his brother and two sisters to her house so that she can meet them. She tells Edmund that she has no children of her own, and that she would like to make Edmund her Prince. One day, she says, he will become King of Narnia. She warns Edmund that he will hear many negative things about her, but that none of them are true. If his sister has met a faun, she tells him, she will undoubtedly have heard many nasty stories about her, but fauns are not to be trusted. She orders Edmund to keep their meeting a secret, and promises to give him more Turkish Delight once he reaches her home, which is located betweeen the two hills in the distance. By this point, Edmund is suffering from an insatiable craving for more Turkish Delight, and asks the White Witch to take him to her house right away, but she tells him that she will not, and leaves.

Edmund is standing alone in the wood, thinking about how badly he wants more Turkish Delight, when Lucy appears. She excitedly tells him how happy she is that he has made it into Narnia, and that there is someone to corroborate her story. She explains that she has been having lunch with Mr. Tumnus, and that he is alright: the White Witch hasn't hurt him. Edmund uncomfortably asks his sister who the White Witch is, and she explains that it is a woman who calls herself the Queen of Narnia, though she has no right to the title, and that she rides in a sledge pulled by reindeer. Edmund says that "everybody" knows that fauns aren't to be trusted.

Together, Lucy and Edmund go back through the wardrobe door. Edmund is worried about telling the others that he has been to Narnia, and Lucy notices that he looks sick.

Analysis

The White Witch confirms the same three things about Edmund that Mr. Tumnus confirmed about Lucy: Edmund is (1) a boy; (2) a Son of Adam; and (3) a human. The Witch then lures Edmund into conversation in much the same way that Mr. Tumnus lured Lucy: using food. The key difference, however, is that Mr. Tumnus shares the food with Lucy, and gives her information and entertainment in return, thereby establishing a reciprocal relationship between the two. Though both Mr. Tumnus and the White Witch are (at least initially) deceptive about their offerings of friendship, Mr. Tumnus is inherently good, while the White Witch is evil by nature.

When he eats the White Witch's food, Edmund is brought under her power, and experiences a craving for both Turkish Delight and the power that she promises him. The reader is nonetheless aware that once the White Witch's power is destroyed and the enchantment is broken, Edmund will be free from her control.

It is important to note that the White Witch does not partake in the food that she offers Edmund. In fact, the White Witch is never seen eating anything throughout the story, making her seem less than human. She offers Edmund foods of her own creation: a warm drink, and pounds of Turkish Delight. Instead of giving him the sense of satisfaction and contentment that Lucy feels after her meals with Mr. Tumnus, however, Edmund is filled with an insatiable desire to continue eating as much Turkish Delight as he can - an echo of the Witch's own insatiable appetite for power. The reader is, in fact, informed that the enchanted food creates in the eater a craving to consume as much as possible, even to the point of death. This is analogous to the Witch's insatiable craving for power, and foreshadows the fact that her bottomless hunger will bring about her death.

When Edmund first meets the White Witch, he seriously misjudges her character: unfortunately, his initial evaluation informs his later actions. His poor judgment is hinted at by his belief that Lucy has hidden from him in the wood because she is angry: he has a tendency to focus on people's negative characteristics. This seems to reflect Edmund's poor self-image: he appears to be conscious of his own disagreeable nature, and merely assumes that others are equally unpleasant. His evaluations of others are routinely inaccurate: he assumes that the White Witch is good because she has given him delicious things to eat; therefore, he rationalizes that everyone who believes her to be evil must be wrong.

By the time Lucy and Edmund tumble out of the wardrobe, Lucy - and the reader - is convinced that Narnia is a real place. Susan and Peter are thus far unaware of Narnia's existence, though the narrative suggests that the four of them will soon embark on an adventure together.

Once back on the other side of the wardrobe, Edmund begins to feel sick from having eaten so much Turkish Delight. Lucy finds Susan and Peter, and announces that both she and Edmund have been to Narnia. Edmund maliciously tells them that he and Lucy had only been pretending to be in Narnia. Lucy rushes out of the room in tears, and Peter yells at Edmund for being so cruel to his sister. He says that he knows how Edmund is with the other children at school, always bullying those smaller than him. Susan mediates between the brothers, telling them that they should not be fighting at a time like this. After some time, they locate Lucy, who has been crying. Peter and Susan, worried that Lucy might be going mad, decide to talk to the Professor.

The next morning, Peter and Susan approach the Professor, certain that he will immediately contact their parents upon hearing their story. He invites them into his study and listens to their story from beginning to end, without interruption. When they are finished, the Professor, to their surprise, asks them why they are so certain that Lucy's story isn't true. He asks them to consider their own past experiences. Who, he asks, is more truthful: Lucy, or Edmund? He then advises them to use logic, lamenting, "Why don't they teach logic at these schools?" Logically, he says, Lucy is either telling lies, going mad, or telling the truth. He concludes that since Lucy is not a liar, and is not going mad, she must therefore be telling the truth. He acknowledges the fact that the house is very strange, and suggests that the door into Narnia is probably not a constant one. The other world, the Professor speculates, might well have a time frame far different from their own, which would explain why Lucy felt as though she had been gone for a long time, while no time at all had passed in their own world. Peter says that "if things are real, they're there all the time," but the Professor counters this assumption. In doing so, the Professor asks the reader to consider whether Lucy's willingness to believe in the possibility of alternate universes did, in fact, contribute to the creation of a real experience.

Days later, after talk of the wardrobe has ceased amongst the children, Mrs. Macready, the housekeeper, welcomes a group of adult tourists to the house, which is quite famous. Mrs. Macready leads the group through the house, telling the children to stay out of the way. The children decide to explore the house, but when they realize that they are about to run right into the tour group, they dart into the Wardrobe Room. They hear voices in the passageway, and, concerned that the tour group is about to enter the Wardrobe Room, rush to hide in the wardrobe. Peter, the last to enter, is careful not to shut the door behind them.

Analysis

Edmund lies to Susan and Peter, refusing to corroborate Lucy's story about Narnia. In doing so, an interesting irony arises: Lucy, the more truthful of the two, is thought to be a liar, while Edmund, who is actually lying, is believed to be telling the truth. The reason for this misplaced trust lies in the fantastic nature of Lucy's story. The Professor, however, advises Peter and Susan to exercise logic: they should make their decision based on what they know to be true (Lucy is a truthful girl, and Edmund is not a truthful boy) and what they observe (Lucy is not mad). Hence, the logical conclusion is that Lucy is telling the truth. When the Professor - an adult whom they expect to greet the story with skepticism - entertains the possibility that Lucy is telling the truth, he opens up Peter and Susan's minds, thereby facilitating their entry into the world of Narnia.

Lewis uses Peter and Susan's conversation with the Professor to reveal that the journey through Narnia will serve as an alternative to the education that the children receive in school, and as an alternative to the reader's own education. As the Professor lectures Peter and Susan on the use of logic, he laments what is being taught in the schools. This critique of conventional education reveals Lewis's belief that children should learn to trust their instincts, even though the conclusions that they reach may seem fantastic. In this manner, Lewis sets the stage for all four of the children to enter Narnia.

The Professor's conversation with Peter and Susan is integral to the development of the narrative, as well as to the reader's own entrance into the world of Narnia. Readers are likely to identify with Peter and Susan more closely than with Lucy and Edmund: at the outset of the tale, they are likely to demonstrate a similar degree of skepticism about Lucy's tale. The conversation with the Professor is intended to drive home three crucial points: (1) one should trust one's own experiences; (2) one should make deductions based on one's own experiences; and (3) one should not immediately disregard a seemingly fantastic possibility based on a tenuous assumption (such as Peter's assumption that "real" things exist all the time). The Professor, in leading this conversation, becomes a physical manifestation of wisdom; he has already recognized the value in remaining open to the innate, unbiased knowledge displayed by children.

Furthermore, Lewis seems to be telling the reader that logic and faith are not fundamentally opposed to one another. In fact, logic can lead directly to a conclusion that requires faith to accept as true. Faith, in other words, can open a doorway to a profound experience that has the potential to alter an individual's very nature. As the narrative prepares to send all four children on a journey into Narnia, the reader is asked to prepare for the journey by suspending his or her doubts and allowing faith to act as a guide. Like the children, the reader is asked to make him or herself open to change.

A final note: Lewis offers his young readers a brief, practical lesson when he emphasizes the fact that Peter and Lucy are both careful to ensure that the wardrobe door does not shut behind them.

Crammed together in the wardrobe, the children inch backwards, and are soon surrounded by something cold and wet. Peter and Susan comment on the new sensations, but Edmund suggests that they get out of the wardrobe, since the tour group has passed them by. Suddenly, Susan notices that she is leaning against a tree, and they all realize that they are standing in a forest. Peter apologizes to Lucy for having doubted her, and acknowledges that "Lucy's wood" is, in fact, real. Characteristically, he expresses a desire to explore, but the level-headed Susan suggests that they reach back into the wardrobe for the fur coats, to protect them against the cold weather. Lewis writes that they look "more like royal robes than coats," foreshadowing the siblings' eventual ascension to the four thrones at Cair Paravel.

The ecstatic Lucy suggests that they all pretend to be Arctic explorers, but Peter responds that it isn't necessary to pretend in a place like Narnia. Edmund, forgetting that he had told Peter and Susan that he and Lucy had merely been pretending to be in Narnia, suggests that they head for the lamp-post. Peter and Susan immediately realize that Edmund has been lying to them. Peter is especially angry with his brother for having made them doubt Lucy. Edmund follows his siblings towards the lamp-post, grumbling to himself that he will make them all pay.

Lucy, having been designated the leader of the group by Peter, suggests that they visit her friend, Mr. Tumnus. When they arrive at his cave, however, they discover that the door has been broken off of its hinges, and the cave has been destroyed. There is a notice nailed into the carpeting declaring that Mr. Tumnus has been arrested for High Treason against "her Imperial Majesty Jadis, the Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, etc." The notice is signed by Fenris Ulf, Captain of the Secret Police. Lucy is upset by the notice, and explains to the others that the "Queen" is actually the White Witch, the one who has made it always winter and never Christmas.

Lucy feels responsible for Mr. Tumnus's arrest, and the children try to devise a plan to save him. Edmund complains that there is little they can do, and, besides, he is hungry. Peter tells Edmund to hush up, and suggests that they try to figure out where Mr. Tumnus has been taken. He is also worried about the lack of food, but feels that they should move forward nonetheless. Lucy notices a red-breasted robin, and when she asks it where they should go, it hops from tree to tree to signal that they should follow. Edmund suggests to Peter that the robin might be setting a trap, but Peter says that robins are usually good birds in stories. Edmund then asks how they can be sure that Mr. Tumnus is a good faun, and that the "Queen" is evil? Peter responds that they can be sure that Mr. Tumnus is good because he saved Lucy, but Edmund suggests that the faun may have merely been pretending to save her.

Analysis

As all four children stand together in Narnia for the first time and it becomes clear that Edmund has been lying about not having been there before, the rift between the brothers worsens. Peter, the eldest, has already lectured Edmund for tormenting his sister, and he now calls him "a poisonous beast." Peter is clearly the leader of the group: he is responsible, thoughtful, and well-liked by his siblings. Edmund, on the other hand, is a mean-spirited boy, always picking on his little sister and the other children at school. When Peter criticizes him, Edmund reacts with barely-disguised hatred. It is partly Edmund's hatred for Peter that leads him to betray his siblings. Indeed, Edmund's hunger for revenge and tyrannical personality are reminiscent of the White Witch herself.

In this chapter, the White Witch is revealed as a cruel, illegitimate ruler. Lewis never directly explains how she has come to power, but states that her rule has upset the balance of the seasons. She is a creature of the wintertime, and imposes the hostile environment in which she is most comfortable on all of the forest creatures. The notice nailed into the carpet in Mr. Tumnus's cave also implies the existence of a Secret Police, which is a lightly-veiled reference to the German Secret Police that inspired such terror during World War II. The White Witch maintains control over Narnia largely by harnessing the fear that she inspires in others.

Edmund's natural skepticism is revealed when he questions whether the robin and Mr. Tumnus are "good", although he is quick to assume that the White Witch is benevolent because she has provided him with Turkish Delight and has promised him power. Peter counters Edmund's skepticism by exercising the logic he has learned from the Professor. He deduces that the door to Narnia is most likely not a constant one, and suggests that they should not count on being able to return for food. Next, he concludes that Mr. Tumnus is a good faun because he saved Lucy from the clutches of the White Witch. Furthermore, he deducts that the White Witch must be evil, because she has declared it a serious crime to be friends with human beings. Peter also concludes that the red-breasted robin must be a friend because stories usually depict robins as "good". This is another example of Peter's use of logic: he makes decisions based on his past experiences. Lewis appears to be hinting that kernels of pure truth often lie at the heart of fairy tales and myths, thereby lending credence to his own whimsical story.

After hopping from branch to branch for some time, the robin flies away and disappears. The children realize that they are lost, but then notice a beaver gesturing for them to be quiet. Lucy says, "I think it's a nice beaver," but Edmund - always the skeptic - responds, "Yes, but how do we know?" Susan says that there is little to do but risk following the animal into an area surrounded by a thick curtain of trees. In the small clearing, the beaver explains to the children that some of the trees are spies for the White Witch. He then asks whether the children are Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. When they say that they are, but then ask him how they can be certain that he is a friend and not an emissary of the White Witch, the beaver presents them with Lucy's handkerchief - the very same one that she had offered to Mr. Tumnus as a token of friendship. He tells them that Mr. Tumnus had gotten wind of his imminent arrest and had brought Mr. Beaver the handkerchief for safekeeping. Mr. Beaver then suggests that the children follow him home to seek shelter and eat some dinner.

As they follow Mr. Beaver through the woods, he tells them that someone named "Aslan" is on the move. When the children hear Aslan's name for the first time, they each have a strange reaction: Edmund feels a sense of horror, Peter feels brave and adventurous, Susan feels something that reminds her of music, and Lucy experiences the feeling that she gets at the start of the holidays or summer. They walk for an hour, cold and hungry, but finally reach a valley with a frozen river. The children politely compliment Mr. Beaver on his dam, although Edmund continues to be distrustful of the creature. In the distance beyond Mr. Beaver's house, Edmund sees the two hills that the Witch pointed out to him on his previous journey to Narnia: the two hills between which she lives.

Inside the house, Mrs. Beaver welcomes the guests and prepares dinner while Mr. Beaver catches fresh trout. They all sit down to eat. Outside, it begins snowing - a good thing, because the snow will cover their tracks. Mr. Beaver says that a bird told him that Mr. Tumnus had been taken away by the police from the north. This could only mean that Mr. Tumnus was taken to the White Witch's house to be turned into a statue. The children want to rescue Mr. Tumnus because he saved Lucy, but Mr. Beaver explains that Aslan will settle things with the White Witch when he returns. Aslan, he insists, is the only one who can save Mr. Tumnus. When the children hear Aslan's name again, they are filled with a strange feeling, "like the first signs of spring, like good news." When they ask Mr. Beaver about Aslan, he tells them that Aslan is the King of the Wood, and is not always around. Aslan, however, cannot be turned into a statue. Lucy asks whether Aslan is a man, and Mr. Beaver replies that he is a benevolent lion, the son of the Great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea, the King of the Beasts. Aslan has sent word that they are all to meet him at the Stone Table the very next day. Peter asks whether the White Witch is human, and Mr. Beaver explains that she is not, though she would like everyone to think that she is. She is, rather, half-Jinn (a descendant of Lilith, Adam's first wife, before Eve) and half-giantess. A prophecy has been made that the White Witch's reign and life will end when the four thrones of Cair Paravel are filled by two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve.

Suddenly, Lucy realizes that Edmund has disappeared. Everyone rushes out into the night, but they are blinded by the snow. Peter insists that they form search parties, but Mr. Beaver tells them that Edmund has most likely gone to the White Witch with the news about Aslan and their meeting at the Stone Table: "He has betrayed us all." Mr. Beaver asks whether Edmund has been in Narnia before, and Lucy whispers that he has. Mr. Beaver says that the look in Edmund's eyes suggested that he had eaten the food of the White Witch. They can't go after him now; the key is to reach Aslan. They determine that Edmund was still present during the discussion about the meeting at the Stone Table, and feel certain that the White Witch will try to catch them this very night. Mr. Beaver tells the children that they must prepare to depart, and quickly.

Analysis

From the start of Chapter 7, Edmund's skeptical nature is underscored by his inability to understand that the beaver is benevolent. Lucy's belief that Mr. Tumnus is a good faun has, however, proved accurate - just as Peter's belief that Lucy would make a good leader proved to be correct. In this case, Mr. Beaver offers substantive evidence of his good nature by presenting Lucy with the very same handkerchief that she had given to Mr. Tumnus. Token gifts are a theme that reappears frequently throughout the novel: gifts are often used as narrative devices that move the journey forward, and as symbols of trust and friendship that bind characters together even when they are virtual strangers. Mr. Beaver proves that he is trustworthy by presenting the children with Lucy's gift, and then cements their opinion of him by offering them dinner and giving them information about Narnia, the White Witch, and Aslan.

The name "Aslan" is heard for the first time in this chapter, and the reaction that his name elicits is an interesting one: the children all feel a sense of mystery, but for Edmund, the mystery is mingled with horror. His character is at odds with Aslan's very existence, while the rest are filled with a sense of warmth and peace that reminds them of the coming of summer. In fact, each child's reaction to the name "Aslan" appears to express their very essence: Peter feels brave; Susan feels graceful; Lucy feels excited; and Edmund feels frightened.

The character of Aslan himself is introduced with great care. We hear about him long before we ever see him, thereby heightening the sense of anticipation. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver both express wonder that they have met real Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. In a clever reversal hinted by the book on Mr. Tumnus's shelf entitled Is Man a Myth?, human beings are talked of, but never actually seen. Similarly, although Aslan has not been seen in a very long time, he is nonetheless a figure that the creatures of the forest have no trouble believing in. The White Witch, by contrast, is very much present: her magic is palpable, and Mr. Beaver explains that she aspires to be human, but is, in fact, an imposter. Her desire to be a real human is an expression of her insatiable craving for the power that the children innately possess by virtue of their humanity. The "almost human" aspect of the White Witch is emphasized by her genealogy, which Lewis grounds in the Hebrew myth of Lilith, Adam's first wife. Historically, Lilith has been cast as the "darker" side of femininity: she is a woman characterized by insatiable sexual cravings and alliances with demons. Eve, by contrast, is often portrayed as the "proper", obedient wife. (Note: As Lilith was created at the same time as man during the seven days of creation - and not fashioned from Adam's rib - she has since become a symbol for the feminist movement.) The link between the White Witch and Lilith has been heavily criticized by feminists, and has been interpreted as a reinforcement of Lewis's misogynistic tendencies.

Mr. Beaver also furthers the siblings' understanding of the prophecy that is a topic of much discussion in the forest. According to the prophecy, when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve assume the four thrones at Cair Paravel, the White Witch will be defeated. Mr. Beaver essentially suggests that the children are the ones who will fulfill the prophecy. The first step that they must take is to reach the Stone Table. The trouble, of course, is that without Edmund all four thrones cannot be filled. The outcome of the journey, therefore, rests on whether Edmund will be able to resist temptation and rejoin his brother and sisters.

The evening that the children spend with the Beavers is yet another example of the theme of shared meals, recalling Lucy's lunches with Mr. Tumnus and Edmund's enchanted snack in the sledge of the White Witch. The image of a house being opened to visitors and a meal being shared intensifies the trust that binds the community together. The image also recalls the story of Christ sharing a meal with his disciples and being betrayed by a single man: like Judas, Edmund leaves the Beavers' house, headed for the home of the White Witch. Edmund betrays his brother and sisters, as well as Aslan, whom he has not yet met.

It is important to note that Lewis places Lucy, the youngest of the children and "a truthful girl," in a privileged position: she is the first to visit Narnia, the first to see the red-breasted robin, and the first to notice Edmund's disappearance. The narrative seems to suggest that "seeing is believing," in that sight is the key to a belief which aims for an absolute good. Narnia is to be explored; the bird is to be followed; and Edmund's eventual transformation is to be trusted in.

Chapter 9 opens with Edmund heading for the home of the White Witch. Plagued by thoughts of Turkish Delight, he had not been enjoying the dinner at the Beavers' very much, and had left just after hearing about Aslan and the Stone Table. Edmund tells himself that everyone was saying nasty things about the Queen because they are her enemies: "She was jolly nice to me, anyway, much nicer than they [Mr. and Mrs. Beaver] are." At the same time, the narrative reveals that "deep down inside him he really knew that the White Witch was bad and cruel."

Heading for the White Witch's home, Edmund refuses to consider the possibility that she might do anything bad to his brothers and sisters: he thinks only of how nice she will be to him. Although he has forgotten his coat, he cannot turn back, and continues to walk through the dark cold. He slips in the snow, and imagines that he will put in clear roads once he is made King. He also looks forward to putting Peter in his place.

The moon rises, and Edmund sees the home of the White Witch, noticing its many towers. He is filled with a sense of fear, but thinks that it is too late to turn back. The great iron gates stand wide open before him. Edmund focuses on his hatred for Peter to gain courage, and enters a courtyard, where he sees a lion and a dwarf. Slowly, he realizes that the creatures are made of stone, and that the courtyard is filled with similar statues. Thinking that the lion is Aslan, he takes a pencil and draws a moustache and spectacles on it. He mocks it in a childish way, though "the face of the great stone beast still looked so terrible, and sad, and noble." There is a stone wolf standing in the doorway, and he inches toward it, but it suddenly begins to talk. Edmund explains to the wolf who he is, and the wolf tells him to wait. Moments later, Fenris Ulf, the grey wolf and Chief of the White Witch's Secret Police, appears at the doorway and invites him in.

Edmund passes into a great hall and notices a stone faun with a sad expression standing near the door. He wonders whether the stone faun is Lucy's friend, Mr. Tumnus. The White Witch angrily asks Edmund why he hasn't brought his brother and sisters with him, but he tells her that they are all at the Beavers' house. He also tells her about Aslan and the meeting at the Stone Table, and the White Witch orders her sledge to be prepared - without bells.

Analysis

This chapter is written from Edmund's point of view, and reveals his motivations for abandoning his brother and sisters. The craving for the White Witch's Turkish Delight (something sweet, sticky, and not particularly good for him) continues to gnaw away at him. As a result, he is unable to enjoy the wonderful, nutritious meal offered at the Beavers' home. The craving, instilled in him by the White Witch from early on in the narrative, propels the fundamental question of the story: will Edmund be able to change, allowing for the defeat of the White Witch and the fulfillment of the prophecy?

Driven by his appetite and envisioning his future as King of Narnia, Edmund's thoughts begin to mirror those of the White Witch. He thinks not about the comfort and happiness of the citizens of Narnia, but only about what will be of the greatest benefit to him. He imagines how he will build roads all over Narnia, making it easy for him to walk about. This echoes the White Witch's decision to make it always winter in Narnia, because she is most comfortable in the cold. This is not an appropriate way to rule: Edmund is not concerned with what is fair, and wishes only to exert his power over others. Edmund's attitude in Narnia recalls his behavior on the other side of the wardrobe, where he teased his fellow students and bullied Lucy.

This chapter also offers more evidence to support Edmund's carelessness. He forgets to bring his fur coat, much as he carelessly shut the door of the wardrobe. Indeed, Edmund is continually shown acting in a hasty manner and misjudging people and events. Upon first arriving in Narnia, after leaping through the wardrobe after Lucy, he mistakes the daylight of the forest for the light of the empty room, thinking that the door he has shut has suddenly come open. Once in the home of the White Witch, Edmund demonstrates an even greater capacity for misjudgment: he mistakenly believes that the stone lion is real, and then wrongly assumes that the lion is Aslan. As he approaches the doorway into the castle, he mistakes the grey wolf for a statue, only to discover that the wolf is in fact very real.

Edmund's mockery of the stone lion foreshadows Aslan's experience at the Stone Table: the White Witch's followers swarm around him, cutting his hair and mockingly calling him a "cat". In this chapter, Edmund scribbles a moustache on the statue, though the lion's face remains noble and majestic in spite of it. This type of mockery, Lewis appears to believe, is a "very silly and childish" impulse rooted in a mixture of fear, poor judgment, and the desire to exercise power.

Edmund does, however, appear to have the capacity for redemption. Lewis is careful to state that Edmund is bound to the White Witch not out of his own inherently evil nature, but because he has eaten enchanted Turkish Delight. Had he not accepted the food, he may not have betrayed his siblings and comported himself in such a base manner. The narrative also reveals that, deep down, Edmund recognizes that the Witch is evil. Finally, the narrative reveals that Edmund does not wish actual harm to come to his brother and sisters; he only wants to be treated especially well by the Queen. Edmund, it appears, is not all bad. With the right combination of experience and education, his character has the potential to change.

While Edmund makes his way to the home of the White Witch, Mrs. Beaver fusses about, preparing bundles of food for the children to take with them on their journey to the Stone Table. The children and Mr. Beaver worry about the time, but soon enough they take their supplies and begin walking through the snow. Though they are initially struck by the beauty of the scenery, the group is soon exhausted.

After some time, the group stops in a nice, dry cave. Mr. Beaver calls it "an old hiding-place for beavers in bad times" and "a great secret." Lucy thinks to herself that it is not nearly as nice a cave as Mr. Tumnus's. Mrs. Beaver passes around a flask, and, warmed, they all fall fast asleep.

After what feels like minutes, but has actually been hours, Lucy suddenly awakens, feeling stiff and tired, and hears the sound of jingling bells. Mr. Beaver runs outside to see who it is, and is gone for five minutes. They all begin to worry, but Mr. Beaver comes back and calls for everybody to come out and see. They rush outside to find a sledge pulled by brown reindeer, guided by a man with a bright-red robe and a great white beard. The children feel "very glad, but also solemn." Father Christmas is even famous in their own world. As Mr. Beaver has told the children and Mr. Tumnus has told Lucy, the White Witch has cast a spell so that it is always winter in Narnia, but never Christmas. The arrival of Father Christmas therefore signals that the White Witch's magic is weakening.

Father Christmas offers gifts to each member of the assembled party. He tells Mrs. Beaver that she will find a new sewing machine upon her return home, and tells Mr. Beaver that his dam will be finished, with all of the leaks stopped up and a new gate installed. He then turns to the children and offers them presents, stating that "they are tools not toys." To Peter, he gives a sword and shield. He presents Susan with a bow and a quiver of arrows, along with an ivory horn that he says she should blow if she is ever in need of help. To Lucy, he gives a small bottle filled with the juice of the fire-flowers that grow on the mountains of the sun. He tells her that if anyone is ever hurt, a few drops of the juice will restore them to health. He also gives her a dagger, but tells her that women shouldn't fight. He then presents the party with a large tea-tray, and continues on his way. As Mrs. Beaver prepares the tea and calls them all together for breakfast, Mr. Beaver tells them that it will soon be time to move on.

Analysis

By this point in the story, Aslan has been firmly planted in the reader's mind; the children, led by the Beavers, are on a journey to meet him and join him in the fight to save Narnia. At the same time, the narrative draws its suspense from the race against time to reach the Stone Table before the Witch finds them. The jingling bells are a clever detail used by the author to create further suspense: in Chapter 9, if we recall, the White Witch specifically instructed the Dwarf to use a harness without bells, so that they would be able to glide through the forest surreptitiously, but the reader nevertheless wonders whether the bells signal the arrival of someone (or something) evil.

The jingling bells, however, turn out to signal the arrival of Father Christmas. When the children emerge from the cave to meet him, the contrast between this figure and the White Witch is striking. Father Christmas drives a similar sledge, though his reindeer are brown, not white. Like the White Witch, Father Christmas bears magical gifts, though his gifts are profoundly different. Contrasting with the White Witch's unhealthy gifts of a warm, sweet drink and pounds of Turkish Delight, Father Christmas offers presents that speak to each recipient's essence: a particular passion or hobby, or something that will help them. In other words, his gifts are useful. Mrs. Beaver, who the reader has already learned loves to sew, receives a new sewing machine. Mr. Beaver, who the reader knows is deeply proud of his work on the dam, is told that the dam will be finished when he returns home. When Father Christmas turns to the children, he states that his gifts are "tools" and "not toys." In other words, the gifts signal that the children are about to come of age: they are not to receive child's toys, but rather gifts that will enable them to comport themselves as adults. Peter receives a sword and shield that will assist him in becoming a brave, courageous man; Susan receives a horn, which hints at her musical abilities and inherent grace; and Lucy receives a vial filled with a potion to heal the wounded that speaks to her caring nature and special gift for helping people discover their true selves (hinted at earlier by her awareness that Mr. Tumnus is a "good faun" and her ability to lead her brothers and sister into a world where they will assume a new life and grow into the people they are supposed to become). Each of the gifts foreshadows future events, recalling how Lucy's gift of her handkerchief reappeared to serve a particular purpose.

It is also important to note that Father Christmas provides a bow and a quiver of arrows for Susan and a small dagger for Lucy while advising them to use them only for defensive purposes. This is another point which has drawn heavy criticism from feminists; the apparent misogyny is heightened when the aggressive and ambitious White Witch takes up a stone knife to fight in the final battle. The character of the White Witch is linked to the dark side of femininity, as represented by Lilith, while Susan and Lucy are "Daughters of Eve." Their goodness, as well as the fact that Lewis clearly holds Eve in higher esteem than Lilith, suggests that Lewis believes passivity, obedience, and the adoration of one's male companions to be "ideal" female qualities.

Father Christmas also participates in the theme of nourishment and shared meals by offering the children and the Beavers a tea tray, which symbolizes celebration and friendship. Additionally, Father Christmas's arrival draws attention to the title of the chapter: "The Spell Begins to Break." The White Witch has declared that Christmas will never be celebrated in Narnia, but Father Christmas's appearance and the imminent arrival of Aslan both signify that the Witch's power is dimming.

When Lewis allowed some of his friends to read the first draft of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a few voiced disdain for the appearance of Father Christmas, feeling that the character jarred with the tone of the rest of the story, as his image stems from pagan origins that contrast with the more traditional mythical landscape of Narnia. In the end, however, Lewis kept the character, and, over time, Father Christmas's appearance in Narnia has been a particular source of delight to readers. Father Christmas, it seems, is so famous that rumors of his existence have permeated the border between Narnia and the "real" world. In other words, Lewis seems to be suggesting that all myths and fantasies that exist in one world harbor kernels of truth that are quite real and alive in other worlds. When the myth becomes "true" by way of being "seen", the reader's reaction is one of awe and inspiration.

Edmund is not particularly happy at the home of the White Witch. He is hungry, but she gives him none of the promised Turkish Delight, feeding him nothing but water and old, dry bread that do little more than prevent him from fainting dead away. The Witch sends several of her swiftest wolves and Fenris Ulf, the Chief of her Secret Police, to the Beavers' house with instructions to kill the group. If they have already left, the wolves are to proceed to the Stone Table. She herself will have to go many miles west to find a place where she can cross the river on her sledge.

The wolves arrive at the Beavers' house only to find it empty and the scent cold, having been covered over with snow. Meanwhile, the Witch takes Edmund with her in the sledge, while the Dwarf drives. Freezing without his coat and wet through to the skin, Edmund is miserable, and realizes that he was wrong about the Witch. He begins wishing he could be with the other children, and decides: "The only way to comfort himself now was to try to believe that the whole thing was a dream and that he might wake up at any moment."

Time passes; daylight comes, and the Witch halts her sledge at the sight of a merry party of a squirrel, his wife, their children, two satyrs, a dwarf, and a dog-fox, all gathered around a table set with holly, eating plum pudding. The Witch asks the assembled party what they are doing: "What is the meaning of all this gluttony, this waste, this self-indulgence?" The fox stammers that Father Christmas has arrived. She accuses the fox of lying, but one of the young squirrels excitedly confirms the fox's tale. Edmund senses something terrible as she lifts her wand, and shouts for her stop. The Witch, however, turns them all into stone, and hits Edmund. As Edmund looks upon the sad stone figures, he feels sorry for someone other than himself for the very first time.

As the Witch and Edmund continue their journey, the weather grows warmer and foggier. Everything is melting, and Edmund notices the dark green of the fir trees emerging through the whiteness of the snow. The sledge can barely move on the ground without a thick covering of snow, and becomes stuck in a hole. The Witch orders Edmund into the slush to help the Dwarf free the sledge. They succeed, but the sledge can no longer move across the patches of grass. The Witch commands them to walk, and ties Edmund's hands behind his back. As they walk, delicious sunlight begins to shine overhead. Edmund pauses to look at the little yellow flowers called celandines; although the Dwarf pushes him forward, "this didn't prevent Edmund from seeing." During the walk, Edmund feasts his eyes on the crocuses, primroses, and trees, and listens to the birds singing. Suddenly, the Dwarf stops and says that this is no mere thaw: spring has arrived because Aslan has returned. The Witch says that if she hears Aslan's name again, she will kill the person who has uttered it.

Analysis

Edmund's character undergoes a profound transformation in this chapter as he accepts that the White Witch is, in fact, evil. The first indication of the White Witch's true nature is her broken promise about the Turkish Delight; she does not give Edmund the promised treat, but rather feeds him only water and old, dry bread. This meager meal is barely enough to sustain him, symbolizing the spiritual poverty from which he is now suffering as a consequence of his weakness in the face of temptation. Edmund suffers even more when the White Witch takes him along on the sledge; still without a coat, he is cold and miserable. He begins to regret his choices, and wishes that he could he back with his brother and sisters. He realizes that he has misjudged the White Witch; he had only sided with her in the first place because he thought she might help him get the things that he wanted.

Edmund's transformation begins in earnest when Edmund, the White Witch, and the Dwarf come upon a small party of forest creatures who are feasting on delicious food brought to them by Father Christmas. When the White Witch turns them all to stone out of anger, Edmund, for the first time, forgets his own suffering - the cold, his hunger, the poor decisions he has made - and considers the plight of others. While he reacted with fear and mockery to the stone statues in the Witch's courtyard, here he comes to realize how the Witch seeks needless vengeance on innocent creatures. This moment marks the inception of Edmund's ability to sympathize with others. He is finally able to recognize the Witch's actions as "unjust," paving the way for his eventual ascension to one of the thrones at Cair Paravel, where he is given the title "King Edmund the Just." In other words, Lewis seems to be implying that a "just" ruler cannot think only of him or herself; they must be able to consider the welfare of others. This moment marks the beginning of Edmund's capacity to see beyond his own selfish needs and desires.

The celebratory Christmas breakfast shared by the forest creatures reemphasizes the link between nourishing meals, friendship, and sharing. The White Witch, however, brandishes the gathering as "self-indulgence" and "gluttony"; ironically, these are precisely the characteristics that mark the White Witch's illicit reign. Indeed, it was she who infused Edmund with a voracious, gluttonous need for Turkish Delight. She mistakes genuine happiness and celebration for the type of false desire that she is more accustomed to.

As evidence of spring spreads through the forest and the Witch, Edmund and the Dwarf must abandon the sledge, Edmund begins to "see" the details of spring. He takes special delight in the flowers, the sounds of rushing water, and the birds singing. This newfound, genuine appreciation of life signals not only the that the Witch's magic is weakening, that Aslan draws near, and that Father Christmas has come and gone, but also that Edmund himself is experiencing a rebirth. He initially misjudged the Witch and repressed his own intuitions, but the truth has been revealed to him, heightening his ability to "see" the world around him.

While Edmund continues his journey with the White Witch and the Dwarf, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and the children walk in the direction of the eastern sea, enjoying the warm weather. They delight in the coming of spring, which feels like "a delicious dream." Finally, the climb a hill and reach a green, open clearing. In the distance, the sea twinkles. In the middle of this clearing lies the Stone Table, a slab of grey stone inlaid with strange lines and letters and set upon four upright stones. Music is playing, and a pavilion tent has been pitched.

As the sun sets, they notice Aslan, who is surrounded by a crowd. Dryads and Naiads are playing music, and the children are amazed by how Aslan seems both "good and terrible" at the same time: with "the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes...they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly." Mr. Beaver urges Peter forward, but Peter hesitates. When it becomes clear that no one else is going to go forward, however, Peter musters his courage and approaches Aslan, who greets them and asks where the fourth has gone. Mr. Beaver explains that Edmund has betrayed them to the White Witch, and Peter adds that the betrayal was his fault because he had been angry with Edmund. Lucy asks if anything can be done, and Aslan responds, "All shall be done... But it may be harder than you think."

The assembled party enjoys a feast, after which Aslan takes Peter aside to show him the castle of Cair Paravel shining like a star at the mouth of the great river, where Narnia meets the sea. Aslan tells Peter that he will be the High King, since he is the first-born. They hear the rich sound of a horn, and look back to see the wolf that was sent by the Witch. It is threatening to kill Susan, who has climbed a tree before alerting them with the horn she received from Father Christmas. Peter, though not feeling particularly brave, recognizes that his feelings make no difference, and that he must save his sister. He attacks the wolf and sinks his sword into its heart, killing it. Aslan sees a second wolf, but this one is running away. He sends the centaurs and the eagles gathered on the hilltop to follow it, in order to find the Witch and to rescue Edmund.

Aslan tells Peter that he has forgotten to clean his sword, which is smeared with wolf blood and hair. Peter cleans the sword on the grass, and Aslan makes him a Knight.

Analysis

The chapter begins with Peter, Susan, and Lucy delighting in the warm weather and the pleasant journey to the Stone Table. Though Edmund is physically separated from his siblings, their shared experience of enjoying the arrival of springtime speaks to their common bond and foreshadows their eventual reunion.

The narrative also propels the story towards the children's encounter with Aslan. Prior to this chapter, the children hear many stories about the great lion; only afterwards do they embark on the physical journey. The Beavers lead the children, while the Witch leads the Dwarf and Edmund. The momentum of the narrative suggests that their paths will converge at the Stone Table.

Peter, Susan, and Lucy meet Aslan and again experience the wonder of seeing a myth made real (transformed from mere "story" into something "seen"). No longer is Aslan a fable: the children have seen that he is indeed flesh-and-blood. They also see proof of his powers, as his arrival brings springtime back to Narnia. As an almost god-like figure in Narnia, Aslan contrasts with the Witch because he is good and just; even the weather that accompanies him is more pleasant.

The chapter, however, generally focuses on the development of Peter's character and his coming-of-age. As the eldest of the children, he has been the natural leader throughout the story. He is able to recognize when he is wrong (as seen when he apologizes to Lucy and tells Aslan that Edmund's betrayal is in part driven by his anger at Peter), understand the needs of others (as seen when he allows Lucy to be the leader in Narnia), admonish others for having committed negative deeds (such as those committed by his brother, Edmund), and exercise the logic that was taught to him by the Professor. Overall, Peter proves himself to be an adventurous spirit, and, being the oldest, the responsibility often falls on his capable shoulders. This is underscored in Chapter 12 when Peter takes on the responsibility of approaching Aslan. Because of Peter's bravery and status as the oldest and most responsible, Aslan takes him aside and shows him the castle of Cair Paravel. This castle, in contrast to the White Witch's castle, which is only seen in the moonlight, shines in the sun like a "great star resting on the seashore."

The climax of Peter's coming-of-age occurs when he battles the Witch's wolf. Spurred on by his natural bravery and desire to protect his sister, who is hiding in a tree on the verge of fainting, Peter makes use of his gifts from Father Christmas: the sword and shield. He strikes Fenris Ulf, the Grey Wolf, through the heart, and, in doing so, positions himself as a chivalrous, almost romantic figure. He saves his sister's life, and Aslan rewards his bravery by making him a Knight.

In the same episode, Susan uses the gift of the horn that she received from Father Christmas to call for help. As promised, the horn brings her the help that she needs; indeed, given Father Christmas's prediction, one might concur that Peter's victory was inevitable. This first battle also suggests that the younger pair of siblings will go through a similar experience: the reader already knows that Lucy's Christmas gift is a vial of potion that helps to heal the wounded. The narrative logically moves toward the moment when Lucy will use her potion to save Edmund.

By this time, Edmund is very tired. The White Witch pauses her sledge in a dark valley shadowed with fir trees and yew trees, and Edmund lays on the ground face-down, beyond hunger and thirst, and too tired to care what will happen to him. The Dwarf and the Witch discuss what they should do next, and the Witch ultimately decides to kill Edmund, though the proper place for such a killing seems to be on the Stone Table.

At that moment, the wolf arrives with the news that Fenris Ulf, his captain, has been killed, and the Witch orders the wolf to summon all of her people to her. She quickly prepares to slaughter one of the four humans needed to fulfill the prophecy. Edmund is tied to a tree, and the Witch begins to whet a knife. Suddenly, they hear a commotion. The Witch screams, and then disappears, and Edmund faints.

Edmund is carried back to the Stone Table by the light of the moon. The search party that Aslan had sent, however, can't figure out what happened to the Witch. Back in the valley, a stump and a boulder change back into the Witch and her Dwarf: she had used magic to transform them just as the knife was knocked from her hand.

In the morning, when the children awaken, they see Aslan and Edmund walking together, deep in conversation. Although readers never learn what, exactly, is said, "it was a conversation Edmund never forgot." Aslan brings Edmund to the children and states, "there is no need to talk to him about what is past." Edmund tells each of the others that he is sorry, and Peter, Susan and Lucy answer that it is all right, though they all want to say something more to express how they feel.

The Witch's Dwarf then arrives with the message that the Queen of Narnia seeks an audience with Aslan. He agrees to meet with her, and sends two leopards along with the Dwarf to ensure that the Witch leaves her wand behind. Lucy whispers to Peter worriedly that the Witch may change the leopards into stone; but Peter assures her that Aslan wouldn't have sent them if it wasn't all right.

When the Witch arrives, everyone around her suddenly feels cold. She points at Edmund and declares that he is "a traitor" and, hence, his blood is her property. She states that according to the Deep Magic written on the Stone Table, the World Ash Tree, and the scepter of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea: "every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have the right to kill." Mr. Beaver angrily reveals that the Witch had been the Emperor's hangman. When a bull threatens the Witch with force, she snarls: "do you really think your master can rob me of my rights with mere force?" Lucy implores Aslan to figure out a way to work against the Deep Magic, but Aslan tells her that the idea is unthinkable. The Magic, it seems, is what governs them all.

Aslan then takes the Witch aside, and they confer together. The children wait, wondering what they could be talking about, and Lucy begins crying. Aslan finally returns, and the matter appears to have been settled. The Witch, he states, has renounced her claim on Edmund. The Witch goes on her way, a look of "fierce joy" branded across her face. She turns to Aslan to ask him one last time how she will know that his promise will be kept, and Aslan growls angrily in response, frightening her away.

Analysis

The valley that the exhausted Edmund collapses in recalls the "valley of death", and has deeply Biblical undertones. Not only is it the place where the Witch prepares to kill Edmund, but it also represents the valley of despair and suffering into which Edmund has sunk. He collapses on the ground, and his survival becomes a matter of pure faith.

Of course, the matter of faith is readily answered in Lewis' narrative by the fortuitous arrival of the rescue party that has followed the wolf back to the Witch. The plot restores Edmund to his brother and sisters, and Aslan, after a private conversation with Edmund, teaches a lesson in forgiveness. Aslan advises the others to put the past to rest - to forgive and to forget - and Edmund offers each of his siblings a personal apology. Lewis suggests that forgiveness heals wounds and allows relationships to build upon past wrongs. When Edmund receives the forgiveness of his siblings, he is welcomed back into his family and the community built around Aslan, and can join the fight against the White Witch.

The example of forgiveness that Aslan sets in this chapter is notable: he does not require Edmund to suffer any humiliation, chastisement, or punishment. All that he asks is that Edmund understand where he has gone wrong. Edmund is offered an entirely clean slate: the question now is what he will make of it.

When Aslan agrees to give the White Witch an audience, the contrast between the two is striking: they are described as "the golden face and the dead-white face." Aslan is aligned with the sun and the warm, life-giving seasons of spring and summer, while the White Witch is linked with the moon and the deathly cold winter. While Aslan is the true King, the White Witch has illegitimately assumed control over Narnia. The narrative underscores the White Witch's "falsity": when Aslan's search party rescues Edmund in the valley, the Witch uses her power to transform herself and her Dwarf into a tree stump and a boulder. The very nature of the Witch is false: in this case, what we see is not what is true. This contrasts with Lucy's keen sense of sight and Edmund's newly-discovered ability to see and appreciate what is around him. According to the narrative, vision leads to belief and is a manifestation of the truth; at the same time, one must cautiously exercise good judgment whenever possible.

More trouble emerges with the reappearance of the White Witch. Even though her reign over Narnia is illegitimate, she still has power over "traitors": according to the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time, she has the right to kill Edmund. Although Edmund has been forgiven by his siblings, he still wears the label of "traitor" because not only did he betray his family, but he has now reneged on his promise to deliver his siblings to the White Witch. The Deep Magic refers to the laws of Narnia and all of the countries created by Aslan's father, the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. It tells the residents of these countries how to conduct themselves, and how to resolve disagreements. It sets down laws to govern morality, but can be quite harsh, since the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea had a hangman (the White Witch herself). Even Aslan is subject to the Emperor's Magic.

However, Aslan is able to negotiate with the White Witch, although neither the children nor the readers know yet how the problem will be resolved. The chapter ends on a note of skepticism, reinforcing the repeated theme of questioning the truth. Throughout the beginning of the narrative, Edmund expresses skepticism; Peter and Susan are skeptical of Lucy's story about Narnia; now Lucy, troubled by the ramifications of the "Emperor's Magic", asks Aslan whether there is anything that they can do against it. Aslan responds to Lucy's query in a tone that suggests that such an idea is unimaginable. The White Witch, in a similarly skeptical manner, questions whether or not Aslan will keep his promise, but he responds with an angry roar. The skepticism that Aslan faces from opposite ends of the spectrum (Lucy and the White Witch), in addition to Edmund, Peter, and Susan's past skepticism, seems to imply that the impulse is a very powerful, very common one.

No one asks Aslan about the terms of his agreement with the White Witch, but he announces that they must set up camp for the evening in another location: at the Fords of Beruna. While they travel, Aslan tells Peter about the military plan that he has in mind: one battle against the Witch and her followers in the woods, and a second assault on her castle. Aslan then tells Peter that he cannot promise that he will be there to help. Peter is unnerved by Aslan's statement: the lion is clearly preoccupied and sad.

That night, Susan and Lucy have trouble sleeping. They have the same horrible feeling that something dreadful is about to happen to Aslan, or that he is about to do something horrible. They begin to wonder whether he is stealing away from the camp at that moment, and go outside to look for him just in time to see the lion leaving the camp. They follow him, and realize that he is making the journey back to the Stone Table. As they cross a clearing, he calls out to them, having been aware all along that they were following him. Susan and Lucy ask him if he is ill, and he answers, "I am sad and lonely." They walk together, and as they approach the Stone Table, Aslan tells them that they must wait where they are, and be sure that they are not seen.

A crowd of the Witch's evil supporters is gathered at the table, and they tie Aslan down. The Witch calls him "a fool." They shave his hair, strap a muzzle to his face, and mock him, calling him a cat. To Lucy, however, "the shorn face of Aslan looked...braver, more beautiful, and more patient than ever." The Witch bares her white arms, whets a knife, and declares that after Aslan is gone, nothing will prevent her from going after Edmund, too: "Fool, did you think that by all this you would save the human traitor?" Narnia, she cries out, will be hers forever. Susan and Lucy look away, unable to bear seeing the moment of Aslan's death.

The narrative skips over any description of Aslan's actual death, focusing instead on Susan and Lucy, who are crying silently as they watch the horrible event. They approach Aslan's limp body: "At any other time they would have trembled with fear; but now the sadness and shame and horror of Aslan's death so filled their minds that they hardly thought of it." They kiss his face and manage to remove the muzzle. The night grows cold, and, after hours and hours, the sky to the East suddenly looks a little lighter. They notice tiny movements in the grass all around them, and realize that little grey field mice are nibbling away at the cords binding Aslan to the Stone Table. The two girls are watching the sun rise out of the sea and listening to the birds singing when they hear a resounding crash behind them. They turn to see that the Stone Table has been broken into two pieces. Aslan's body is nowhere in sight. Susan asks, "Is it more magic?" The girls look around the area...and then they see him. Lucy wonders whether he is a ghost, but he is in fact very real, having returned from the dead. Lucy exclaims, "Oh, you're real, you're real!" Aslan explains to the girls that there is a deeper magic than the one that the Witch knows, one that comes from before the dawn of time. The magic written before the dawn of time dictates that when one gives his life for the life of a traitor, all is forgiven, and the life that has been snuffed out rises again.

Aslan rejoices in his renewed strength. The girls scramble onto the lion's back, and he runs through the country, faster than the fastest of racehorses. By mid-day, they arrive at the Witch's home. From a distance it seems like a little toy castle, but as they draw near it seems to frown at them. Aslan tells the children to hold tight, and leaps over the wall into the courtyard, which is filled with statues.

Analysis

These two chapters reveal the nature of the agreement between Aslan and the White Witch. They learn that Aslan has in fact volunteered to take Edmund's place: an act that draws heavily on the story of Christianity. Aslan allows himself to be killed on the Stone Table, and Susan and Lucy witness the event. Aslan's death and rebirth are direct allusions to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Recalling Christ's death to atone for the sins of humanity, Aslan gives his life voluntarily in penance for Edmund's wrongdoings. Aslan's action is a powerful expression of love and forgiveness, as well as his faith that Edmund is someone worth redeeming.

The events that occur at the Stone Table create an allegorical picture of the story of Christ, albeit with a different set of symbols (e.g. a Stone Table rather than a cross). This creative decision suggests that Lewis hoped that the reader would experience an old story in a fresh way, thereby stirring in his audience the same sense of wonder and awe that he believed is experienced upon first hearing the story of Christ's death and rebirth. Some critics have criticized the use of creative allegories as unoriginal; however, Lewis' personal faith and fascination with religion and myth suggest that he believed otherwise. For Lewis, the important thing was to tell a good story: by culling from the story of Christ, he was working with the best one he knew.

The night scene at the Stone Table directly contrasts with the events of the previous day, which were celebratory, bright, and full of hope. At night, the White Witch reigns: the narrative aligns her with the moon and the darkness, which create an atmosphere in which things are difficult to see and can easily be misjudged. Prior to his death, Aslan suffers the mockery of the evil creatures who are gathered in support of the Witch: they shave off his hair, strap a muzzle onto his face, and call him a "cat." This collective mockery echoes Edmund's individual "silly and childish" reaction to the stone statue of the lion in the Witch's courtyard - the one that he believed was Aslan. The narrative suggests that mockery, in general, is borne out of fear, as well as a childish desire to exercise power over another. In this case, the evil creatures have lived in fear of Aslan for a long time; once they realize he does not intend to fight back, however, they develop the "courage" to childishly harass him. The circumstances of Aslan's death directly echo the mockery that Christ suffered before his crucifixion. The narrative, however, skips over the actual killing, carefully avoiding gratuitous details and keeping in mind the intended audience, which may have been too young to handle such an event.

Aslan's rebirth coincides with the sunrise, emphasizing the link between Aslan and the daytime: the time when everything can be seen clearly. Susan and Lucy, seeing that Aslan has come back to life, can hardly believe it. At first, Lucy wonders whether he is a ghost, but then realizes that he is quite real. Lewis again illustrates how "seeing" can lead to "belief" in something fantastic; this episode recalls the earlier scene when the Professor told Peter and Susan to entertain the possibility that Lucy's story about Narnia might be true. While it may seem improbable for someone to die and come back to life, the truth is literally standing right in front of Susan and Lucy - they must believe what they see. The joy and wonder that the girls feel as they cling to Aslan's back, practically flying through Narnia, is an almost religious bliss.

The narrative suggests that the defeat of the White Witch is imminent. Her own carelessness (not unlike the carelessness Edmund has shown throughout the tale) limits her powers; she fails to look beyond the dawn of time to find the "Deeper Magic"; had she done so, she would have known that Aslan was going to come back to life. The Witch's failure to look "deeper" is an echo of the wardrobe door itself: the facade falls away to reveal the truth only if one has faith and pure intentions. While the Emperor's magic governs Narnia in accordance with a set of fixed laws, the magic from before the dawn of time recognizes that some actions merit exceptional treatment. Aslan's sacrifice enables him to transcend even the most basic tenets of life and death, and absolves Edmund, the traitor.

Just prior to killing Aslan, however, the White Witch confides to Aslan that she has no intention of keeping her promise to allow Edmund to live, in spite of the fact that Aslan has volunteered to die in his place. She gloats that once Aslan is gone, there will be no one to stop her from killing the children and keeping Narnia under her power forever. This admission marks her as a traitor to her agreement with Aslan, as well as a traitor against the Emperor's Magic itself. These plot points drive the narrative towards the Witch's death and the fulfillment of the prophecy.

When Aslan leaps into the Witch's courtyard with Lucy and Susan on his back, Lucy immediately notices the stone statues. Aslan breathes on the statues, and they return to life; a lion, returned to his former self, leaps in delight and licks Aslan's face. "Instead of all that deadly white the courtyard was now a blaze of colours." Aslan rescues a friendly giant named Giant Rumblebuffin, and commands the creatures to search the interior of the Witch's fortress, as well as the dungeon, for prisoners. Lucy finds Mr. Tumnus, and Aslan brings him back to life. The courtyard surges with "liberated statues."

Aslan then asks the giant to help them get out of the fortress, and it bangs on the gates so hard that they all fall down. In gratitude for his assistance, Lucy offers the giant her handkerchief; in a humorous moment, the giant initially mistakes Lucy for the handkerchief, but then recognizes his error and uses the cloth to wipe his face. A sheep-dog organizes the crowd, and, with a noise "like an English fox-hunt only better," they flee together to a narrow valley, where Lucy hears the ominous sound of shouting and the clash of metal against metal. They discover Peter and Edmund, along with Aslan's army, fighting against a much larger crowd of horrible creatures. Peter is fighting the Witch, who wields a stone knife; seeing this, Aslan roars terribly, leaping onto the Witch.

The battle is over after a few minutes, and the Witch lies dead. (Again, the narrative skips over any actual description of the killing.) Peter and Aslan shake hands, and Lucy notices that Peter suddenly looks changed: "his face was so pale and stern and he seemed so much older." Edmund, Peter explains, heroically smashed the Witch's wand. After that, they stood a chance against her, since she no longer had the power to change everyone into stone. They find Edmund lying near Mrs. Beaver, covered in blood, his face green. Lucy pours a few drops of her Christmas present into his mouth, recalling the words of Father Christmas. Aslan tells her to move on and help the others who are wounded, and when she responds crossly, anxiously hovering over Edmund, he pointedly asks her how many more must die for Edmund. She moves on to help others, and later finds Edmund fully recovered: "He had become his real old self again and could look you in the face." In recognition of his courageous actions, Aslan makes him a Knight. Lucy and Susan discuss whether or not they should tell Edmund about the sacrifice that Aslan made for him.

That night, they all sleep in the valley, and in the morning Aslan presents them with food. Together, the children head east, to the sea and the castle of Cair Paravel, where the four assume their thrones. Aslan tells them, "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia." The mermen and mermaids sing, and there is much celebrating. In the meantime, Aslan quietly slips away, and Mr. Beaver explains to the children that he is always coming and going; he has many countries to attend to.

The new kings and queens of Narnia destroy the last of the Witch's army, and, as they grow, they become known as Peter the Magnificent, Susan the Gentle, Edmund the Just, and Lucy the Valiant. They make "good laws," "[keep] the peace," and "[encourage] ordinary people who wanted to live and let live." Their old life beyond the wardrobe becomes something like a dream, until one year a middle-aged Mr. Tumnus tells them that the White Stag has appeared in the Western Wood. It offers wishes to anyone who catches him, so together the siblings go to hunt in the wood, speaking like the kings and queens of long ago. They see the lamp-post, and Peter calls it "a tree of iron." Edmund remarks that it reminds him of something from a dream, or "in the dream of a dream." They all agree that they feel the same way, and move forward. Gradually, they remember that the "iron tree" is called a "lamp-post," and the branches around them transform into fur coats. Soon, they are tumbling out of the wardrobe into the empty room in their old clothes. They hear Mrs. Macready speaking to the visitors in the passageway; luckily, however, the tour skips over the room.

The children tell their story to the Professor ("a very remarkable man"), feeling that they must explain what has happened to four of the fur coats. He believes their story, but thinks it unlikely that they will ever be able to return to Narnia by that route. He does, however, assure them that one day they will find their way back: "Once a King in Narnia, always a King in Narnia," he says, echoing Aslan. He advises them to keep the story a secret, and not to talk about it with anyone who has not had a similar experience themselves. In the end, he laments, "Bless me, what do they teach them in these schools?" The adventures in Narnia draw to a close...at least for the time being.

Analysis

With Aslan's life and strength restored, he runs as fast as he can to the home of the White Witch, where his breath returns life to the stone statues. Aslan's regenerative powers cast him as a god-like figure. All of the White Witch's evil works are reversed, redeeming those who had been punished for their "crimes" against the "Queen". Mr. Tumnus's return and the reappearance of the handkerchief of friendship signal that things are falling back into place.

The resolution of the story occurs during the battle against the White Witch. Lewis carefully includes the detail that the White Witch holds a stone knife as she fights Peter, something Father Christmas warned Lucy and Susan not to do ("Battles are ugly when women fight," he said.) This passage has received a great deal of criticism from feminist thinkers: Lewis portrays the White Witch - an aggressive and ambitious woman - as evil and "ugly", while Susan and Lucy, benevolent "Daughters of Eve", refrain from fighting and participate in the battle only by ministering to the wounded.

Aslan is the one who slays the Witch: this is another reversal in the narrative, since it was she who ended his life at the Stone Table, albeit temporarily. The narrative again skips over the violence of the killing, most likely out of sensitivity to younger readers. The White Witch, however, has no Deeper Magic to appeal to. She is the ultimate "traitor" to both Narnia and the Emperor's moral law, and Aslan metes out the proper punishment of death, thereby fulfilling the prophecy. While Edmund is forgiven, because he has successfully discovered his fundamental goodness, the White Witch is beyond redemption.

Over the course of the battle, Peter comes of age: when everything is over, Lucy notices that his face has grown older. He has built on his prior experiences and has shown that he is capable of leading Aslan's army against the White Witch without the lion to guide him. Edmund, likewise, proves his courage by fighting valiantly; at last, he proves that he has learned to use good judgment, rightly perceiving that the source of the Witch's power lies in her wand. Edmund succeeds in destroying the wand, helping pave the way to victory.

Lucy uses the gift of the vial from Father Christmas to heal Edmund of his wounds in the same way that Peter used his gifts of the sword and shield to answer Susan's call for help. Edmund's gift, of course, is the forgiveness of his brother and his sisters, in addition to Aslan's act of self-sacrifice, though Edmund may not ever be aware of the extent of the lion's selflessness. Aslan teaches Lucy not to favor one life over any other; even though she is personally tied to Edmund, she must learn that all lives are equally valuable. Lucy shares the vial of cordial with all of the wounded creatures, and this becomes one of the fundamental lessons that will help her become a wise ruler.

Edmund's transformation is completed when Lucy gives him the juice of the fire-flower, healing him both physically and symbolically. Finally, Edmund too comes of age: his character has undergone profound internal changes over the course of the story, and in the battle against the White Witch he finally reveals how far he has come. Like Peter, he is rewarded for his courage and made a Knight. The rift between the brothers appears to be healed, and even seems to have reached a deeper level than ever before. Peter demonstrates his awareness of how much Edmund has changed by expressing admiration for Edmund's quick thinking on the battlefield. After the children assume their thrones, Edmund becomes known as "Edmund the Just". To be "just", Lewis implies, one must have experience both with justice and with injustice.

Susan's character is somewhat neglected throughout the story. Although she is a constant, gentle presence, she has little if any impact on the dramatic events taking place. This may largely be a consequence of the fact that she and Edmund do not visibly clash; since it is he who is the center of the tension in the tale, Susan has little to do if she does not directly confront him. Susan is calm, gentle, cautious, and practical; in other words, she possesses characteristics ideally suited for a queen. Lucy, in contrast, is far more spirited, and thus plays a greater role in the progression of the plot.

The children's reign is just, peaceful, and good, standing in direct contrast to the reign of the White Witch, with her Secret Police and everlasting winter. They become very much a part of Narnia, and after some time even forget about their previous lives. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, in other words, become a part of the fantasy. Their memories are sparked, however, when they see the lamp-post, and return to them completely once they tumble out of the wardrobe, back into the very moment in which they were hiding from Mrs. Macready and the tour group. Mrs. Macready, oblivious to the events that have taken place, announces to the group that there is nothing of value in the Wardrobe Room, suggesting that the children's experience is privileged. (The idea of "privilege" is further intensified by Lewis' illustration of monarchical reign in his story; the experience of the truth, in the end, is limited to only a select few.) Now it is Narnia that seems like a dream, but they believe in their experience, and the lessons they learned remain with them. The Professor believes their story entirely because his past experiences have shown him that the children are truthful. Their fantastic story, therefore, must be real. Through this story, Lewis suggests that fables are not impossible, but are at the very least truthful in the lessons that they teach.

• Biography of C. S. Lewis
• About The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Character List
• Major Themes
• Glossary of Terms
• Short Summary
• Full Summary and Analysis
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 1: Lucy Looks into a Wardrobe
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 2: What Lucy Found There
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 3: Edmund and the Wardrobe
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 4: Turkish Delight
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 5: Back on This Side of the Door
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 6: Into the Forest
• Summary and Analysis of Chapters 7-8: A Day with the Beavers & What Happened After Dinner
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 9: In the Witch's House
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 10: The Spell Begins to Break
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 11: Aslan Is Nearer
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 12: Peter's First Battle
• Summary and Analysis of Chapter 13: Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time
• Summary and Analysis of Chapters 14-15: The Triumph of the Witch & Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time
• Summary and Analysis of Chapters 16-17: What Happened About the Statues & The Hunting of the White Stag
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