C.S. Lewis, the author of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," was a British writer and scholar who is widely known for his contributions to children's literature. Born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Lewis developed a passion for storytelling from a young age. His childhood was marked by the loss of his mother and the strained relationship with his father, but he found solace in books and imaginary worlds. At the age of 19, Lewis enlisted in the British Army and fought in World War I.
As The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe begins, we meet up with four ordinary English children, sent by their parents to stay in the country with a family friend in order to escape the air raids of a world at war. The children do what youth would naturally do in a big house where an old professor lives. The morning after their arrival, they explore this house of stairs, corridors, and many rooms, including some that are completely empty. The heavy rain and fog make being outside impossible, and anyway they want to see for themselves such a large country dwelling, so different from their home in London.
For this reason, as a reader of stories myself, I always advise other readers to begin your journey in Narnia with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and read the stories in the order that Lewis wrote them. عنوان نخستین جلد از سری هفت جلدی رمان سرگذشت نارنیا شیر کمد و جادوگر است لوئیس برای نگارش رمانهای این سری از شخصیت ها و ایده هایی از اساطیر یونان و روم و همچنین از افسانه های کهن بریتانیا و ایرلند سود برده اند نارنیا دنیایی است که در آن حیوانات سخن می گویند جادو امری رایج است و خوبی به جنگ با بدی می رود داستان آفرینش نارنیا در روز نخست با آواز اصلان شیر و سخنگو شدن حیوانات با جادوی او در کتاب خواهرزاده ی جادوگر و داستان پایانی آن در کتاب آخرین نبرد آمده است اما ماجراهای سرزمین نارنیا انگار برایم همان داستانهای دل انگیز هزار و یک شب این دیار هستند چند سال پیشتر این سری را دو بار خواندم مرا نیز نوجوان و سرشار از خیال و دلشوره برای ماجراجوئی کردند شاید راز ماندگاریش نیز که هم اکنون یکی از آثار کلاسیک ادبیات بریتانیا به شمار است همین باشد داستانهایی ما برای زنده کردن خیال تعلق داشتن به یک سرزمین تلاش برای پیروز شدن رویاهای نیک و سرانجامی خوشرنگ و بوی نگاشته شده اند.
At the age of 19, Lewis enlisted in the British Army and fought in World War I. The horrors of war left a lasting impact on him and shaped his philosophical and theological beliefs. After the war, he studied at Oxford University and became a professor of English literature.
Reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with C. S. Lewis
Misconception #3 is to assume that when Lewis composed The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, he started with a set of ideas and then created fictional details to embody them. While strictly speaking this concerns the composition rather than the reading of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, our conception of the origin of a work exerts a formative influence on how we read and interpret that work. Lewis’ comments on the genesis of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are surely some of the most surprising passages in the whole realm of literary autobiography:
All my seven Narnian books . . . began with seeing pictures in my head. At first they were not a story, just pictures. The Lion all began with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood. This picture had been in my mind since I was about sixteen. Then one day, when I was about forty, I said to myself: “Let’s try to make a story about it.” At first I had very little idea how the story would go. But then suddenly Aslan came bounding into it. I think I had been having a good many dreams of lions about that time. Apart from that, I don’t know where the lion came from or why He came. But once He was there he pulled the whole story together, and soon He pulled the six other Narnian stories in after Him. (Of Other Worlds 42)
Some people seem to think that I began by asking myself how I could say something about Christianity to children; then fixed on the fairy tale as an instrument; then . . . drew up a list of basic Christian truths and hammered out “allegories” to embody them. This is all pure moonshine. I couldn’t write in that way at all. Everything began with images; a faun carrying an umbrella, a queen on a sledge, a magnificent lion. At first there wasn’t even anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord. (“Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What’s To Be Said” 36)
The application of this to the reading of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is far-reaching in its import. If the composition of the book begins with images, our reading of it must begin the same way. The order of composition suggests an order of reading and assimilation. The story—the imaginative construct—has a place of precedence in the sense of coming first.
In summary, if we intend to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in any of the following three ways, C. S. Lewis would like us to forget about it: using the book instead of receiving it, viewing it primarily as a set of ideas, and assuming that the story is simply the vehicle that Lewis created to clothe a Christian vision.
How to Read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Good practice #1 is to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first as an escape from the real world to an imagined world. To be transported is the goal, and to be unencumbered with anxiety about fears of escapism. I am permanently indebted to Lewis for liberating me from the burden of anxiety and guilt under which I had struggled since my freshman year in college, when I used Laurence Perrine’s book Story and Structure as an introduction to narrative. The opening chapter of that great book claims that all stories are either interpretive or escapist. Here is the prison-breaking passage from An Experiment in Criticism:
Now there is a clear sense in which all reading whatever is an escape. It involves a temporary transference of the mind from our actual surroundings to things merely imagined or conceived. This happens when we read history or science no less than when we read fictions. All such escape is from the same thing; immediate, concrete actuality. The important question is what we escape to. (68)
The first thing we need to do when we reread The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is to allow ourselves to be transported. The magic of walking through the back of the wardrobe should, indeed, never end.
Good practice#2 is to enter into the particulars of the imagined world that a writer creates. Worldmaking is one of Lewis’ greatest gifts as a fiction writer, but it is equally a quality that he relishes in the literature about which he wrote. Lewis endorsed Tolkien’s theory of the writer as a subcreator—someone whose function (in Lewis’ words) is “not . . . making a ‘comment upon life’ but making . . . a subordinate world of his own” (Of Other Worlds 27).
When we enter the imagined world of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, we should relish rather than scorn the details that make up the surface level of the story and the obvious human experiences that are portrayed. Lewis’ formula of responding first “to the central, obvious appeal of a great work,” is one of the most important literary principles that we will ever encounter (English Literature in the Sixteenth Century 26). We should avoid the error of Renaissance humanists, whom Lewis scolds for not being able to “bring themselves to believe that the poet cared about the shepherds, lovers, warriors, voyages, and battles. They [wrongly assumed that these elements] must be only a disguise for something more ‘adult'” (28).
To pay attention to the surface details of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe means that we will not be troubled in the least by the unlifelike qualities of a fantasy story. According to Lewis, it is the “unliterary” who “mistake art for an account of real life” (An Experiment in Criticism 75-76).
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Lewis was a member of a literary group called the Inklings, which included notable writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien. "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is the first book in Lewis's iconic series, "The Chronicles of Narnia." Published in 1950, it tells the story of four siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—who stumble upon a magical wardrobe that leads them to the enchanted world of Narnia. The land is ruled by the White Witch, who has cast a spell of eternal winter and suppressed its inhabitants. With the help of the lion Aslan, the children embark on a quest to overthrow the Witch and restore peace to Narnia. Lewis drew inspiration from various sources for "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," including his Christian faith, Greek mythology, and his vivid imagination. The book explores themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the battle between good and evil. Lewis's storytelling prowess and imaginative world-building captivated readers of all ages. "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" was followed by six more books in "The Chronicles of Narnia" series, each exploring different adventures and characters in the magical realm. Lewis's work continues to be celebrated for its profound storytelling, moral values, and its ability to ignite the imagination and captivate readers. C.S. Lewis passed away on November 22, 1963, leaving behind a rich literary legacy that continues to be cherished by readers around the world. His impact on children's literature and the fantasy genre is immeasurable, and "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" remains a beloved classic that has stood the test of time..
Reviews for "Kion the Witch and the Wardrobe Author: A Literary Phenomenon"
1. Jane - ★☆☆☆☆
I was extremely disappointed with "Kion the Witch and the Wardrobe" by this author. The writing was juvenile and lacking depth. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked any sort of development. The plot was predictable and unoriginal, leaving me feeling bored and uninterested throughout the entire story. Overall, I found this book to be a complete waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written fantasy tale.
2. Mike - ★★☆☆☆
I had high hopes for "Kion the Witch and the Wardrobe" but unfortunately, it fell short in many aspects. The pacing was inconsistent, making it difficult to stay engaged. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and I struggled to connect with the characters on any level. Additionally, the world-building was lackluster and left me feeling uninspired. While I appreciate the effort the author put into creating a magical world, it just didn't live up to my expectations. Overall, I found this book to be mediocre and wouldn't recommend it to fellow fantasy enthusiasts.
3. Sarah - ★★☆☆☆
I found "Kion the Witch and the Wardrobe" to be a lackluster read. The writing style was dull and lacked any sort of creativity. The story seemed to drag on, with unnecessary and repetitive descriptions that added nothing to the overall plot. The characters were forgettable and felt like cliches, making it difficult to feel invested in their journey. The lack of originality in both the plot and world-building left me feeling underwhelmed. Overall, this book failed to capture my interest and I wouldn't recommend it to others in search of a captivating fantasy read.