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Description edit see section history

"We've fallen on our feet and no mistake. This is going to be splendid. That old chap will let us do anything we like," said Peter to Susan, Edmund and Lucy.

The old professor certainly did seem to live in a world of his own, so the children set about finding their own entertainment... read more

Summary edit see section history

The four kids, who were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, went to live with a professor in his big house because of the war going on. One day they were playing a game and Lucy hid in the wardrobe and she found herself in Narnia. While she was in Narnia she met Mr. Tumnus and they became friends.... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The four kids, who were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, went to live with a professor in his big house because of the war going on. One day they were playing a game and Lucy hid in the wardrobe and she found herself in Narnia. While she was in Narnia she met Mr. Tumnus and they became friends. After awhile Mr. Tumnus led Lucy out of Narnia so she could be safe. When Lucy got back to the real world no one believed she was telling the truth about Narnia. Lucy wanted to go back to Narnia so she did and this time Edmund followed her and found himself in Narnia too. When Edmund was in Narnia he met the White Witch who fed him cursed turkish delite which made him want more. Lucy and Edmund eventually went back to the real world and Lucy was excited and told Peter and Susan that Edmund was in Narnia too but Edmund lied and said that Lucy and him were just playing around. A day after that happend they all ended up in the wardrobe and got into Narnia all together. At first they went to meet Mr. Tumnus but they found his house a mess and a note that said he was arrested. They then met Mr. Beaver who brought them to his house and there they met Mrs. Beaver. They talked awhile and found out that Aslan was in Narnia and that they needed to meet him. They eventually noticed that while they were talking that Edmund had left to go to the White Whitch's castle. The three kids and the beavers knew that the White Witch would know that they are in Narnia and would want to kill them. After they realized this they started off to the stone table to meet up with Aslan. While on their way to the stone table they met Father Christmas and got gifts. When they got to the Stone table they met Aslan and talked about Edmund and the White Witch. Aslan sent a group of creatures to go save Edmund. When Edmund was saved the White Witch showed up at Aslan's camp to get Edmund back. Aslan talks to the Witch and gets her to agree to take his life instead of Edmund's life. The White Witch kills Aslan on the stone table, but Aslan comes back to life the next day and Susan and Lucy were with him. After he came back to life he and the two girls went to the White Witch's castle and unstoned the creatures in her castle. When Aslan was done with that he and the creatures headed to the battle that was going on while he was saving all the creatures in the Witch's castle. When Aslan showed up to the battle he kills the White Witch and they win the battle. After the Witch was gone and Narnia was safe the four kids became Kings and Queens of Narnia. A long time in the future they went on a hunt for a special horse that would grant them wishes but they ended up finding the lamp post and the went back through the wardrobe. When they got back to the real world they talked to the profesor about Narnia.

Characters edit see section history

  • Lucy Pevensie: The youngest of the Pevensie children. Lucy is 8 years old at the beginning of the story. She is the first to discover Narnia, and Aslan. One of the main characters
  • Susan Pevensie: The second eldest of the Pevensie children, Susan is 12 years old at the start of the story. One of the main characters
  • Peter Pevensie: The eldest of the Pevensie siblings. Peter is 13 years old at the start of the story. one of the main characters
  • Edmund Pevensie: The third Pevensie sibling. Edmund is 10 years old at the start of the story. One of the main characters
  • Aslan: "God" in the story, a talking lion. The creator of everything in Narnia.
  • Mr. Tumnus: A Faun that Lucy meets in Narnia the very first day she discovered it. He turns into a traitor and in the end proves himself a trustworthy friend.
  • Giant Rumblebuffin: A reputedly nice giant who spent the beginning of the book as a statue in the White Witch's yard. He comes from a very nice family of giants.
  • Maugrim: The Witch's chief of her Secret Police
  • Father Christmas: Gift giver of England (Santa)
  • Mr. Beaver: A friendly talking beaver who guides the children to meet Aslan. He's married to Mrs. Beaver
  • Mrs. Macready: The helper in the professor's big house that did tours of the famous house. She didn't like childred very much.
  • The Professor: Digory Kirke, who was a main character in the Magician's Nephew. Now he lives in the country, in a house with a wardrobe that can lead to Narnia.
  • Jadis: Called the White Witch; the book's primary antagonist, an inhuman witch covering Narnia in eternal winter.
  • King Edmund: Edmund is a brother to Peter, Lucy and Susan. He has a problem when he runs into the White Witch. He ends up getting captured by her and they have to go save him. Sometimes he has attitude issues.
  • Queen Susan: Susan is the the sister of edmand peter and lucy. She is very sensible.
  • King Peter: Peter is brother to edmund, lucy and susan. Peter is a proud, and corageous boy.
  • Mrs. Beaver: Mrs. Beaver is wife to Mr. beaver, they together work to help aslan and his army. She likes to sew in her sewing machine.
  • Mr. Tumnus: A Faun that Lucy meets in Narnia the very first day she discovered it. He turns into a traitor and in the end proves himself a trustworthy friend.
  • Mr. Tumnus: A Faun that Lucy meets in Narnia the very first day she discovered it. He turns into a traitor and in the end proves himself a trustworthy friend.
  • Mr. Tumnus: A Faun that Lucy meets in Narnia the very first day she discovered it. He turns into a traitor and in the end proves himself a trustworthy friend.
  • Edmund: Goes to Narnia and meets the White Witch, but tells the others he and Lucy were playing pretend. Is found out to be a liar and traitor later.
  • James: A true hero.
  • Fox: Add a description of this character.
  • Adam
  • Queen Lucy
  • Robin
  • Mr.Beaver
Show all 27 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Rise up, Sir Peter Wolf’s-Bane. And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword.”
    Aslan
  • “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
    Mrs. Beaver
  • “Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen of Narnia.”
    Aslan
  • “'But do you really mean, sir,' said Peter, 'that there could be other worlds-all over the place, just around the corner - like that?''Nothing is more probable,' said the professor, taking off his spectacles and beginning to polish them, while he muttered to himself, 'I wonder what they do teach them at these schools.'”
  • “All shall be done. But it may be harder than you think.”
    Aslan
  • “He had no wife and he lived in a very large house with a housekeeper called Mrs. Macready and three servants. (Their names were Ivy, Margaret and Betty, but they do not come into the story much.)”
  • “Why, sir?" said Lucy. " I think-I don't know-but I think I could be brave enough.”
  • “Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don't understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning-- either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside.”
  • “Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
    Mr. Beaver
  • “Once the feet are put right, all the rest of him will follow.”
    Aslan
  • “...and all the chlidren thought-and I agree with them- that there's nothing to beat good freshwater fish if you eat it when it has been alive half an hour ago and has come out of the pan half a minute ago.”
  • “He did not feel brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no difference to what he had to do.”
Show all 12 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

  • London: The home of the Pevensie children.
  • Narnia: A magical world, created in The Magician's Nephew, where animals can talk.
  • Stone Table: In Narnia. You gather in the book that it is about a day's journey (maybe a bit longer) from the Beaver's dam.
  • Cair Paravel: A castle by the sea.
  • Beaver's Dam: The unfinished house of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
  • Tumnus's Cave: Tumnus's house
  • The White Witch's castle: Where the White Witch lives and "rules"

First Sentence edit see section history

Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. Lucy looks Into a Wardrobe
2. What Lucy Found There
3. Edmund and the Wardrobe
4. Turkish Delight
5. Back on This Side of the Door
6. Into the Forest
7. A Day with the Beavers
8. What Happened After Dinner
9. In the Witch’s House
10. The Spell Begins to Break
11. Aslan Is Nearer
12. Peter’s First Battle
13. Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time
14. The Triumph of the Witch
15. Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time
16. What Happened About the Statues
17. The Hunting of the White Stag

Glossary edit see section history

  • Dryad: Dryads are tree nymphs in Greek mythology. Dryads are specifically the nymphs of oak trees, though the term has come to be used for all tree nymphs in general.
  • Minotaur: In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a creature that was part man and part bull.
  • Centaur: A mythical creature with the upper half of a man and the lower half of a horse.
  • Faun: A mythical creature with the top half of a man and lower half of a goat. Also, they have pointed ears and goat-like horns above their foreheads.
  • Dwarf: A short, manlike creature.
  • Chatelain: The mistress of a castle.
  • Skirling: A shrill, piercing sound, such as that made by bagpipes.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • The Medieval Planets: (Jupiter) The first book of the Narnia septology is rich with Jovial imagery and symbolism. Lewis' poem about the planets tells of, in the passages associated with Jupiter, "winter passed and guilt forgiven." Aslan brings and end to winter, and through his sacrifice, forgives Edmund's treachery. Aslan is described as the Lord and King of the Forest, and the four children themselves are made kings and queens. The hunt, another Jovial image, is a common occurrence, as the Witch hunts for the children, and the children themselves hunt the White Stag. Prophecies speak of the coming of peace and justice, which are consequences of Jovial influence. For more information, see Michael Ward's Planet Narnia.
  • The Battle of Good vs. Evil: Describe this theme.
  • Christianity: Some link this story to the Gospel, as Aslan sacrifices himself for Edmund, a traitor in this book. The Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time (moral law) decrees that treachery must be punished, yet Deeper Magic from before the Dawn of Time decrees that an innocent who dies for the sake of another shall be resurrected. By Aslan's sacrifice, all of Narnia is saved. However, some have found that they can enjoy the story without connecting it to Christianity.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 2 of 7 in The Chronicles of Narnia. (standard series)

Preceded by The Magician's Nephew, and followed by The Horse and His Boy.

This is book 57 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2010). (authoritative list)
This is book 60 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2011). (authoritative list)
This is book 61 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2011). (authoritative list)
This is book 60 of 194 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2010). (authoritative list)
This book is in The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge. (community list)
This is book 9 of 82 in BBC "Big Read" Top 100 Novels. (authoritative list)
This is book 37 of 93 in Newsweek's Top 100 Books: The Meta-List. (authoritative list)
This book is in Random Synapses: 100 Book Reading Challenge (2011). (community list)
This book is in 100 Fantabulous Book Challenge. (community list)
This is book 503 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)
This is book 9 of 200 in BBC 'Big Read' Top 200 Novels, 2003. (authoritative list)
This book is in TIME Magazine Top 100 English-Language Novels. (community list)
This is book 21 of 97 in Waterstone's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)
This is book 34 of 95 in Telegraph Top 100 Books, 2008. (authoritative list)
This is book 129 of 213 in Best English-Language Fiction of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)
This book is in Best Fantasy Books. (community list)
This is book 22 of 216 in Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 (2011). (authoritative list)
This book is in Best Books of All Time. (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. C. S. Lewis (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Hiawyn Oram (Adapter) - Adapted the original novel to this young-readers version.
  2. Agnieszka Greinert (Narrator)
  3. Jerzy Zelnik (Narrator)
  4. Tudor Humphries
  5. Pauline Baynes (Illustrator) - Original
  6. Stephen Lavis (Cover Artist) - Fontana Lions Edition 1983

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Geoffrey Bles
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 1950
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 181

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

This is an amazing classic for children with a plot they can easily engage with and understand.

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

  • Wikipedia: Learn more about this book on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Movie Connections edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Prince Caspian
  • The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  • The Silver Chair
  • The Horse and His Boy
  • The Magician's Nephew
  • The Last Battle
  • The Hobbit
  • The Fellowship of the Ring
  • The Two Towers
  • The Return of the King
  • The Book of Three
  • The Black Cauldron
  • The High King
  • The Once and Future King
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  • Redwall

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • Planet Narnia
  • A Field Guide to Narnia
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • Into the Wardrobe
  • The Way Into Narnia
  • C. S. Lewis: On Stories
  • A Family Guide to Narnia
  • Companion to Narnia
  • The World According to Narnia
  • Narnia and the Fields of Arbol
  • The Keys to the Chronicles
  • Pocket Companion to Narnia: A Guide to the Magical World of C.S. Lewis
  • The Magical Worlds of Narnia: A Treasury of Myths, Legends and Fascinating Facts
  • Tales Before Narnia
  • Boxen
  • Letters to Children

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Coraline
  • Bridge to Terabithia
  • The Golden Compass
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Books That Cite This Book edit see section history

   
  • The Genesis Secret
  • The Language Police

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