The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe Summary,Themes,Characters & Synopsis

Title	The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Author	C.S. Lewis
Genre	Fantasy, Children’s Literature
Publication Year	1950
Publisher	Geoffrey Bles
No. of Pages	250 Pages
Language	English
Setting	Narnia (a magical land), primarily during the winter

Characters

The main charcaters of “The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis are:

1. Lucy ➔ The youngest sibling, she discovers Narnia first.
2. Edmund ➔ Lucy’s brother, who initially makes some bad choices.
3. Susan ➔ Another sibling, she’s practical and caring.
4. Peter ➔ The oldest sibling, he becomes a leader.
5. Aslan ➔ A powerful and kind lion who helps the children.
6. The White Witch ➔ A mean and powerful witch who rules Narnia.

Themes

The themes of “The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis are:

1. Good vs. Bad ➔ It’s about the battle between good things and bad things.
2. Being Brave ➔ It shows how being brave is important.
3. Doing the Right Thing ➔ It’s about making good choices.
4. Growing Up ➔ It’s about kids becoming more like adults.
5. Magic Adventures ➔ It’s a story with lots of magical adventures.

Synopsis

This story is about four brothers and sisters: Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter. They find a secret doorway to a magical world called Narnia inside an old wardrobe. Narnia is stuck in a never-ending winter because of a mean witch.

The children meet talking animals and a brave lion named Aslan. They learn about a prophecy that says they must help Aslan defeat the witch and bring back spring to Narnia.

Edmund gets tricked by the witch but later helps his siblings. With Aslan’s help, they face the witch in a big battle. Good wins over evil, and Narnia becomes a beautiful place again.

In the end, the children become kings and queens of Narnia, and they visit the world through the wardrobe many times. It’s a tale of bravery, friendship, and magic.

Summary

During World War II, four siblings named Peter, Edmund, Susan & Lucy Pevensie were transported to live in the countryside with the eccentric Professor Kirke. On a wet day, the kids explore the house & Lucy, the youngest, discovers a sizable wardrobe. When Lucy enters, she discovers herself in an unfamiliar, icy wood. The Faun Tumnus, who meets Lucy, is shocked to see a human girl. Lucy is informed by Tumnus that she has visited a strange planet called Narnia. Lucy accepts Tumnus’ invitation to tea and attends. After a delightful cup of tea with Lucy and Tumnus, the faun starts crying and admits that he is the White Witch’s bad servant. Narnia has been cursed by the Witch such that it is perpetually winter and never Christmas. Tumnus reveals that he has been assigned the task of capturing people. Tumnus decides to free Lucy when she begs him to.

After leaving Narnia, Lucy joyfully shares her experience in the wardrobe with her siblings. But they don’t take her word for it. The siblings of Lucy contend that she didn’t disappear for as long as she claims—only a few seconds. The Pevensie kids discover that the wardrobe is just a regular piece of furniture when they peek inside. Lucy receives relentless teasing from Edmund about her fictional nation until he one day witnesses her slipping inside the closet. 

Edmund arrives in Narnia after Lucy and joins her there. Instead of running into Lucy, Harry meets the White Witch whom Tumnus had informed Lucy about. As the Queen of Narnia, The Witch Witch reveals herself to Edmund. Edmund is given magical Turkish Delight by the Witch, and as a result, develops an obsession with the sweet. The Witch exploits Edmund’s gluttony and greed to persuade him to bring his siblings back to see her.

Edmund sees Lucy on the way back to the lamppost, which marks the boundary between Narnia and our world. Edmund learns about the White Witch from Lucy. Edmund disputes the idea that the Witch and the Queen are connected. Edmund is only able to focus on how much he wants a Turkish Delight. Edmund and Lucy return to Susan and Peter after spending time in their realm. Edmund, on whom Lucy depends to corroborate her tale of Narnia, insultingly informs Susan and Peter that it is a ridiculous tale. Peter and Susan talk to Professor Kirke because they are concerned that Lucy is crazy. Peter and Susan are taken aback when the Professor asserts that Lucy is speaking the truth.

The maid and a few house guests one day find the kids hiding in the closet. All four Pevensie kids are all of a sudden in Narnia. They follow Lucy to Tumnus’s house, but a message notifies them that Tumnus has been detained on treason-related accusations. Lucy understood that this implied that the Witch was aware that Tumnus had saved her life and that the Witch had Tumnus. Lucy begs her brothers and sisters to assist her in rescuing Tumnus from the Witch. The kids travel into the woods under the guidance of a helpful robin, where they encounter Mr. Beaver. 

When Mr. Beaver returns them to his house, he explains that the kids are unable to save Tumnus. The kids’ only option is to travel with Mr. Beaver to see the lion Aslan. In Narnia, Aslan seems to be a ruler or deity. Except for Edmund, who finds the name Aslan repulsive, the kids are all happily fascinated by it. The following day, Mr. Beaver, Peter, Susan, and Lucy plan to see Aslan at the Stone Table, but they quickly realize Edmund has vanished. In the meantime, Edmund looks for the White Witch so that he might inform her of Aslan’s approach and the Beavers’ scheme. As soon as the Witch learns that Aslan is in Narnia, she becomes furious and starts hatching a plan to murder the kids. An old prophecy that four humans would one day rule Narnia and destroy the Witch’s terrible authority is something the Witch wishes to prevent.

While all is going on, the Beavers and kids race to get to the Stone Table before the Witch does. Wonderful seasonal changes take place as they move. First, they encounter Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus, who informs them that the Witch’s curse of “always winter & never Christmas” has been broken. The youngsters witness hints of spring as the magical winter snow melts. The Witch also mistreats Edmund as she takes him over to the Stone Table. The Witch can no longer use her sled in the spring, making it impossible for her to get to the Stone Table before the kids.

The other three Pevensies are first intimidated by Aslan when they first encounter him, but they rapidly become more at ease. They dread him, yet they fall in love with him right away. Aslan pledges to make every effort to save Edmund. To show Peter the castle where he will reign as king, he pulls Peter aside. They can hear Susan blowing the magical horn that Santa gave her to warn them that she is in danger as they are conversing. Peter is sent by Aslan to assist her. Peter arrives on the scene and, upon spotting a wolf advancing on Susan, stabs it to death with the sword Father Christmas had given him. When Aslan notices another wolf disappearing into a thicket, he orders his minions to pursue it in the hopes that it will take them to the Witch.

The rescue team shows up just as The Witch is getting ready to murder Edmund. Edmund is saved by Aslan and his companions, but they are unable to locate the Witch since she blends in with the surroundings. Edmund is glad to see his siblings because he now recognizes the Witch’s terrible nature. The Witch requests the death of Edmund because, in her words, he is a traitor when she speaks with Aslan the following day. The Witch claims that a traitor’s life is forfeit to the Witch by the Deep Magic of Narnia. Aslan doesn’t dispute this and strikes an unnoticed agreement with her. Aslan seems contemplative and downcast, whilst the Witch seems ecstatic.

The next night, Lucy and Susan both see Aslan becoming more depressed and melancholy. Aslan has vanished, and the sisters are unable to fall asleep. To find Aslan, Susan and Lucy depart the tent. Aslan assures them they can stay until he orders them to go when they locate him. Aslan urges Susan and Lucy to depart at the Stone Table and they travel there together with Aslan. Susan and Lucy witness the Witch and a swarm of her minions torture, degrade and ultimately slay Aslan from behind some bushes. Aslan gave his life as a sacrifice for Edmund, the Witch reveals.

Susan and Lucy spend the entire night by Aslan’s body. They hear a loud cracking sound in the morning and are shocked to discover the Stone Table smashed. Aslan has vanished. Susan and Lucy are startled to hear Aslan’s voice coming from behind him. Aslan has survived death. The girls release all the inmates who have been turned to stone at the Witch’s castle after being carried there by Aslan. Susan, Lucy, and Aslan rush into the conflict between Peter’s army & the witch’s henchmen. Peter and his soldiers are worn out. Thankfully, Aslan promptly dispatches the Witch, and Peter’s army later vanquishes the Witch’s adherents.

Edmund is knighted by Aslan after making up for his sin of supporting the Witch. At Cair Paravel, the Narnia castle, the kids take the thrones. Subsequently, Aslan vanishes. Once they reach adulthood, the kids rule Narnia for a long time. They eventually reach the lamppost that had served as the boundary between Narnia & our world while searching for a mythical white stag. The Pevensies return to our world after falling out of the wardrobe. They return to Professor Kirke’s home as kids with no time having passed. The quartet informs Professor Kirke about their journey, and the Professor promises them that they will return to Narnia again someday.

FAQs

About the Author-C.S.Lewis

Name	Clive Staples Lewis
Date of Birth	November 29, 1898
Date of Death	November 22, 1963
Nationality	British
Genre	Fantasy, Christian Apologetics, Fiction, Non-fiction
Famous Works	-The Chronicles of Narnia series -The Screwtape Letters -Mere Christianity -The Space Trilogy
Literary Style	Engaging storytelling, allegory, Christian themes
Awards and Honors	Member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)