The Magician's Nephew

The Magician's Nephew was the sixth published book in the series The Chronicles of Narnia, however it serves as a prequel to the series and is the story of the creation of Narnia. The protagonists of this novel are Digory Kirke (who grows up to be Professor Kirke in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe) and a girl named Polly who is Digory's friend and neighbor. In the story, Polly and Digory are tricked by Digory's magician uncle into being transported into an alternate world. After adventuring in the alternate worlds-which you get to through magical pools using magical, color coded rings, they stumble upon a world where everyone is frozen in place. In this world there is a bell and a hammer with a note that says "Make your choice, adventurous Stranger, Strike the bell and bide the danger, Or wonder till it drives you mad, What would have followed if you had." This situation, instantly reminded me of Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit-although the circumstances are different, it is certainly a similar situation of temptation. Interestingly enough, Polly was the one who did not want to ring the bell and Digory insisted-which does not follow the gendered situation in the Adam and Eve story.

Because Digory rang the bell, an evil witch was awakened. The witch grabbed onto the children and followed them back home, to England where she met Uncle Andrew and all four of them (plus another Englishman) ended up in Narnia, on the day of its creation. Here, they witness Aslan creating Narnia. He creates trees and gives animals the power of speech. Aslan also names the Englishman ("The Cabby") the new king of Narnia and brings his wife from our world into Narnia. Here, Aslan says "My children, you shall rule and name all these creatures, and do justice among them from their enemies when enemies arise. And enemies will arise because there is an evil Witch in this world." (pg 138). This scene is similar to the scene in Genesis 2 where God gives Adam dominion over the animals and instructs him to name them.

Earlier, I said that I thought the bell and the hammer provided similar a temptation to the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. I still stand by this comparison, but later in The Magician's Nephew, an actual forbidden fruit also comes into play. In Narnia, Digory comes upon a tree that bares magical apples. Next to the tree there is a sign that says "Come in by the gold gates, or not at all, Take of my fruit for others or forbear. For those who steal or climb my wall. Shall find their hearts desire and find despair." (pg 157) While examining the tree, Digory finds the Witch eating an apple. The Witch tells him to take the apple to his mother, not to Aslan as he is instructed. This situation is similar to the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden. However, Digory does not eat the apple but instead takes it to Aslan as he is instructed.

The presence of the Witch in Narnia at its creation, creates something similar to the Christian idea of "Original Sin". Aslan speaks of the Witch's presence and says "Evil will come of that evil, but it is still a long way off, and I will see to it that the worst falls upon myself." (pg 136) The Witch in this story becomes the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe which Aslan sacrifices himself to get rid of. This is similar to the idea that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself in order to redeem humans from sin that spawned from "Original Sin".

This novel, while being the sixth published book in the series, is the story of the creation of Narnia and is rich with religious symbolism and concepts. The next and last book I will be examining is The Last Battle which will involve the alternate Narnian religious structure that was first presented in The Horse and His Boy.