C.S. Lewis and his Deeper Magic

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is full of characters, actions, and events that symbolize Christian ideas, themes, symbols, or figures and for older readers allude to the passion of Christ. The first and most evident is the Lion Aslan. “The royal nature of Aslan (Christ) emerges first, for he is the son of the Emperor, (the Father)... We also learn that Aslan is not ‘safe’; he is not a tame lion. This is one of Lewis’ favorite themes. Just as fearful a thing to fall into the hands of the living God, so it is no less to confront Aslan” (Willis). This is obvious to any reader who is familiar with the story of Christ. During a number of consecutive chapters, the passion is expressed symbolically and extremely accurately. These chapters parallel the events leading to Christ’s crucifixion and Aslan’s sacrifice. It starts when the reader finds that through something called deep magic, Edmund, the oldest child, by law belongs to the White Witch. Aslan decides without the reader knowing to sacrifice himself in order to save Edmund. First, Aslan and his closest companions join together for a meal. “After a meal, which was taken...” (Lewis LWW 142). This represents the last supper from which our ceremony of the Eucharist or Communion stems. After this, Aslan walks away from the camp to the hill were a stone table is. This stone table is symbolic of the cross, and Jesus’ tomb. There, Aslan is shaved, bound, beaten, humiliated, and finally sacrificed. “‘Muzzle him,’ said the Queen... he was surrounded by the whole crowd of creatures kicking him, spitting on him, jeering at him...Then there was more tying and tightening of the chords... The children did not see the actual moment of the killing” (Lewis, LWW 151). And Aslan is dead, the sisters Lucy and Susan, weep at his feet. However, when they look back up, Aslan is alive again. The children are overjoyed. “‘Aren’t you dead then dear Aslan?’ said Lucy. ‘Not now,’ said Aslan” (Lewis, LWW 159). Aslan and the children continue to run through Narnia to the Witches Palace. “‘What an extraordinary place!’ cried Lucy. ‘All those stone animals- and people too! It’s– It’s like a museum” (Lewis LWW 164). This journey is symbolic of the harrowing of Hell. When they arrive, Aslan breathes on what seem to be ordinary statues. Mysteriously, these statues come to life. “Everywhere the statues were coming to life” (Lewis LWW 166) These statues were the trapped souls of those creatures of Narnia who were enslaved by the White Witch, and now are freed by Aslan. When asked how he was resurrected, Aslan replies that it was because of a deeper magic which causes, “...death itself to start working backwards.” (Lewis LWW, 159) This deeper magic that is described symbolizes faith.

nd embody the Christian ideals that are acquired during one’s youth. The characters portray qualities of Lewis himself before and after his conversion to Christianity. The characters in these two novels also clearly symbolize key characters that are introduced to readers in these Biblical stories and have become part of our faith throughout the ages.

The Last Battle is also soaked with symbolism and allegory. However, the plot of this novel alludes to the end of the world. “The Last Battle (1956), the final volume of the “chronicles,” symbolically represents Christian eschatology, the study of final things” (Willis) The Last Battle illustrates the end of the world, the battle between good and evil. Narnia is invaded by the Calormeans. The Calormeans along with the devious faithless ape named Shift, convince the citizens of Narnia that a donkey in a lion’s skin is Aslan. They capture the king and all hope seems to be lost as the naive creatures do as the ape orders them to do, thinking that their slave like work is for the greater glory of Aslan. This condescending message is altered when the Calormean sol

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