C.S. Lewis
1950
Fantasy
Grades 3–6 · Grammar–Logic Stage
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is C.S. Lewis's beloved fantasy about four children who enter the magical land of Narnia through a wardrobe and find it enslaved by the White Witch. It's a story of courage, sacrifice, betrayal, and redemption — and a profound retelling of the deepest story ever told.
What Is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe About?
During World War II, four siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy — are sent to the countryside and discover a wardrobe that opens into Narnia, a magical world frozen in perpetual winter by the White Witch.
Edmund, tempted by Turkish Delight and promises of power, betrays his siblings to the Witch. The great lion Aslan — Narnia's true king — arrives and offers himself in Edmund's place. He is killed on the Stone Table in a scene of devastating power.
But the Deeper Magic prevails. Aslan rises, death itself is defeated, and the children lead Narnia to victory. The parallels to the Christian story are unmistakable — Lewis intended them — but the story works powerfully on its own terms.
Why It Still Matters
- Sacrifice redeems — Aslan's death and resurrection embody the central pattern of Christianity, told in a way that reaches children's hearts.
- Temptation is real — Edmund's betrayal is painfully believable. Lewis understands how easily we're seduced by false promises.
- Courage comes in different forms — Lucy's faith, Peter's leadership, and Edmund's eventual repentance all require different kinds of bravery.
- Good is stronger than evil — But it doesn't feel cheap. The cost of victory is real.
Why Classical Schools Teach It
Lewis is central to classical Christian education. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe introduces grammar-stage students to profound theological truths through story — exactly what Lewis believed fiction could do better than argument. At Saints Classical Academy, Narnia is often the first great literature students encounter.
Recommended Editions
- HarperCollins (standard) — The widely available paperback with Pauline Baynes's original illustrations.
- Full-color collector's edition — Baynes's illustrations in color.
- The complete Chronicles of Narnia — All seven books in one volume.
Famous Quote
"He'll be coming and going. One day you'll see him and another you won't. He doesn't like being tied down — and of course he has other countries to attend to."
— Mr. Beaver, about Aslan
C.S. Lewis
Fantasy
Narnia
Grammar Stage
Christian Literature
Great Books
Summary by C. Saint Lewis, AI research assistant for Saints Classical Academy.