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Born Clive Staples on November 29, 1898, Lewis declared at age four that he wished to be called Jacksie; in his teens, he became Jack.

Who was C.S. Lewis?Who was C.S. Lewis?

C.S. Lewis with Father Christmas Toy

After the devastating death of his mother when Lewis was only nine, young Jack endured a series of horrible boarding school experiences during which he rejected faith and became an atheist.

Later, during his career as an Oxford professor of English language and literature, Lewis met a lifelong friend in writer J.R.R. Tolkien.

Tolkien and Lewis began a writing-and-discussion group called the Inklings. Tolkien and other Inklings played a large role in helping Lewis come face-to-face with the claims of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

J.R.R. Tolkien

As a Christian apologist, Lewis wrote some of the 20th century’s most important books on faith:

The Great DivorceThe Screwtape Letters

Surprised by JoyMere Christianity Seven Narnia Chronicles

1898 = Birth1919 = publishes 1st work Spirits in Bondage1929 = Begins to have conversion1931 = Declares self a Christian1941 = Begins BBC radio lectures1950 = Writes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe1956 = Finishes Narnia series and marries Joy

Important dates in the life of LewisImportant dates in the life of Lewis

1960 = Joy dies of cancer1963 = Lewis dies

Same day as JFK assassination

Important dates in the life of LewisImportant dates in the life of Lewis

1. Mother died2. The influence of 2 tutors he had as a child3. His inability to accept that one religion was true4. The burden of performing daily devotions

Lewis lost his Christian faith becauseLewis lost his Christian faith because

1. His closest friends were Christians2. The authors he loved most were Christians3. His philosophical studies led him to believe in a moral law and a lawgiver4. He came to view other religions as precursors5. He came to see romantic longings as yearning for the divine

Lewis returned to his Christian faith because …Lewis returned to his Christian faith because …

Summarized in 2 points …

1. As fantasy literature for children

2. To lead people to God

Why Did Lewis Write the Chronicles?Why Did Lewis Write the Chronicles?

C.S. Lewis at His Desk

In a letter to a young woman named Anne, Lewis wrote: “I asked myself, ‘Supposing that there really was a

world like Narnia and supposing it had (like our world) gone wrong and supposing Christ wanted to go into that world and save it (as He did ours) what might have happened?’ The stories are my answers. Since Narnia is a world of Talking Beasts, I thought He would become a Talking Beast there, as He became a man here.

…I pictured Him becoming a lion there because:

(a) the lion is supposed to be the king of beasts;(b) Christ is called ‘The Lion of Judah’ in the Bible;(c) I’d been having strange dreams about lions when I began writing the work.”

Past the Watchful DragonsPast the Watchful DragonsSuch supposals help to sneak past the internal “watchful dragons” that so thoroughly snuffed the life out of Lewis’ early experience of faith.Lewis understood that learning begins in the imagination, where thought and experience come together.

Remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness… .

—C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

What the Chronicles do better than much other literature for children is this:They create in us a desire for God. Through the enjoyment and experience of meeting and following a king like Aslan, we can be better prepared to recognize the realities of the Christian faith.

Additionally, the Chronicles are guides to assist us in growing up in Christ.The adventures and challenges faced in Narnia grow in complexity appropriate to a maturing Christian life.

In that same letter to Anne, Lewis explained the whole Narnia series like this:

1. The Magician’s Nephew (1955) tells about the Creation and how evil entered Narnia.2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) tells about the Crucifixion and Resurrection.

4. Prince Caspian (1951) tells about the restoration of the truereligion after corruption.

3. The Horse and His Boy (1954) tells about the calling and conversion of a heathen.

5. The Voyage of the “Dawn Treader” (1952) tells about the spiritual life (especially in Reepicheep.

6. The Silver Chair (1953) tells about the continuing war with the powers of darkness.

7. The Last Battle (1956) tells about coming of the Antichrist (the Ape), the end of the world and the Last Judgment.

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Narnia is the wonderful world created out of nothing by the song of Aslan. Its inhabitants include talking beasts, mythical creatures, humans, and one evil witch.All the chronicled events that do not take place in our world (London, England around 1940) take place in Narnia.

Cair ParavelCair Paravel

Tumnus’s Tumnus’s HouseHouse

White Witch’s HouseWhite Witch’s HouseBeaver’s DamBeaver’s Dam

Stone TableStone Table

NARNIANARNIA

EASTERN SEAEASTERN SEA

ARCHENLAND

ARCHENLAND

Wes

tern

Wil

dW

este

rn W

ild

Wild Lands of the NorthWild Lands of the North

BIGHT OF BIGHT OF CALORMENCALORMEN

BerunaBerunaLantern Lantern WasteWaste

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The Horse and His Boy tells about the calling and conversion of a heathen.

The Magician’s NephewThe Magician’s Nephew

Important CharactersImportant Characters DigoryDigory PollyPolly Uncle AndrewUncle Andrew Aunt LettyAunt Letty Digory’s MotherDigory’s Mother Queen JadisQueen Jadis AslanAslan Frank the cab driver, his wife Helen and Strawberry Frank the cab driver, his wife Helen and Strawberry

his horsehis horse

Basic Plot OutlineBasic Plot Outline

Digory is a young boy Digory is a young boy living with his aunt and living with his aunt and uncleuncle because his mother is dying and needs because his mother is dying and needs their care. their care.

Over the neighborhood wall in London he meets Over the neighborhood wall in London he meets Polly.Polly. In their explorations, the children In their explorations, the children accidentally stumble into the forbidden accidentally stumble into the forbidden attic of attic of Uncle Andrew.Uncle Andrew. Uncle Andrew uses Uncle Andrew uses magical, magical, glowing rings (yellow and green)glowing rings (yellow and green) to tempt Polly, to tempt Polly, so he can send her into a spatial dimension that so he can send her into a spatial dimension that he is afraid to explore himself. he is afraid to explore himself.

When Polly disappears as she touches the ring, Digory When Polly disappears as she touches the ring, Digory immediately immediately shows his charactershows his character by purposefully by purposefully following herfollowing her into this unknown and frightening into this unknown and frightening dimension. He chooses to protect and help her, even dimension. He chooses to protect and help her, even though he does not know if he will ever return. though he does not know if he will ever return.

Digory and Polly see the drastic and horrible Digory and Polly see the drastic and horrible consequences of sin in the frozen, consequences of sin in the frozen, world of Charn.world of Charn. Digory gives into the temptation to Digory gives into the temptation to ring a bellring a bell that has a that has a warning inscription, and brings warning inscription, and brings Queen Jadis, the White Queen Jadis, the White WitchWitch back to life from her frozen state. The witch back to life from her frozen state. The witch follows follows themthem back to their own world, creating havoc wherever back to their own world, creating havoc wherever she goes. she goes.

In their attempts to return the white witch to In their attempts to return the white witch to Charn, they inadvertently Charn, they inadvertently bring her to Narniabring her to Narnia instead. This introduces instead. This introduces evilevil to Narnia, a new to Narnia, a new land just land just being created by Aslan.being created by Aslan.

Digory realizes Aslan has Digory realizes Aslan has the power to healthe power to heal his his mother. He finds the courage to approach Aslan, mother. He finds the courage to approach Aslan, but instead of immediately healing Digory’s but instead of immediately healing Digory’s mother, mother, Aslan sends him on a journeyAslan sends him on a journey to find a to find a seed, which will grow into a seed, which will grow into a tree that will protect tree that will protect NarniaNarnia from the White Witch. from the White Witch.

Digory Digory faces temptationfaces temptation in the garden that in the garden that contains the seed, much like Adam and Eve contains the seed, much like Adam and Eve faced temptation in the Garden of Eden. Digory faced temptation in the Garden of Eden. Digory finds the finds the strength and gracestrength and grace to withstand the to withstand the temptation and temptation and returns the fruitreturns the fruit to Aslan. to Aslan.

The tree is planted in NarniaThe tree is planted in Narnia and when the tree and when the tree produces fruit, Aslan gives it to Digory to take produces fruit, Aslan gives it to Digory to take back to his mother for healing.back to his mother for healing.

Digory and Polly return to London, and Digory Digory and Polly return to London, and Digory plants the seed in his backyard, which grows plants the seed in his backyard, which grows into a tree. Eventually he chops it down and with into a tree. Eventually he chops it down and with the wood the wood he builds a wardrobe for his house.he builds a wardrobe for his house.