The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Literary Qualities

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Literary Qualities

While The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is an exciting adventure story, it is not a simple novel entirely dependent on plot. Lewis uses a wide variety of techniques to make the novel interesting on several levels. Symbols play an important part. For example, Aslan's death plainly represents Christ's sacrifice and Resurrection. Aslan's father, the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea, represents God; the irredeemable evil White Witch represents Satan. The snow that covers Namia throughout the year is a symbol of death, an indication that Narnia is a cold and bleak place where life cannot properly develop. Springtime and Christmas, symbols of hope, never come to Narnia until the White Witch's defeat.

Lewis uses similar symbolism to describe the White Witch's character:

"Her face was white—not merely pale, but white like snow or icing sugar, except for her very red mouth. It was a beautiful face in other respects,...
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