The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Social Sensitivity

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Social Sensitivity

Two aspects of the novel that may be of concern to some readers—religion and violence—are treated by Lewis with sensitivity. Although God and Christ are never explicitly mentioned, most people will recognize the parallels between Aslan and Christ, and between the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea and God. References to Adam and Eve and Christmas are also suggestive of religion. Although it is steeped in Christian allegory, Lewis attempts to make his story universally applicable to the human condition. He uses Christianity not as propaganda but as a springboard for his ideas. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is filled with characters and images from Greek and Roman myths, Arab folktales, and European medieval romances. The magic is truly magical, rather than miraculous in a religious sense. Few young readers are likely to regard the allegory as more than an account of the nobility of giving of oneself. Older readers, regardless of faith,...
(read more)