Comparative factors of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as the Bible
...nly are there similarities between Aslan and Jesus¡¯ power but also in their relationship with betrayal. Ryken describes that the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a story of betrayal. (Ryken 1) Also within the novel Edmund betrays Aslan and joins the side of evil. This can be connected with the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. According to ¡°The Christian Intellectual¡± (2002), Aslan¡¯s death by the White Witch is easily compared to the crucifixion of Christ. Both of the instances share similarities in the suffering and public humiliation at the hands of others as Aslan is jeered by his enemies (Lewis 153), and Jesus was jeered by the Roman soldiers (Matthew Chapter27) during their demise. Moreover, they have obvious comparisons in their resurrection. Following their death Aslan merely stands up by himself (Lewis 162), and the angel reveals that Jesus has resurrected (Matthew Chapter28) after his death. As one can see Aslan¡¯s portrayal of the king of Narnia, as well as his sacrificial offering of himself and finally his resurrection, provides an allegorical inference to that of Christ¡¯s trials and ultimate rise again to power. Apart from the obvious comparisons between Aslan and Jesus, one can also draw a relationship between the representations of evil in both books. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe evil is represented by the White Witch, in the Bible evil is given various forms; such as betrayal and the disbelief in the power of God. In both of these works one can see that evil is the antithesis to good, just as the White Witch is to Aslan and evil is to Jesus. First of all, both types of evil try to rule the world, however in both cases the worlds are saved by the kings, Aslan and Jesus. As Jean says that Lewis makes it clear in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that the power of evil is inferior to the power of good. (Jean 263) In the Bible, it is quoted that ¡°He will save the people from their sins.¡±(Matthew Chapter1) Sin is described as evil, because evil can come in many forms. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, evil is described as the White Queen. However both books say the king will save his world which means that evil will be defeated by the kings and ultimately good. Evil¡¯s ultimate position is the antithesis to good, as has been shown with the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and many forms of evil in the Bible; such as sin, disbelief and its attempt to keep good from ruling the world. Even though they have different forms, their role is the same. As it is shown on pg 79 in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that the White Witch turns people into stone (Lewis 79), thus keeping them away from good and allowing evil to overrun the world. In the Bible evil tries to stray people from the path of good. On the other hand, both the White Witch and evil have traitors working for them. As in the Bible Judas, one of Jesus¡¯ disciples betrays Jesus and sells Jesus to the chief priests. (Matthew Chapter26). Similar to Judas, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Edmund betrays Aslan and joins the side of evil.(Lewis 84) Those traitors are the factor that make the White Witch and evil to be compared. As it has been shown, although evil makes a valiant attempt, in both novels to take over the world, it is good that prevails. The third theme to be discussed is that of the role of the children in the novel to the role of the disciples in the Bible. Their ultimate role is to give blind faith to Aslan and Jesus, also children and disciples have clear similarity that there were traitors, who regret about themselves later, among them. Blind faith basically means an unconditional...