The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Director: Andrew Adamson
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson
When four children are sent to a country estate in order to protect them from the devastation of war, they find themselves embarking on a journey beyond time and imagination as they help the people of Narnia overthrow the White Witch, and fulfill an ancient prophecy by rising to become Kings and Queens of Narnia.
The symbolism of life is manifested in both the characters and the world of Narnia, itself. When Lucy first journeys beyond the wardrobe and into the magical land of Narnia, the world is frozen in an eternal winter slumber that has remained unchanged for a hundred years. After the children pass through the wardrobe and into Narnia a second time and begin their journey to find Aslan, the White Witch’s power begins to diminish and Narnia slowly begins to heal from the deep repose of winter. As the children rise to defeat the White Witch, her power is overthrown completely, and life is fully restored to Narnia. When Aslan journeys to the White Witch’s castle with Susan and Lucy, he restores the Narnian’s who have been transformed into statues by the malevolent sorceress to life so that they could aid Peter in defeating the White Witch in war.
The symbolism of life is also reflected in the duality between Aslan and the White Witch. As her power over Narnia diminishes, the White Witch is compelled to take extreme measures to protect her position as the self-proclaimed Queen of Narnia. When the White Witch challenges Aslan, proclaiming that Edmund’s life is rightfully hers and he must die, Aslan makes the ultimate sacrifice. He relinquishes his own life in exchange for Edmunds so that the deep magic of Narnia would be upheld, and Edmund’s life would be spared. As Susan and Lucy stand vigil over Aslan’s body, the Stone Table cracks and Aslan is restored to life.
There is a very strong symbolism surrounding temptation in the film which is centered primarily on the two brothers: Peter and Edmund. The irony of the brothers’ temptation is while one is drawn into temptation by greed, the other is conflicted by self-doubt. Edmund, the youngest brother, is ensnared by the allure of power that the White Witch offers him. Up until he meets the White Witch in the Narnian forest, Edmund has been the object of his brother’s harsh criticism, and he’s also been a bit of the underdog of the group. When the White Witch gives Edmund sweets and offers him what he most desperately craves: power and control, Edmund is blindly persuaded to join the witch in her quest to prevent the children from fulfilling the prophecy and thus becomes a traitor.
While Edmund succumbed to the White Witch’s temptation, Peter’s struggle stems from the inner conflict he is facing between honoring his promise to his mother and fulfilling the prophecy of becoming the King of Narnia. Peter is the opposite of Edmund. While Edmund yielded to the White Witch’s temptation because he so desperately desired the power that she offered him, Peter was motivated not by a desire for power, but rather by his desire to keep his family safe. He is tempted by the White Witch’s minions on two separate occasions to take his family and leave Narnia, but when Edmund is abducted, Peter must find the courage within his own heart to cast aside his self-imposed guilt in order to save Edmund’s life. When Aslan tells Peter that he must rise up to defend Narnia against the White Witch and become king, he initially does not embrace this prospect. It is only after Aslan is gone and Peter realizes that he is the only one who can lead the people of Narnia to war against the White Witch that Peter truly rises to protect not only his family but also Narnia, itself.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a stunning movie, rich with vibrant characters, vivid animation, and a well-told story that is both powerful and heartwarming. While the casting choices for each of the characters is universally flawless, Liam Neeson’s portrayal of the wise and noble Aslan is truly extraordinary. His voice creates a perfect marriage of power and quiet compassion that allows him to connect very strongly not only with the other characters, but with the audience as well. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves imaginative story-telling at its best.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Andrew Adamson
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson
When four children are sent to a country estate in order to protect them from the devastation of war, they find themselves embarking on a journey beyond time and imagination as they help the people of Narnia overthrow the White Witch, and fulfill an ancient prophecy by rising to become Kings and Queens of Narnia.
The symbolism of life is manifested in both the characters and the world of Narnia, itself. When Lucy first journeys beyond the wardrobe and into the magical land of Narnia, the world is frozen in an eternal winter slumber that has remained unchanged for a hundred years. After the children pass through the wardrobe and into Narnia a second time and begin their journey to find Aslan, the White Witch’s power begins to diminish and Narnia slowly begins to heal from the deep repose of winter. As the children rise to defeat the White Witch, her power is overthrown completely, and life is fully restored to Narnia. When Aslan journeys to the White Witch’s castle with Susan and Lucy, he restores the Narnian’s who have been transformed into statues by the malevolent sorceress to life so that they could aid Peter in defeating the White Witch in war.
The symbolism of life is also reflected in the duality between Aslan and the White Witch. As her power over Narnia diminishes, the White Witch is compelled to take extreme measures to protect her position as the self-proclaimed Queen of Narnia. When the White Witch challenges Aslan, proclaiming that Edmund’s life is rightfully hers and he must die, Aslan makes the ultimate sacrifice. He relinquishes his own life in exchange for Edmunds so that the deep magic of Narnia would be upheld, and Edmund’s life would be spared. As Susan and Lucy stand vigil over Aslan’s body, the Stone Table cracks and Aslan is restored to life.
There is a very strong symbolism surrounding temptation in the film which is centered primarily on the two brothers: Peter and Edmund. The irony of the brothers’ temptation is while one is drawn into temptation by greed, the other is conflicted by self-doubt. Edmund, the youngest brother, is ensnared by the allure of power that the White Witch offers him. Up until he meets the White Witch in the Narnian forest, Edmund has been the object of his brother’s harsh criticism, and he’s also been a bit of the underdog of the group. When the White Witch gives Edmund sweets and offers him what he most desperately craves: power and control, Edmund is blindly persuaded to join the witch in her quest to prevent the children from fulfilling the prophecy and thus becomes a traitor.
While Edmund succumbed to the White Witch’s temptation, Peter’s struggle stems from the inner conflict he is facing between honoring his promise to his mother and fulfilling the prophecy of becoming the King of Narnia. Peter is the opposite of Edmund. While Edmund yielded to the White Witch’s temptation because he so desperately desired the power that she offered him, Peter was motivated not by a desire for power, but rather by his desire to keep his family safe. He is tempted by the White Witch’s minions on two separate occasions to take his family and leave Narnia, but when Edmund is abducted, Peter must find the courage within his own heart to cast aside his self-imposed guilt in order to save Edmund’s life. When Aslan tells Peter that he must rise up to defend Narnia against the White Witch and become king, he initially does not embrace this prospect. It is only after Aslan is gone and Peter realizes that he is the only one who can lead the people of Narnia to war against the White Witch that Peter truly rises to protect not only his family but also Narnia, itself.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a stunning movie, rich with vibrant characters, vivid animation, and a well-told story that is both powerful and heartwarming. While the casting choices for each of the characters is universally flawless, Liam Neeson’s portrayal of the wise and noble Aslan is truly extraordinary. His voice creates a perfect marriage of power and quiet compassion that allows him to connect very strongly not only with the other characters, but with the audience as well. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves imaginative story-telling at its best.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.