Politics in ‘Narnia’? Say it ain’t so
By: Dr. Joan Ruddiman
C.S. Lewis wrote "The Chronicles of Narnia" series as an aside to his real job as a renowned academic. He was a professor at Oxford and Cambridge and established his reputation with writing the third volume of the "Oxford History of English Literature" that covers the 16th century.
Lewis is also known as the greatest Christian apologist of the 20th century though, like his children’s books, he wrote about religion "on the side."
All of this seems to matter as the first film version of the most popular of the "Narnia" series, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," has been released to critical acclaim and political controversy.
By any reckoning, the "Narnia" series is a classic. More than 85 million copies of the books are in print with untold millions of readers since its debut in the 1950s. Lewis, who died at age 64 (the day JFK was assassinated in 1963), no doubt would be pleased that so many young readers have discovered and enjoyed his fantasy tales. His first intent was to write "imaginative stories," which he felt were in short supply. He confided to his colleague and friend J.R.R. Tolkien, who he encouraged to complete the massive "Lord of the Rings" fantasy, that "There is too little of what we really like in stories. I am afraid we shall have to try to write some ourselves."
As to the controversy that his "Narnia" books are overtly Christian and thus preaching to young minds, Lewis most likely would be unconcerned. He had his period of atheism. From his own slow, steady conversion to Christianity encouraged by Tolkien and the writings of G.K. Chesterton Lewis could eloquently speak to the principles of Christian thinking.
He did write a Christian allegory. Aslan does die, sacrificing himself Christ-like to save the children he loves from their sins. A recent review of the "Narnia" controversy points out that one of Lewis’ main goals in the series was to save children from his own fate of falling into the snare of disbelief.
Lewis wrote that his own falling away from faith came from his upbringing where religion was compulsory. "An obligation can freeze feelings," he wrote.
He further pondered, "But supposing that by casting all these things into an imaginary world, stripping them of their stained-glass and Sunday School associations, one could make them for the first time appear in the real potency."
Lewis succeeded in capturing the imaginations of legions of kids. Now Disney with the film version of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is hoping to achieve a hit that combines the allure and finds the audiences that fueled the success of "The Lord of the Rings" films and "The Passion of Christ."
Hollywood, rest assured, has not gone the way of the Christian right. Even though the film is produced by Walden Media committed to making outstanding children’s books into films ("Holes" and "Because of Winn Dixie" thus far) Hollywood follows the money. If religious themes sell, so be it.
And so the backlash begins. Philip Pullman, author of the very popular and award winning "Dark Materials" trilogy, has come out swinging in interviews of late that Lewis’ classic is racist and misogynistic. Those are fighting words in this society.
I’ve read and recommended Pullman’s series, "The Golden Compass," "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass" for years. His writing is sophisticated, the characters and plot well developed and very clever. I’m not a fantasy fan, but did like this series.
Now Pullman is saying that he wrote the books to slam Christianity. I wonder how I missed that part?
Perhaps the same way multitudes of "Narnia" fans missed the Christian allegory.
Pullman, in a series of interviews, has repeatedly said that the "Narnia" series is "one of the most ugly and poisonous things I’ve ever read." He claims that there is "no love in the book" and that if Christianity is about love, the book is an abomination because of "the absence of this Christian virtue."
The bloggers have weighed in, of course. Many put aside the whole Christian allegory issue with comments like "I never knew!" Moreover, they say that it didn’t matter. However, on the subject of the absence of love, "Narnia" fans are empathic. The story is centered on the love the children have for Aslan and he for them.
More than one response suggested "It sounds like sour grapes to me" in reacting to Pullman’s incendiary comments.
"When he (Pullman) writes an enduring classic, I’ll pay attention," noted another.
What to make of all of this? It matters, you know. Wonderful stories are pulled from school and library shelves every day because one group or another is "offended" by content.
Harry is a wizard. Burn him! Aslan is Jesus. Crucify him! (Oh right, they did.)
The stories of great love and sacrifice are in all of us. "E.T.," "Stars Wars," the fairy tales are populated by young, virtuous seekers of truth and justice assisted by wise and often supernaturally gifted advisers.
If a Christian child reads the "Narnia" stories and more fully understands the love of Christ, Lewis would be pleased. He most likely would be as satisfied if a child is inspired by the heroic efforts of Lucy and her siblings against the evil White Witch with the help of an impressive lion. At the heart of it is enjoying a good story well told.
Christian children read through the witches and wizard world of Harry Potter and see the intense struggle of good against evil. Luke Skywalker is a Christ figure or perhaps a superhero in the genre of Batman or Superman.
It’s story. We interpret it according to our frame of reference and understanding. But we all seem to get the good versus evil theme and root for the good guys.
Pullman may have intended to "undermine the basis of Christian belief," but until he began railing against C.S. Lewis and the "Narnia" books, that objective was not met with this reader or many others I know. We just enjoyed the story of a heroic girl, Lyra, and her loyal and capable friend, Will, who struggle to find what is good in their world.
Interestingly, "Narnia," with all its darkness ends on a positive, hopeful note, as do "E.T." and "Star Wars" and, I am strongly assuming, the final Harry Potter book. Yet, the end of "The Amber Spyglass" is sad. Pullman admits it is sad, but says, "there was nothing I could do."
C.S. Lewis spent his professional life studying great literature and, like many before him, recognized the patterns known to all people. Classic tales end with the good guys winning and evil being vanquished. As good as Pullman’s fantasies are, the ending doesn’t do justice to his characters certainly not in the classic sense.
Dr. Joan Ruddiman, Ed.D., is a teacher and friend of the Allentown Public Library.

