Aslan’s Character in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Catherine Porter

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was the first of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia that I ever read. Upon revisiting it during this course, I was reminded of the many reasons I enjoyed it so much. Of these reasons, perhaps what I was most intrigued by was the character of Aslan throughout the story. We see his forgiving nature as he tells Peter, Susan, and Lucy to forget all that Peter had done in the past. He does not condemn Peter for his wrongful actions, but instead welcomes him back to the group and is greatful for his return. In that particular instance, Peter’s nature reminded me much of the parable of the prodigal son, as it talks of how while the Father was still a long way off, he saw his son and had compassion on him. Upon his arrival, he threw a great feast and explained to his brother why he too must celebrate, “for this son of mine was lost, and now he is found!” Aslan’s character can be seen as reflection of the Father’s character in the Scriptures, thus a reflection of the character of God. We also see Aslan volunteer to give himself up to be killed in order to protect the children. He is sacrificed on the stone table for the sake of the children. This characteristic of selflessness also mirrors the character of God described in the Bible. The intrigue of Aslan begins with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and continues throughout the chronicles.