Narnia 1--Matt Brennan

I found it interesting that in Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, how Lucy was the first one to enter the wardrobe, and thus Narnia. Lewis could have easily substituted this with any of the other children, but instead I believe he had an intention of a larger meaning by specifically choosing Lucy. When you think of common everyday circumstances, it is much easier to have a young person, with an imagination that knows no boundaries, to believe what is considered to be the impossible. Older men and women have been exposed to certain events in their life which gradually harden their imaginations until the point that it is impenetrable—they essentially become incapable of imagining anything outside of their objective sight of the world. If anyone else challenges their beliefs with something outside their agendas, they stubbornly insist on denying the mere possibility of it actually occurring. I believe Lewis used Lucy’s character as the first one to enter the wardrobe so that children, which these stories are probably written for in the first place, can identify with her and her experiences. But more than this, I believe that he does this because it is the truth of our own lives, and he opens our eyes to see that we must be more open-minded. Someone once told me a quote that helped change my outlook on things: “Expectation is the thief of joy.” Lucy entered that wardrobe with no expectations, and as a result she was given the opportunity to experience Narnia and her time with Mr. Tumnus—it was a joyous occasion for her. However the older children immediately denied the magical world Lucy told them about, thus denying (or rather delaying) themselves the joy she was able to experience.