The Whole World

Catherine Porter

C.S Lewis On Stories and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

During a conversation Lewis had with an American student which he describes in his work entitled On Stories, the student tells Lewis that he finds his enjoyment in the excitement and thrill of a story. Lewis argues that it cannot be mere excitability that draws the reader to a story, but the "whole world to which it belonged" (pg 4). As I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I noticed how true this when reading a fairy story. While I was certainly interested in the supenseful plot, I also became emersed in the world Lewis creates in the novel. The world of Narnia itself is what not only allows for the plot to have a 'space' to exist, but it also adds to the overall plot. For instance, in Chapter 6 it's a robin who leads all of the children to the Beavers. In a world where birds do not aid human beings in finding their way, the interaction between animals and humans allow the reader to become a part of the world the story describes. Another example occurs when the Witch's curse begins to fade. Aslan's presence in the land results in the melting of snow and the new growth of spring. While this is also a reason for excitement, the description of the change occuring allows the reader to find themselves in the middle of Narnia for themselves; smelling the flowers and seeing the stream flow. By enjoying the world in which the suspense takes place allows the reader to experience the novel in a freshing way.