Topic > The Temptation of the Garden: Good, Evil and Aslan in the Wizard's Nephew

During his lifetime, C.S. Lewis wrote a collection of seven novels that he published in his famous Chronicles of Narnia series, which shed light on The story of Narnia. These novels introduce similar themes with the first book in the series titled The Magician's Nephew. More importantly, we learn how Aslan, the lion who can be seen as a symbol of Jesus, created the world, but also how evil first entered Narnia because of two children. A clear theme introduced by CS Lewis in The Magician's Nephew is the parallel to original sin and temptation presented in the Book of Genesis by Adam and Eve with the temptation of the serpent. This is a parallel story to the story of Adam and Eve, but this story differs slightly. Digory does not give in to the temptation to disobey the rules of the Garden, but he does give in to the temptation to ring the bell that awakens Jadis, which is his first mistake. Digory learns from his mistakes and understands the difference between right and wrong after receiving a lesson from Aslan. He wants to make amends for his previous mistakes so as not to give in to the wrong temptations once again. Looking closely at The Wizard's Nephew, we see the influence Aslan has in Digory and Polly's lives, and in turn, this influence is what drives them to want to undo the damage they have already caused in their world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In The Magician's Nephew, we learn of Digory and Polly's initial mistake in awakening Jadis, the witch who was in a deep sleep. The only way to wake her up would be if someone rang a mysterious bell and the two children's curiosity would change their lives forever. They thought it would be good to ring the bell, but the narrator talks about the children's mistake by saying, “And they both thought it was; but they had never been more wrong in their lives” (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 37). They thought ringing the bell would have no effect, but little did they know that Queen Jadis was awake and ready to wreak havoc. Apparently, the bell simply symbolizes the beginning of chaos in the novel because before the bell rang, everything was peaceful. Along with the bell symbolizing this significant change, I also believe it foreshadows the problems Jadis' character will bring to everyone she meets. But what's really interesting is that Polly and Digory have different opinions about the Queen. Polly states that “This is a terrible woman” (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 39). While, exclaims Digory, “She is wonderfully brave. And strong. She is what I call a queen! I really hope he will tell us the history of this place” (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 39). Initially, the two children have opposite impressions of Jadis. The only reason Digory is hypnotized by Queen Jadis is because he is a boy and this may be the first time he has seen a woman with such power, so he immediately develops a crush on her. Polly, on the other hand, sees through Jadis and knows that her introduction smells like trouble for everyone. Digory is clearly surprised when Jadis reveals her interest in returning to Earth and when the dust settles, he can deduce that if she returned to Earth, things would be reversed. Digory and Polly finally seem to realize the errors of their ways when they witness Aslan's creation of Narnia. (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 79). Once Digory realizes the gravity of his name "Son of Adam", he knows he has potentially destroyed Aslan's creation, and like Adam in the Bible, Digory's initial curiosity is what will wreak havoc on Narnia. Overall, with the introduction of Aslan, Digory andPolly knows that their curiosity has brought evil among the inhabitants of Narnia and that the only way to right the wrong is to follow and respect the teachings of the Great Aslan. In the later stages of the novel, Aslan knows the pain that Digory is dealing with and gives him a simple mission. This mission represents a change of direction for Digory as he realizes that his boyish wonders had put many people in danger before, but now he wants to make a change, for the better. If successful, this mission would protect Narnia for years to come and would also heal Digory's ailing mother; however, this is where temptation arises once again. When he initially smells the forbidden fruit, the narrator states, “A terrible thirst and hunger seized him, and a desire to taste that fruit” (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 92). So it is certainly possible that if Digory had not had Aslan's guidance he would have disobeyed the sacred rule of the tree. The question arises spontaneously: why doesn't Digory eat the apple? Maybe it's because he feels like he's under some sort of surveillance. It could also be the simple fact that it cannot go against the Tao or natural law according to the narrator: "Things like Don't Steal were, I think, hammered into kids' heads much harder in those days than they are today. Now. However we can never be sure” (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 92). Digory's values ​​finally seem to take over when he thinks about the possible consequences of eating the forbidden fruit. The goal is to return the fruit to Aslan, but, as expected , Queen Jadis appears once again. C.S. Lewis makes this phase the turning point of the novel, because we as the audience know how easily Digory has succumbed to his temptations at the beginning of the novel and is then challenged once again by a greater power to see if he will give in once more. To tempt Digory further, the Queen states: “Think of me, boy, when you lie old, weak and dying, and remember how you have thrown away the chance of eternal youth! It will not be offered to you again” (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 95). However, Digory has learned from his previous mistakes and does not give in to the witches' claims of eternal life. He proves that he isn't the selfish guy he once was by considering and letting Aslan have a direct influence on his business. For his loyalty, Digory is thus rewarded. Once Aslan receives the apple from Digory, he reveals the inconveniences of stealing an apple. According to popular tradition, a “stolen apple” would heal but would not bring the desired “joy” to the thief and the person who consumed it. (Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, 100-101). Thus, Digory receives the apple as a gift from the hands of Aslan which in turn restores his mother's health and allows him to live happily ever after. In my eyes, Digory receives the apple as a gift once Aslan knows he can trust Digory. Aslan wants to spread his goodwill to his people, and with Digory proving himself, he gives Digory the one thing he has wanted since the beginning of the novel. It is clear that without Aslan's influence on Digory's life, he may have eaten the forbidden fruit and allied himself with the evil Queen Jadis. Digory knew the right thing to do in the situation where the Witch attempted to influence him and for his support and trust in Aslan, he was rewarded with everything he wanted in the form of a gift. When you have the right guidance, you get the benefits of following the right path. With the introduction of Aslan, Digory acquires a sort of "role model" as he admires Aslan and aims to respect his morals. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get an essay.