This week in class, we read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which I hadn’t read since elementary school.  It was interesting to read it again not that I’m older and also more familiar with Lewis’ other works because I picked up on so much religious symbolism that I completely missed as a child.  The most meaningful part of the book to me was when Aslan, who represents Christ, gave himself to the Witch for death so that Edmund would be saved.  The way the Witch and her followers mocked Aslan was so similar to Christ’s crucifixion—they shaved Aslan’s mane, bound him, and put a muzzle over his jaw.  Yet he remained calm, submissive, and even sad for the evil choices they were making.

       When Susan and Lucy found the Stone Table broken and Aslan gone, it resembled the empty tomb of Christ.  I also think the Stone Table was a symbol of the lower law, the Law of Moses, and the “deeper magic” Aslan spoke of was the higher law that Christ brought forth.  Aslan defeated death and brought forth a sort of resurrection in Narnia.  He breathed life back into the creatures that had been turned to stone, and the gates of Cair Paravel, or hell, were trodden down.  The power of the Witch, who symbolizes the devil, was nothing up against Aslan, and the battle was quickly won by Aslan and the good creatures of Narnia.

       What was also interesting was the way that the Witch tempted Edmund with hunger and with the promise of power.  Once he had given in and was under her spell, he could no longer see things clearly and was terrified and uncomfortable at the mention of Aslan.  However, once he realized his great mistake and tried to return to Aslan, he was welcomed with open arms and forgiven of his sins.  Aslan was willing to die for him alone, despite the fact that he had betrayed them all.  I thought this was a beautiful symbol of the Atonement—Christ was perfect, yet He gave himself to death so that we could be saved from our sins, so that He could overthrow death itself.  And He would have done it for just one of us.