The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Week 4

Welcome to Week 4 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Did you enjoy the ending of the book? Were any parts a surprise to you? Did you feel like you could see how the story would end before you got to the last pages? 

This section starts with the children meeting Aslan. Is he what you expected? It is hard to imagine a lion being so kind and gentle. At the end of chapter 12, Peter doesn't hesitate when he is tasked with rescuing Susan from a wolf. Were you surprised that he was able to kill the wolf so quickly? I can't imagine that he had ever used a sword before, so it was a little surprising that he knew what to do with it. He was very brave, though, to jump in to help Susan without worrying what could happen to him. 

When Edmund comes back, he is immediately forgiven. What do you think he and Aslan talked about? What do you think Aslan could have said that would make Edmund so changed? Did you feel a little confused when Aslan and the White Witch were talking with each other? I was a little confused about the dynamics of society in Narnia. I couldn't really figure out how The Witch got her power, and I couldn't figure out if the Witch and Aslan had met before. Do you think they knew each other? Did you understand all of the intricacies of the magic and laws of Narnia? Where do you think Aslan was before he showed up? 

The killing of Aslan scene is pretty brutal. Did you laugh to yourself when you read the line where C.S. Lewis said he couldn't describe all of the creatures because they were so gross and parents wouldn't let children read about such things? I thought that was a nice little moment because it interrupted the tension a little bit. I've read this book before, so I knew that Aslan would not stay dead, but still, it's hard to read about his humiliation and death. It was hard to read about all of the glee that everyone had while they were shaving him and hurting him. What did you think about the scene? Didn't you feel so sorry for Lucy and Susan because they had to see everything? At least they got to be the first ones to see Aslan alive again. That kind of made up for the trauma they experienced. 

In the last battle, Peter and Edmund fight bravely, and Edmund is pretty hurt. Lucy is able to heal him with her gift from Father Christmas. They free all of the statues, and everyone rejoices that the White Witch is gone. Were you surprised that the siblings claimed the throne and grew up in Narnia? Were you doubly surprised that they didn't lose any time at all when they came back home? 

What was your favorite part of the last section? What stuck out to you the most? Do you have any favorite scenes? 

If you'd like to see the stars of the movie version reunite, try to check out the Disney+ show, Prop Culture, and watch the Narnia episode. Check out this article to find out more about the show. 

If you liked this book and are excited to read more like it, check out this list I created with similar books and movies. Make sure to let me know if you check out anything on the list!

Finally, before you go, check out the video clip below to see differences between the book descriptions of the characters and the movie actors. What do you think of the casting choices for the movie? 

Thanks for following along all month! I hope you'll join us again next month as we read If Beale Street Could Talk. I can't wait to hear from you in the comments section.