Today, on Let’s Talk Books!, I thought it would be fun to jump into a world many are familiar with, the Chronicles of Narnia! While I have only read about half of them, these classic stories by C.S. Lewis are some of my personal favorites, and I know they still have many fans around the globe. One of the best things about these books is the fantastic world that C.S. Lewis created in these relatively simple but masterful works of art! If you have not yet read the Chronicles of Narnia books, check out the list at the end of the post!
Worldbuilding is a multi-faceted process. But for today, I will focus on grounding the reader in the scene. As a reader, I know how important it is to give the reader something to ground them in the story’s environment. There are many ways this can be done. It can be done with an element so subtle the reader doesn’t even notice, or it can be something that stands out in clear contrast to a particular scene. One of my favorite examples of a grounding element in storytelling is found in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis.
For those who have not read this first book in the series, there are spoilers ahead! If you have not read the book, I advise taking a break and checking out this first book in the series, and possibly The Magician’s Nephew, as I will also discuss some plot points in that book. So here is a paragraph break to give you a chance to save this post for later so you can come back.
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe begins in London during World War II. Four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy Pevensie, are sent to live in the country, away from the dangerous air raids of the war. The catalyst, a game of hide and seek played by the bored Pevensie children, thrusts Lucy into the World of Narnia for the first time. When Lucy first stumbles upon Narnia, she comes to a story element that stands today as an iconic element of Narnia. A lamp. Much like the streetlamps in World War II era London, this lamp is a curious object in the world of Narnia, as it resembles more closely a time period that Narnia does not seem to reflect (though we all know that time is not standard in Narnia). Items such as flashlights do not exist in Narnia, and the choice weapons are swords, knives, and arrows. So why is this lamp here?
Interestingly, the lamp’s presence is explained in The Magician’s Nephew, the second to the last book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. But that is a discussion for another time. Today, I want to discuss why the lamp is such a brilliant worldbuilding tool.
Worldbuilding encompasses more than just the details the author includes to build the story setting. It is everything that goes into making that world seem tangible in the reader’s mind. Simple elements can have a much more profound impact on the reader than even the reader might notice. The lamp of Narnia is no different. Narnia's iconic lamp serves many purposes in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It acts as an emotional anchor for Lucy, as this is where she first meets a Narnian, Mr. Tumnus, and a locational anchor, eventually helping her find her way back to the wardrobe later in the story. But the lamp doesn’t only act as an emotional and locational anchor for Lucy. It also offers the audience the same things and more.
In addition to being an emotional and locational anchor for Lucy and the audience, the lamp of Narnia helps both transition from one world to another. Its “real world” familiarity almost softens the abrupt change in environment. C. S. Lewis, whether he did this on purpose or not, cleverly does not reveal that the lamp is “out of place” until the first Narnian reveals himself, and Lucy and the audience fully realize that this place she has found is entirely unusual. Because there is this moment when the lamp seems normal, the switch from London during wartime to a quiet, snow-covered landscape in a mysterious unfamiliar land is no longer as big of a jump for both Lucy and the readers to make. The lamp gives the audience a visual anchor that bridges the gap between the two worlds, allowing all to slip from one place to the next almost seamlessly.
The lamp of Narnia also seems to represent something about Narnia that the characters don’t learn until later on. There is one who can set Narnia free of the White Witch’s evil reign. As previously mentioned, the lamp that seems to be described in the books resembles those used in London during the 1940s. These lamps were gas lamps. This meant they produced some heat. Again, whether C. S. Lewis intended to do this, I am not certain. But, through this lamp, it seems he hinted at what would happen at the end of the book using heat and light. Among the cold land ruled by the White Witch, the lamp stands as a small spark of heat. Heat melts ice, maybe a symbol of the Witch’s soon-to-be-ended reign. Among the darkness of evil, the lamp offers light. A small spark of what is to come? As the story progresses, Aslan shows up and makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Edmond and free the land of the White Witch’s control. That lamp that stood in the midst of enemy territory may have hinted at the light of Aslan that would return and defeat the White Witch.
The lamp of Narnia is an iconic element of the Chronicles of Narnia, even though it is only mentioned in two books. Such a simple detail can lead readers to grasp the story in ways they might not have done without it. I can’t imagine Narnia without its iconic lamp. Can you? Share your thought in the comments!
If you want to know what I thought of the Chronicles of Narnia books, subscribe to my newsletter here! I love these books and have yet to finish a few, so I have added this series to my reading list! When I finish each, I will share my thoughts in my Let’s Talk Books! newsletters!
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
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