BRITS BITS: Fun facts about 'The Chronicles of Narnia'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kelsey Waters
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
"The Chronicles of Narnia" are well-loved books steeped in mystery and are composed of many layers full of distinct British flavor. Each time the series is read something new and interesting can be discovered about the lush universe British author C.S. Lewis created to live parallel to our own.

1. "The Chronicles of Narnia" can be read multiple ways. The books were written out of chronological order for the universe in which they happened. "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" was the first book in the series published. However, in the story line, "The Magician's Nephew" shows the creation of Narnia.

2. Unlike most book series, where the protagonists introduced in the first book are major characters throughout the plot, the protagonists in each book generally only appear once or twice as a major character. The only character who plays a major role in each of the seven books is Aslan, the lion.

3. In the book "The Last Battle," Susan is the only main protagonist to not show up and fight. She was said to "no longer be a friend of Narnia" because she refused to believe that the land existed anymore. Neil Gaiman wrote a short story entitled "The Problem of Susan," which addresses the repercussions of her absence in "The Last Battle."

4. The author of "The Chronicles of Narnia," Lewis, was close friends with J.R.R. Tolkien, who authored the Lord of the Rings series. Tolkien was actually one of the reasons for Lewis' return to Christianity, which heavily influenced his writing style.

5. Although "The Chronicles of Narnia" is full of Christian overtones, it has long been criticized and even banned from schools and public libraries because of its uses of pagan undertones.

6. Phillip Pullman, the author of the series "His Dark Materials," said he was thoroughly influenced by "The Chronicles of Narnia." The heavy amount of Christian influence caused Pullman to want to write a similar saga from an atheist's view.

7. The books took Lewis more than 8 years to complete. He spent only three months of that time writing the first book, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

8. Lewis's childhood in Northern Ireland greatly influenced "The Chronicles of Narnia." Lucy's vast imagination and ability to find make-believe worlds in empty rooms came from the games Lewis and his brother played as children. The loss of his mother paralleled that of Prince Caspian and his son.

9. There is a widely believed theory, Lewis wrote based each of the books on medieval cosmology and each of the books is based on the different planets. For example "Prince Caspian" was based on the medieval perception of the planet Mars.

10. Time in Narnia flows differently than it does in the real world. For example, the lifetime when the Pevensie children are in Narnia during "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" equates to mere seconds on earth.

"The Chronicles of Narnia" is a classic children's series. Throughout the series, Lewis creates a universe folding in on itself with a vast history. Many readers can find, like with the children in the series, the world of Narnia is easy to get absorbed with.

Courtesy information by:
http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4447090.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/people/cslewis_1.shtml