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Yes it was very obvious to me but we read it as school novels in class..at a Christian school. I suppose if you haven't grown up with Christianity as your background perhaps you wouldn't see the parallels.
I've grown up in a Christian household but still I didn't make the connection until much, much later. I did read them very young so I probably didn't care that much about the cleverness of the 'The Lion of Judah' being represented by an actual lion...I get much more of the allegory now but when I first read the series: nothing.
I agree. I read all the books as a child and never made any connection. Sacrificing oneself to save loved ones sounded like nothing more than usual tropes in fantasy.
There are many allusions to Jesus in Narnia. For instance Jesus died and resurrected, Aslan died and resurrected, both their deaths were sacrifices to save others, Aslan is viewed both as powerful and gentle, Jesus is alike in that respect, Aslan represents hope in Narnia, so does Jesus in real life. When you read the Bible for a while, you realize it has deeper meaning than just what it seems on the surface, Chronicles Of Narnia is quite similar. The book is a symbolism to the Christian Epic we're living in this world.
Also the fact C.S. Lewis was a devout christian when he wrote the chronicles of Narnia, and it was his expressed intention to write them as Christian allegories
I also read them as a child and watched the BBC version, and I never got any of the allegories, because at that time my understanding of Christianity didn't go beyond the Christmas- and Easter stories, and I did not make any connections to them. But I remember how I enjoyed them regardless, and got some lessons that were humanist rather than christian. I only got the christian jist when the movies came out and everybody talked about it. But I think it takes away from the story a bit, at least it did for me.
It's not exactly obvious, but I am pretty sure that is how the author meant it. C. S. Lewis is a christian and he used some things from the Bible. For example in the bible Jesus died for our sins and in Narnia Aslan died for Edmund's. It's little things that aren't super noticable until you look, but they're there.
Jesus really? Sorry but not once did I ever think of religion when reading or watching Narnia. Aslan depicts the spirit of Narnia. The spirit of Nature there. He becomes what the people of Narnia need. It's a make believe world so I don't think religion has anything to do with it, regardless whether the writer is Christian.
I am a believing Christian, and I have read these books since I was 5, and Aslan has always been Jesus in my eyes.
I read 'The Lion Witch and Wardrobe' when I was quite young, but I think I've sort of always known the tales the Christian meanings coming from that background.
However, I can sort of understand why people who have little familiarity with Christianity might not see them.
I know it might be unrelated, but I read one Medieval fantasy novel a couple of years ago which had a loose basis in or inspiration from English history (and Shakespeare's history plays), and the main character was inspired by King Henry V.
I'm quite familiar with his reign and the events of that period, and I think that made me more aware of the parallels, but a person who wasn't probably wouldn't see them. Maybe its that way with Narnia.
It's not even ambiguous. The Narnia books are intentional Christian allegory. Much of Lewis' nonfiction work was in the field of Christian apologetics, so it's hardly surprising.
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[deleted user]
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Jul 07, 2013 01:22PM
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The only very obvious mention of the allusion was at the end of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, where it is mentioned that they needed to learn about him as he is present in their own world. However, if you are familiar with the Bible the references are fairly constant.









I believe he was Jesus in the form of a Lion, I can understand why someone wouldn't know if they grew up in a non Christian home though because it's not like BAM in your face it's Jesus but it's kind of like hidden if that makes any since...?
It makes since to if you think about it because the author was a really good Christian and the things Aslan does is things that Jesus would do and what not.
It makes since to if you think about it because the author was a really good Christian and the things Aslan does is things that Jesus would do and what not.

However, I can sort of understand why people who have little familiarity with Christianity might not see them.
I know it might be unrelated, but I read one Medieval fantasy novel a couple of years ago which had a loose basis in or inspiration from English history (and Shakespeare's history plays), and the main character was inspired by King Henry V.
I'm quite familiar with his reign and the events of that period, and I think that made me more aware of the parallels, but a person who wasn't probably wouldn't see them. Maybe its that way with Narnia.
