Customer Reviews

Inside Narnia: A Guide to Exploring The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is remembered for two things - his great works of Christian theology (Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and many more) and his Chronicles of Narnia books. Now, many books have been published on the theology of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (TLWW), but this book looks at TLWW as a work of literature. Going through TLWW chapter by chapter, and indeed section by section, Dr. Devin G. Brown (professor of English at Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky), gives the reader a fascinating commentary on what is happening and what it means.

I must say that this is a surprisingly fascinating book! The author begins with the dedication at the beginning of TLWW, and goes through the entirety of the book, explaining and clarifying just about everything. Now, don't get the idea that this book is a dry academic work. In fact, the author does an excellent job of hold the reader's interest.

If you are a fan of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, then this is the book for you. It provides the reader with a deep understanding of this seemingly simple Christian classic, telling you things you never would have guessed. I highly recommend this book.

If "The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy" is written for philosophy buffs, "Inside Narnia" is written for literature lovers. Here is the book that English literature professors at colleges everywhere have been praying for - a preface to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" in the tradition of C. S. Lewis's "Preface to Paradise Lost."

This is a smart, critical guide through Narnia, with Devin Brown dropping glorious bits of "behind the scenes" information and careful analysis. Like any good critic, Brown's book enchants his subject, sending us back to it with renewed interest.

Like any good tour guide, Brown speaks in a clear and accessible style, navigating Lewis's literary and biographical sources with ease - pointing out the similarities to (among others) J. R. R. Tolkien, who was both a literary and real-life influence on Lewis.

A delightful read, for those who identify with Peter, all the way up to those of us a bit more like the Professor.

*****Phil Tallon - St Andrews, Scotland*****

Since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was printed in 1950, almost four-dozen books have been published on the Narnian Chronicles, and most of these in the past few years. The danger in writing a book on Narnia today is that so much has already been said. Devin Brown sets the standard in the Preface to Inside Narnia in describing how his book is different: "The strongest reason for any new work must be that is (1) takes an approach not taken before or (2) covers ground which has not been covered. I would offer both these reasons for Inside Narnia." (7)

Many books on Narnia focus mostly on the devotional or spiritual elements of Lewis's books; however, Devin Brown sees value in a literary approach. "By devoting an entire work to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I hope to provide the kind of close literary analysis it warrants and also supply a good deal of supplemental information from Lewis's life and other writings. In addition, I offer a wide selection of comments and opinions from other scholars, here for the first time collected in a single work." (7)

As Brown notes, Inside Narnia is very much like a running commentary on the first of the Narnian Chronicles. Throughout the book, Brown highlights many of the debates and insights that have generated in the past 55 years. Though he draws from a wide range of authors and scholars, he relies heavily on the work of Colin Manlove, Peter Schakel, Donald Glover, and Peter Ford.

This sort of scholarly commentary makes for a book that feels very academic, though the tone and language is far more accessible than most academic works. The insight Devin Brown provides can only come from lengthy research in the field, research that Brown skillfully employs. The result is another unique book on Narnia that should not be missed. Inside Narnia is a valuable introduction to the literary world created by C.S. Lewis with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

"Inside Narnia" ia a chapter-by-chapter description and literary analysis of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." That description makes the book sound stuffy but it didn't feel that way reading it.

Like any good scholar, Devin Brown begins his work by addressing why the work is even needed.

"The strongest reason for any new work must be that it

(1) takes an approach not taken before.

Prof. Brown's focus is on providing a literary analysis of TLWW.

Since he is an English professor at Asbury College in Kentucky, my guess is that his personal motivation for writing this book was for use in one of his classes and that some of his classroom notes may have made their way into the original outline for "Inside Narnia". In my opinion, use of a developing non-fiction manuscript in a classroom is great--college students will be only too glad to point out inconsistencies and ask about passages they find bewildering.


Prof. Brown states that the other reason for a new work in non-fiction involves

(2) (covering) ground which has not been covered.

He explains, "I offer a wide selection of comments and opinions from other scholars, here for the first time collected in a single work." To that, I would add that the reader also benefits from Prof. Brown's own comments and opinions. I suspect that some material quoted directly from C. S. Lewis's writings may also be making its first appearance in a scholarly work.

However...

Not long after I started "Inside Narnia", I found myself skimming past the (exhaustive) citations without thinking about them. He might not like hearing this but Prof. Brown's clear prose allowed me to ignore all of his meticulous bibliographic work, and just enjoy.

His literary analysis is fascinating. I've read Lewis's entire "Chronicles of Narnia" so many times I've lost count but the author surprised me repeatedly with pointers to Lewis's literary techniques and new perspectives on plot and description I never noticed before. He also surprised me with the whole Maugrim = Fenris Ulf discussion! Maugrim? Who's that? I have an old copy of TLWW and have never bought another so the wolf villain has always been Fenris Ulf to me.

Brown reveals the structure of individual scenes in such evocative detail that you'll likely close his book either feeling like you just finished rereading Lewis's TLWW or else with the overwhelming desire to do so. When I reached the end of Prof. Brown's study, I wanted to reread "Prince Caspian" but then I'm weird.

(If you haven't read TLWW yet, well first, you should! Second, buy this book at the same time as TLWW but read it afterwards. It'll make a lot more sense.)


CSL's Use of Language (literary technique)

Prof. Brown discusses and analyzes C S Lewis's use of a variety of literary techniques and language in TLWW, as each example appears in the chapters. I was fascinated by his analysis of Lewis's techniques because, frankly, I have been enjoying their "effects" on me as a reader without being aware of how Lewis created them.

Here's a small sample of literary techniques discussed:
gradualness of description built from many concrete details; suggesting rather than explaining to create a sense of mystery; the "interlace" of plot threads; the use of weather as a form of provenance & as a way to set up future plot events; the dream motif; building tension via description; description via senses other than sight; ending chapters one step into the action of the following chapter.

He also analyzes Lewis's characterization of Aslan vs. that of the witch, and his characterization of each of the Pevensie children.
Throughout, he takes care to discuss Lewis's missteps as well as his successes. (example: Where did Tumnus go?)


CSL's Literary, Cultural & Personal Experience

As a indefatigable Lewis scholar and true Lewis fan, Prof. Brown knows about as much about Lewis's life and literary and cultural influences as anyone can hope to, decades after the author's death.

He takes pains to describe the rich combination of traditions Lewis used to people Narnia, and provides citations bringing to life Tolkien's strong objections to what he was doing. Some of those Inklings meetings must have been really lively! In my opinion, and with all due respect to Tolkien and his fabulous work, combinations like Brown's example of dwarves & fauns aren't jarring today although I can see where it would have been to scholars of mythology like Tolkien. For better or worse... Scratch that. For worse, mythological beings now seep into modern culture in distorted forms or not at all.

Even a literary analysis of TLWW has to take into account Lewis's faith to be complete. "Inside Narnia" Ch. 14, 15 & part of 16 are more Christology than literary analysis because Lewis's plot focuses on Aslan's death and return to life.

In other chapters, Prof. Brown highlights passages that hint at Lewis's "longing" from childhood (see "Surprised by Joy") and the manner in which Lewis portrays the Numinous. Brown spends some time recounting via citations how Lewis agreed with Chesterton about seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, and how he used this in TLWW. (After reading his YA "Not Exactly Normal" if Brown -hadn't- mentioned this, I would have been very confused.)

I'm anticipating the second in the series which will be a literary analysis of Lewis's "Prince Caspian". I can't say that I agree with everything that Prof. Brown has written here--I dislike the first person narrator--but I have confidence in Brown's scholarship and I'm sure it's clear by now that I really enjoyed this book.

Sherry Thompson

Inside Narnia was one of the many books published in advance of the recent movie adaptation of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. In this book Devin Brown, a Lewis scholar and aficionado, offers a detailed look into the world of Narnia, digging far beyond the surface, and exploring this magical world. Having just read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe with my children, I decided to read this as a commentary of sorts, to see what I had missed and what I would want to look for the next time I read the book.

Brown begins the book just where he should: with a rationale for the book's existence. There are, after all, many similar titles available. He replies that the strongest reason for any new work must be that it first takes an approach not taken before and then must cover ground that has not been covered before. He does both of these. His approach to the story is in the first place literary rather than primarily devotional. He moves through the book chapter-by-chapter, providing literary analysis and supplying "a good deal of supplemental information from Lewis's life and other writings." He also offers comments and opinions from a wide variety of other scholars. In many ways the book is a running commentary rather than a collection of essays. "My claim is this: although The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe can be simply read and enjoyed by a child, it can also be read seriously by adults because it is a work rich with meaning. Some of this meaning will be discovered simply by spending time with the text and paying close attention to what Lewis has written. Further meaning will be seen by drawing connections--connections not only to other passages within the novel but also to other works by Lewis, to the events of Lewis's life, and to the world of other writers who influenced Lewis. ... I contend that this twofold approach--first, a careful reading and the second, adding these kinds of connections--will result in greater enjoyment of an already enjoyable book."

Because this book is primarily a literary analysis, it does not contain a great deal of discussion about the story's religious elements. There are many other books that look at the story from that angle. Devin focuses instead on language, on consistencies and inconsistencies in this story and Lewis's other writings, and on the life experiences that stand behind the story. I really felt, as I read Inside Narnia, that the author was unlocking a great deal of the story to me.

Where Brown does deal with religious elements, he typically does so in a manner that is fair even if not thorough. He is careful to point out that this story is not meant to be an allegory for the story of the Bible. He writes "No topic surrounding the Narnia stories has been so misunderstood or has had so much written about it as the question of whether they are allegory." He ultimately turns to Lewis who affirms that the books actually stem from this kind of thought: "Let us suppose that there were a land like Narnia and that the Son of God, as He became a Man in our world, because a Lion there, and then imagine what would happen." While there are certainly obvious parallels between the witness of Scripture and the story told in the Narnia books, they are not and were not meant to be true allegory. This means that we should not go looking too deeply in our quest to find religious significant under every rock and in every crevice in Narnia.

Interestingly, this book made me realize what it is about Lewis's world that kept me from falling in love with it as I did with Tolkien's Middle Earth. I think the real difference is in the completeness of the world. In The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe we see a world that very obviously has not been thought through to the extent that Middle Earth has been. Narnia has many clear and obvious flaws. Some of these were reconciled in further books, but many were just left unreconciled. There is much about Lewis's world that just doesn't make a lot of sense. I can see now that this kept me from believing the world as I did with Middle Earth.

All-in-all, Inside Narnia was a good and valuable read and one I enjoyed a great deal. It put to rest the haunting memories of high school level literary analysis that seemed to award not truth but originality in dissecting stories we knew nothing about written by authors we had never heard of. This book, on the other hand, represents the work of a man who has studied both the author and his work. It opens up the story and allows us to see what we certainly would not otherwise know. I definitely recommend it to anyone who has read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Devin Brown's Inside Narnia (Baker Books, 2005) is a great companion piece to C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Bookstore shelves were full of Narnia-help books leading up to the release of the film in December 2005. Once the hoopla over the film subsided, many of the Narnia companion books went straight to the Bargain sections. That's where I found Inside Narnia.

But I must admit, this book is worth more than I paid for it. Devin Brown takes the reader through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, offering fascinating information about the influences on Lewis' thought. He delves into the biblical parallels, inconsistencies between Narnia books, and he often writes about Lewis' own philosophy of writing for children.

Inside Narnia is a must-have for all serious Narnia fans. Brown's research reinforced the reasons why I fell in love with Narnia as a child and why the fantasy world continues to intrigue me today. If you choose one Narnia companion book out of the Bargain bin, make sure it's this one.

The Inside Narnia Guide was given as a Christmas gift last year to our fourteen year old granddaughter to further enhance the reading of The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set. This guide was an excellent selection, and our granddaughter has told us several times how much she enjoyed reading it. The fact that her first name is the same as the author's was an added bonus! Based on her appraisal, I recommend this as a great addition to the Chronicles of Narnia Set. ~ Mrs. B.

I don't mean to sound contradictory, but while I would recommend this book to all Narnians, both for its informative and educational value, I was dissappointed as I viewed it from a spiritual perspective. I don't really have a clear clue to conclude from whether or not Professor Brown is a Christian, but I often felt that he was going out of his way to delude the intentional, inherrent Christian lessons of The Chronicles of Narnia.

I repeat, I don't assume to know Professor Brown's devotion to Christianity or any other religion, but through almost the entire book, I felt like he was attempting to circumvent the obvious relationship between Aslan and Christ. Even though he brought out what to me was the salient thought of Lewis concerning this connection, the "supposal," Professor Brown went so quickly and shallowly over it that I believe he missed the mark that Professor Lewis was aiming for in this series.

Lewis was not trying to draw parrallells, or alagories or metaphors between Chist and Aslan. Lewis was saying that Aslan was/is Chist!

That's why, as even the author pointed out, Aslan said that he was in our world, but was known by a different name. Also, at one point, when Aslan answered someone's question in a later book, "I am," the connection was as painfully obviuos to me that Aslan was making Himself Christ as it was to the Pharisees that Christ was making himself God with that statement. Not too mention, in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," as I recall, Aslan, at one point, appears first as a Lamb and then a Lion. I mean come on! Don't try to deny it!

Again, I am desperately trying not to draw conclusions about Professor Brown. I am merely trying to point out that from a simply poetic, philisophical or literary analysis, this book is quite good. If you are looking for a book that is not backward about dealing with the very obvious duality of Aslan as the Christ, this book will provide only enough of that to whet your appetite.

The book arrived well within the estimated shipping time. It was well bound so that the received no damage; it arrived crisp, clean, and pristine. Excellent care was taken to make sure that the book arrived safely and the price was very reasonable.