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18 May Argumentative paper: tend to use different elements of nature to signify various underlying factors that happen to be very important elements of the plot. Every element is purposefully selected and has a meaning. Carefully chosen elements not only help the author create the ambiance needed to pacify the audience, but are also necessary for giving the events and happenings that form part of the story, the meaning that is consistent with the theme of the novel. Every description of the winter season in Narnia has a special purpose of giving meaning to the scenes of the story in addition to the ordinary purpose of telling which weather the various incidents in the story happened in.
The eternal winter season which the Witch uses to blanket Narnia is the symbol of a time that is dead and stagnant and has lost the ability to move on. Nothing in the world of Narnia grows while the season remains. Animals sleep through winter. People duck around fires instead of moving out of their homes. There is no element of joy whatsoever in the world that is under the influence of the magic cast by the Witch. Almost every human being who lives in the world of Narnia cultivates a primitive abhorrence for the winter season even in moths when it is normal for winter to be.
Through this, the author has tried to make the audience realize that although winter seems the most pleasant and beautiful of all the seasons of a year particularly when it is accompanied with snowfall, yet if this season ever attained eternity, it would become intolerable for all mankind. The winter season in Narnia has sapped all joy of living in that world. In spite of the existence of an immaculate appeal and irresistible ambiance of the woods covered with snow, the overall impression is ruined by its interpretation in terms of an empty and barren world.
The winter season has been purposefully chosen by the author to inculcate coldness in the feel of it. It signifies that Narnia is under the control of the evil Witch whose regime upsets the inhabitants of the world. The snowfall imitates the fall of the whole world of Narnia and everything that it contains. There is a strong purpose behind hiding everything under the blanket of snow, which happens to be that it covers all traces of Aslan, the noble lion. The author specially mentions that the weather is just so suitable to be celebrated a Christmas in, but it would never be celebrated because the purpose of its selection goes far beyond creating the snowy ambiance.
The onset of spring in Narnia upon the arrival of Aslan adds to the validity and truthfulness of the thesis statement made above. Throughout the story, winter prevails in Narnia until when Aslan makes an appearance. The onset of spring signifies the ray of light, hope and optimism. A wise reader would make accurate prediction about the character of Aslan just from the occurrence of spring upon his arrival without having the author make the slightest description of the same. The spring is much more enchanting and pleasing than winter had ever been.
This comparison of winter and spring is actually the comparison of powers of the Witch and Aslan respectively. The author means to say that no matter how hard the Witch may try to encapsulate Narnia in her magic, Aslan is just too powerful to ever let Narnia suffer from the unpleasant regime of the cruel Witch. Christmas, which is essentially the event in which Christ was born, occurs before spring. Spring can not come unless Christ is born. Aslan does not make an appearance in the story unless Christmas has occurred.
A very important fact that needs to be realized here is that the author has presented Christ in the character of Aslan, though “Christ, unlike Aslan, is not a giant talking lion” (Shmoop University). That essentially explains why Aslan was destined to be the lion. By making Aslan lion, the author means to imitate the bravery of Christ. Christmas is used by the author as a signal of hope for all mankind that dwells in Narnia. Woods resurrect as soon as the spring takes over the winter season.
It is the season when flowers bloom everywhere, birds chirp, and fragrance of flowers flows with the gentle breeze. Aslan’s spring is much more special as compared to the Witch’s winter, because everything in Narnia has recovered after a long subjugation. The imagery used by author is wonderful and every bit of the description of weather is meaningfully narrated. “Lewis create[s] wonderful analogies, which assist readers in understanding something they don’t know by comparing it to something they might know” (Witantri).
Works Cited: Lewis, C. S. “The lion, the witch and the wardrobe.” USA: The Dramatic Publishing Company, 1989. Print. Shmoop University. “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Symbolism, Imagery & Allegory.” 2011. Web. 18 May 2011. . Witantri, Anggie D. “A Symbolic Character of Aslan The Great Lion in C.S. Lewis’ Novel The Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.” Gunadarma Universitas. N.d. Web. 18 May 2011. .
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