In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, good and evil are straightforward and undisguised.
Or, rather: thinly disguised. (Good as a lion, evil as a witch.)
Good is ultimately more powerful than evil, although evil does seem to have a necessary place in the world. People who are good may still have to suffer and make difficult choices, but ultimately everything will work out for them and they will enjoy a happy ending. Even people who make serious mistakes can be redeemed and rejoin the side of good. Creatures who are truly evil will be vanquished in the end. Evil is most disturbing because it preys on our own weaknesses and negative traits.
Questions About Good vs. Evil
- Early in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund argues that the children should avoid choosing sides in Narnia before they are certain the White Witch is evil and Mr. Tumnus and his friends are good. Are his arguments persuasive? Why or why not?
- What kind of evil threat does the White Witch represent? How does her evil manifest, and what type(s) of suffering does she cause?
- What does Mr. Beaver mean when he says that Aslan "isn't safe. But he's good" (8.26)? What does the narrator mean when he describes Aslan as "good and terrible at the same time"?
- Is there ever any doubt that Aslan and the side of Good will triumph in the end?
Chew on This
In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, both good and evil are limited by certain constraints on the way the universe and morality work – the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time and the Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time.
Although Aslan is good, he is still unpredictable and fearsome.