In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, human beings and other creatures are at their best when they live in harmony with the natural world and don't try to halt the passage of time or change nature in any one particular state.
When the natural world is allowed to progress in its own way, it will become a paradise, and very little will need to be done to make it habitable. Radical reshaping of the world in order to make it "civilized" or "modern" is super-undesirable, though. Everything that people need can be found in nature if they know where to look for it.
Questions About Man and the Natural World
- How does creating an endless winter in Narnia help the White Witch to control her subjects? What is the significance of it being always winter but never Christmas?
- Where and how do Narnians tend to live? Consider Mr. Tumnus's cave, Mr. Beaver's dam, and the Castle of Cair Paravel. How integrated are Narnians' lives with the rhythms of the earth?
- What are Dryads and Naiads? What are trees like in Narnia? How do these creatures contribute to the connection between Narnians and their land?
Chew on This
In order to restore the government of Narnia, Aslan must first reinstate a natural progression of the seasons.
The importance of having Christmas during the winter in Narnia symbolizes the importance of balancing natural rhythms with man-made ones – the seasons must co-exist with human ways of marking time.