Book vs. Film: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

 

Cover of The Lion, The Witch and the
Wardrobe circa 1950.

           C. S. Lewis’ series, The Chronicles of Narnia, has been adapted into numerous other forms of media since their publication in the nineteen fifties.  In 2005, Lewis’ first book to be published in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was adapted into a feature-length film by Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media.  This film takes an interesting interpretation of the plot in Lewis’ book and, like many others, makes some alterations from the original work.  These changes either help to provide context to the plot or to add more action to the film.

            First, some new scenes have been added or altered from the story when The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was adapted into its 2005 film version.  In the opening scene of the film, the audience sees an air-raid over the city of London, England (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  The main characters, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are shown to be running to a shelter in the back garden with their mother (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  After this scene, the audience sees the children being taken by train to the house of the Professor (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  These scenes are different from what is seen the beginning of the book.  Lewis only dedicates a few lines in explaining the children’s circumstances, stating that the children “were sent away from London during the air-raids” (3) and that “[t]hey were sent to live with an old Professor who lived in the heart of the country” (3).  In adding scenes to the film that add more detail to Lewis’ description, the adaption creates a better understanding of why the four children had to leave London.  A child reading Lewis’ book in 2013 would not be able to understand the effect of the Blitz on London like a child reading it in 1953, who would be growing up in the aftermath of the Second World War and the London Bombings.  Thus, in providing context to the opening of the film, the audience is able to better understand the circumstances that the protagonists are in at the beginning of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Film poster for The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, 2005

            Also, the scenes with the professor differ in some ways between the film and the book.  In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the Professor is able to speak Peter and Susan on an even level when they come to see him about Lucy, though telling them to consider that their sister could be telling the truth (Lewis, 47-48).  In the film adaption, the Professor comes across as more of a concerned guardian, but quickly becomes more welcoming when he learns that Lucy had discovered a way to Narnia through the wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  This is just one of the few references to the other Narnia book The Magician’s Nephew, which tells of how the Professor traveled to Narnia when he was a boy.  The best example of this is seen at the end of the film when Lucy tries to go back to Narnia, only to see the Professor in the room, disappointed that the wardrobe no longer works (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  These suggestions of the Professor having been to Narnia before are not mentioned in the book because the The Magician’s Nephew was not published until several years after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

            In addition, the scene where Aslan is sacrificed on the Stone Table is slightly different from the book.  In this situation, it is the book that has more detail than the film.  Though the film does have some elements from the book such as Aslan being tied down, having his mane cut off, and being dragged up to the Stone Table (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  Despite the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe sharing these parts, Lewis goes into more detail and is more humiliating in his description.  After Aslan is muzzled and bound, the White Witch’s minions surround the lion and begin “kicking him, hitting him, spitting on him, jeering at him” (Lewis 154).  The reason Lewis puts Aslan through all this suffering and humiliation before being killed by the White Witch is because Aslan is a representation of Jesus Christ from the Bible, who, before being crucified, was put through much suffering and humiliation.  Disney probably did not play down this scene in the movie for religious reason though.  This scene in the film is frightening already and thus only adapted enough parts from the book as necessary.

            Finally, there is a difference in how both the film and the book portray the battle scene and journey to the White Witch’s home to free those who had been statues.  In the book, Lewis concentrates on the rescue, giving a detailed account of how Aslan freed the Witch’s captives from being stone statues.  Lewis only gives a brief account of the battle, mentioning how Peter and his forces were outnumbered by the White Witch’s forces and how Aslan defeated the Witch (Lewis 175-177).  The movie concentrates more on the battle than the rescue.  In this instance, the audience sees that from the beginning of the battle, the White Witch’s forces out number Peter (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  Much like in the book, Peter is victorious over the White Witch when Aslan, Susan, and Lucy arrive with an army of the Witch’s former prisoners (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).  The best argument to why Disney chose to concentrate on the fight would most likely be because the most action can be placed into the scene.  Little action happens in the rescue at the White Witch’s house, except for Aslan freeing the captives; this could easily be given less focus as the battle serves more of climax.

            In conclusion, the additions and alterations from book to film in the case of C. S. Lewis’ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe are done to either provide context or to create more action in the film.  Some of these scenes, such as the opening, allow for the audience to better understand the circumstances that the children have come into.  This said, some sections, like Aslan’s sacrifice at the stone table lack some detail that the book provides.  Through looking at an adaption of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one can see a unique approach to Lewis’ work that has both strong and weak points to how the book was adapted.

Works Cited

Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1995. Print.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Dir. Andrew Adamson. Perf. William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes. Buena Vista Pictures, 2006. DVD.