Information
"The Chronicles of Narnia" is a series of seven fantasy novels for children and young adults, written by British author C.S. Lewis. The first book in the series, entitled "The Lion, the Witch and the Old Wardrobe," was published in 1950, and the last book, "The Last Battle," was published in 1956. The series is one of the best-known works of children's and young adult literature, has gained enormous popularity around the world and has lived to see film and theatrical adaptations.
The main feature of "The Chronicles of Narnia" is that each book is a separate story, but they are all set in the same fantastic world - Narnia. Most of the books are set in Narnia, a land inhabited by talking animals, mythical creatures and people. Narnia is a magical place, full of adventure, mystery and moral dilemmas.
Trivia
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Order of publication vs. Chronological order: The first book in the series, "The Lion, the Witch and the Old Wardrobe," was published in 1950, but this is not the first book in the chronological sequence of events in Narnia. The book "The Magician, the Nephew and the Lamp" presents the genesis of Narnia and is the first in chronological order.
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Aslan as an allegory: C.S. Lewis repeatedly emphasized that Aslan (the lion, the main character and symbolic king of Narnia) is not an allegory of Jesus, but rather a character that Jesus might adopt in the world of Narnia.
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Friend as inspiration: The main character, Diggory, from "The Mage, the Nephew and the Lamp," was named after Lewis' close childhood friend, whose name was Arthur Greeves.
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Literary Inspirations: Lewis drew inspiration from many sources when writing about Narnia. There are elements from mythology, medieval literature, and fairy tales.
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Writer and philosopher: Lewis was not just an author of children's books. He was also known as a Christian apologist, a professor of medieval and Renaissance literature, and the author of many works on religious and philosophical topics.
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Hidden meanings: There are many deeper meanings and themes in the Narnia books. Lewis hid his thoughts on religion, morality and human nature in them.
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Film adaptations: "The Chronicles of Narnia" have been adapted many times for cinema and television. The most famous are the films of the 21st century, which have gained great popularity around the world.
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A relationship with Tolkien: C.S. Lewis was a close friend of another famous writer - J.R.R. Tolkien, author of "The Lord of the Rings." The two were part of the literary group "Inklings" and often discussed literary and religious topics.
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Books and War: When Lewis wrote "The Chronicles of Narnia," Britain was still feeling the effects of World War II. In "The Lion, the Witch and the Old Wardrobe," children are evacuated from London due to bombing - which was directly inspired by reality.
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The land of Narnia: Although Narnia is a fictional country, Lewis created a rich history, geography and culture of this world, making it one of the most recognized and loved fictional worlds in children's literature.
