The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — Chapter 2

About This Passage

Chapter 2 pivots from fantasy pastoral to moral crisis in a single scene — Lewis accomplishes this through physical detail and dialogue rather than exposition, demonstrating how prose rhythm and concrete imagery can carry the weight of ethical argument.

Narration Prompt

Give a concise summary, then identify the single most important sentence or moment and explain why it matters to the book as a whole.

Discussion Questions

1. Mr. Tumnus's confession scene is often cited as one of the most morally complex moments in children's literature. But what precisely makes it complex? Strip away the fairy-tale trappings — a faun, a witch, a magical land — and identify the underlying moral structure. What human situation does Lewis dramatize here, and why does he need fantasy to dramatize it?
2. Lewis gives Mr. Tumnus two instruments of enchantment: stories and music. Both are forms of art, and both are used to manipulate Lucy. If art can serve equally as a vehicle for truth — Tumnus's genuine memories of old Narnia — and as a weapon of control — the flute that lulls Lucy toward sleep — what is Lewis saying about the moral status of beauty? Is beauty inherently good, or is it morally neutral, taking its character from the hands that wield it?

+ 3 more questions in the complete study guide