The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Chapter-by-chapter summary

Spoiler warning: this section covers the whole plot, including the ending.

Chapter 1: Lucy Looks into a Wardrobe

The four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are sent from London to an old Professor's country house to escape wartime air raids. On a rainy day Lucy hides in a large wardrobe and steps out into a snowy wood with a lamp-post, where she meets a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels. Why it matters: the story starts in an ordinary house, so the magic feels like something anyone could stumble into.

Chapter 2: What Lucy Found There

The faun, Mr Tumnus, takes Lucy home for tea and explains that Narnia is ruled by the White Witch, who has made it always winter and never Christmas. He then confesses he was ordered to hand over any human he found, and he cannot do it. He guides Lucy back to the lamp-post. Why it matters: a kind creature chooses conscience over fear, and the Witch's power becomes real.

Chapter 3: Edmund and the Wardrobe

Lucy rushes back to tell the others, but no time has passed at home, and the wardrobe looks ordinary. Nobody believes her. Later, during hide-and-seek, Lucy goes in again and Edmund follows. In the snowy wood he meets a tall woman on a sledge who calls herself the Queen of Narnia. Why it matters: Edmund's mean streak is about to be used against him.

Chapter 4: Turkish Delight

The Queen gives Edmund a hot drink and enchanted Turkish Delight, a sweet that makes him want more and more. She learns that he has a brother and two sisters, and promises to make him a prince if he brings them to her house. Lucy appears, and the two return through the wardrobe. Why it matters: the Witch has found his weak spot, greed and wounded pride.

Chapter 5: Back on This Side of the Door

Edmund lies and says Lucy was only pretending, which makes her cry. Worried, Peter and Susan consult the Professor, who asks how they know she is wrong when she is usually truthful, and tells them to use logic. Soon, hiding from the housekeeper Mrs Macready, all four slip into the wardrobe. Why it matters: Edmund's lie is his first step toward betrayal, and the Professor shows that unlikely is not impossible.

Chapter 6: Into the Forest

All four children reach Narnia, and Peter and Susan finally believe Lucy. At Mr Tumnus's cave they find the place wrecked and a notice saying he has been arrested for treason against the Queen. A robin leads them on, and a beaver beckons from behind a tree. Why it matters: the story turns from wonder to danger, while Edmund grows quietly uneasy.

Chapter 7: A Day with the Beavers

Mr Beaver leads the children to his dam, where Mrs Beaver serves fish and marmalade roll. He whispers that the great lion Aslan is said to have returned, and that an old rhyme says two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will end the Witch's reign. At Aslan's name, each child feels something different. Edmund feels dread. Why it matters: Aslan enters as hope, but he means something different to each of them.

Chapter 8: What Happened After Dinner

After dinner the Beavers explain that Aslan, the true king, is gathering his friends at the Stone Table. Asked whether he is safe, Mr Beaver says he is not safe, but he is good. The children worry about Mr Tumnus, who is probably in the Witch's house. Then they notice Edmund has slipped out. Why it matters: Aslan is both awe-inspiring and kind, and Edmund has made his choice.

Chapter 9: In the Witch's House

Edmund trudges through the snow to the Witch's castle, expecting a reward. In the courtyard he sees creatures she has turned to stone. She is furious that he came alone, gives him only bread and water, and sets out in her sledge with him to catch the others. Why it matters: Edmund starts to see that the friendly Queen was a lie.

Chapter 10: The Spell Begins to Break

While the Witch pursues, the other children and the Beavers hurry across the frozen land toward Aslan. Bells ring, and Father Christmas appears, a sign that the Witch's winter is weakening. He gives Peter a sword and shield, Susan a bow, arrows and a horn, and Lucy a dagger and a small bottle of healing cordial. Why it matters: Christmas has come back to Narnia, and the children are given tools for what lies ahead.

Chapter 11: Aslan Is Nearer

The snow melts and spring begins. The Witch's sledge sticks in the slush. The children and the Beavers press on and reach Aslan's camp, where they see him for the first time: a huge golden lion they find both frightening and impossible to look away from. Why it matters: the Witch's winter is ending and hope has a face.

Chapter 12: Peter's First Battle

Aslan welcomes the children and tells Peter that he will have a part in the battle. Soon the Witch's wolf captain, Maugrim, attacks Susan; Peter draws his sword and kills him. Aslan names him Sir Peter Wolf's-Bane. Aslan also sends his creatures to rescue Edmund. Why it matters: Peter takes his first step from older brother to leader, and Edmund's rescue begins.

Chapter 13: Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time

Edmund is brought back and talks with Aslan alone. What was said stays private, but he returns sorry and apologises to the others. The Witch arrives and claims Edmund's life under the Deep Magic, the ancient law that every traitor belongs to her. Aslan speaks with her alone, then announces she has given up her claim. Why it matters: a bargain has been made, and its price is still hidden.

Chapter 14: The Triumph of the Witch

That night Aslan walks sadly to the Stone Table. Susan and Lucy, unable to sleep, follow him, and he lets them come until the last stretch of the way. Surrounded by the Witch's followers, he allows them to bind him, shave his mane and kill him with a knife. The girls watch and weep. Why it matters: it is the darkest moment, and Aslan gives his own life in place of Edmund's.

Chapter 15: Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time

As day breaks, field mice gnaw through the ropes that bound Aslan. A loud crack splits the Stone Table, and Aslan stands alive. He explains that the Witch knew the Deep Magic but not the Deeper Magic from before time: when a willing victim who has done no treachery dies in a traitor's place, death itself begins to work backward. Why it matters: sacrifice turns out to be stronger than the law of punishment.

Chapter 16: What Happened About the Statues

Aslan carries the girls on his back to the Witch's castle, where he breathes on the stone statues in the courtyard and brings them back to life. A giant among them breaks open the gate, and the freed creatures race to join the battle with Peter's army. Why it matters: the statues show how many lives the Witch destroyed, and their release is the true start of spring.

Chapter 17: The Hunting of the White Stag

With Aslan's arrival the battle turns, the Witch is defeated and her army scatters. Lucy's cordial heals the wounded, Edmund among them. At Cair Paravel the four children are crowned kings and queens and rule for many years. One day, chasing a white stag, they find the lamp-post and tumble out of the wardrobe as children, with no time passed. Why it matters: what they became in Narnia stays with them.

Characters

Lucy Pevensie

The youngest of the four siblings and the first to enter Narnia. She is honest, kind and brave, and keeps telling the truth even when nobody believes her. She cares deeply about Mr Tumnus and later receives a healing cordial from Father Christmas.

Edmund Pevensie

The second-youngest sibling. He starts out jealous and sulky, teases Lucy, and is easily tempted by the Witch's sweets and promises. His betrayal puts everyone in danger, but he is also the character who changes the most.

Peter Pevensie

The eldest child. He tries to look after the younger ones and is given a sword and shield by Father Christmas. In Narnia he must grow from a responsible older brother into a leader and a fighter.

Susan Pevensie

The second-eldest, practical and cautious. She worries about getting everyone home safely, and is given a bow, arrows and a horn. Her good sense steadies the group, though she is slow to believe in magic.

Aslan

The great lion and true king of Narnia, said to have returned from over the sea. Other characters speak of him with awe, as powerful and good. His choice at the Stone Table is the centre of the story.

The White Witch

She calls herself the Queen of Narnia and has kept the land in winter for a hundred years, turning enemies to stone. She tempts children and insists on the old law. Her name, Jadis, appears on the notice about Mr Tumnus's arrest.

Mr Tumnus

A gentle faun who meets Lucy at the lamp-post. He was told to catch humans for the Witch but is too kind to do it. He is arrested for it, and his fate pushes the children to act.

Mr and Mrs Beaver

A warm, practical couple who shelter the children at their dam and guide them toward Aslan. Mr Beaver knows the old rhyme and distrusts the Witch, while Mrs Beaver keeps everyone fed.

The Professor

The old scholar who owns the country house. He asks the children to think logically about Lucy's story instead of dismissing it. He is a small figure, but the first adult who takes her seriously.

Writing about this book

A good report picks one idea and follows it through the story. Do not retell all seventeen chapters; use a few scenes as evidence.

Ideas to explore

• How does the Witch tempt Edmund, and which moment shows he regrets it?
• Why does the Professor take Lucy seriously when her siblings do not?
• What does Aslan's choice at the Stone Table say about justice and forgiveness?
• How do the four children change between the first chapter and the last?
• Why might Lewis set the story during a war?

Before you write, ask yourself which character you understand best, and why. Then link one scene to your own life with a specific, honest example. Use your own words and your own examples; a report that only repeats this guide will not show what you think.