The adaptation of Christian motifs in C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity in The Chronicles of Narnia series

Abstract

The present thesis examines how the theological viewpoints of C. S. Lewis expressed in his apologetical book Mere Christianity manifest themselves in his fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. The aim of the thesis is to draw parallels between these works and analyse how Lewis’ theological beliefs may have shaped the world of Narnia. The thesis consists of four parts – an introduction, the literature review, the empirical part and a conclusion. The introduction briefly discusses theological themes in both children’s literature and The Chronicles of Narnia and presents the topics analysed in the thesis. The introduction also includes the aim of the thesis. The literature review provides an overview of prior research done on The Chronicles of Narnia and Christian themes, namely morality, biblical narratives, and the character of Aslan as a Christ-figure. Lewis’ apologetical book Mere Christianity is also discussed. The empirical part analyses The Chronicles of Narnia books from the viewpoint of Lewis’ theological standpoints in Mere Christianity. The conclusion provides a summary of the discoveries made