THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND
THE WARDROBE
A UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARCELLINA GALUH KRISTIYANI Student Number: 044214026
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND
THE WARDROBE
A UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARCELLINA GALUH KRISTIYANI Student Number: 044214026
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA 2008
A dedicat ion for:
My beloved mot her Yayuk and fat her Aris
My dearest sist er E lis and brot her Aji
My precious ‘popo’ R afael Nara Pramodya Aji
All inspiring friends ...
own.
you do not blame them on your mother,
the ecology or the president.
you realize that you control your own destiny.”
(Albert Ellis)
this thesis, without assistance. First of all, I thank God,Mother Mary, andSt. Marcellina, who have always been walking beside me. They give me great blessing and show me the best path I should follow.
I realize that many people have given their help in finishing this thesis. I also realize that it is impossible for me to finish it without their help. Now, I would like to express my gratitude for their guidance and support in finishing this thesis.
My special gratitude is addressed to my beloved family, especially my mother Maria Goreti Tri Siwi Hastuti, my father Robertus Aris Yuwono,my sister Elisabeth Diah Purnamasari, my brother Fransiskus Haryo Tri Aji; my great supporters. I thank them for their patience and for entrusting me to finish this thesis.
My big gratefulness is addressed to Dra. Th. Enny Anggraini, M. A., as my advisor. I thank her for his guidance, patience, suggestions and corrections in helping me to complete this thesis. I thank to my co-advisor, Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti S.S. for the nice discussion and for her carefulness in reading and checking my mistakes.
My deepest thank is also addressed to Tainy, Dita ‘Ndutz’, Lutfi ‘Gendel’, for the discussions, suggestions, tips, examples and everything. I am deeply indebted to them for their willingness to spend their time to assist me in finishing this thesis.
Nelly, Eka ‘IP 4’, Nophi, Chicka, Sheila, Dede, Ririn, Cory, Disti, Indri, Lisis, Rani, Rini, Risky, ‘612’, ‘pak’ Jati, Sony, Patrick, Feme, Ison ‘ndutz’, Edi ‘papilaya’, Astin, Nancy, Yasinta, Elis, Ocha, Pak de Pokemon, Pikachu, Mas Bayang ‘si besar’(‘03), Masando(’03), Fendy ayam(‘03), Mas Adi(‘03), Vino(‘03), Mas Fitra(’02), Mas Bondan(’02), Ferdy ‘ndutz’(’02), Mbak Iko and Mangunwerdoyo family for their prayer, and all my friends who are scattered all over the world.
I would also give my biggest appreciation to all the lecturers of English Letters Sanata Dharma University and to the secretariat staff of English Letters, Mbak Ninik. I would not have realized my dream without their assistance.
Last but not least, I would like to thank everyone who has not been mentioned here for everything they have given me. All of them have motivated me to do everything as well as I could.
Marcellina Galuh Kristiyani
APPROVAL PAGE ……….………. ii A. Background of the Study ……….……….……… 1
B. Problems Formulation ………..…….…… 3
C. Objective of the Study..………..….………... 4
D. Definition of Terms ……….………….. 4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies ..……….. 5
B. Review of Related Theories ..……… 7
1. Theories on Character and Characterization …..………... 7
2. Theories on Personality Development ……….. 10
C. Theoretical Framework ...……….. 17
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study ……….... 19
B. Approach of the Study ………... 20
C. Method of the Study ……….. 20
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS A. The Characterization of Edmund Pevensie ……… 22
1. Before Edmund Pevensie Receives Bad Treatment from the White Witch……… 22
2. After Edmund Pevensie Receives Bad Treatment from the White Witch……… 35
B. The Background of Edmund Pevensie’s Personality Development .. 45
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS……….... 57
BIBLIOGRAPHY……… 59
APPENDIX (Summary)………. 61
Marcellina Galuh Kristiyani. The Influence of Bad Treatment on Edmund’s Personality Changing Seen In C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch And the Wardrobe. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
This study discusses one of the C.S. Lewis’ works entitled The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The story tells about Edmund Pevensie who experiences personality changing from bad to good. This study deals with the changing of Edmund Pevensie’s personality after he received bad treatments from the White Witch
There are two questions in this thesis, namely: 1) How is Edmund Pevensie, the main character of the novel, characterized? 2) How does bad treatment that is received by Edmund influence his personality changing?
To solve the first problem, some literary reviews concerning with the theory of character and characterization are conducted to find out the main character’s character and characterization. To solve the second problem, theory of personality changing is used to analyze the main character’s personality changing that is influenced by the significant people. The writer also uses psychological approach because the focus of this study is analyzing the main character’s psychological aspects.
The results of the study show that Edmund Pevensie’s personality changes. The changing is caused by the bad treatment by the White Witch; Edmund’s friend who treats him cruelly after previously treats him kindly. Before Edmund gets bad treatment from the White Witch, he is spiteful and selfish. He chooses to betray his siblings for the White Witch. Edmund is also a bad-tempered person and greedy. In other words, he has unpleasant attitude. However, after he gets bad treatments from the White Witch lead him to the repentance and justice. He cares about others and becomes King the Just. It can be concluded that Edmund’s experience in getting bad treatments from the significant people influence his later personality.
Personality Changing Seen In C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch And the Wardrobe. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.
Skripsi ini membahas tentang salah satu novel karya C.S. Lewis yang berjudul The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Novel ini menceritakan tentang Edmund Pevensie yang mengalami perubahan kepribadian dari buruk menjadi baik. Skipsi ini membahas tentang perubahan kepribadian dari Edmund Pevensie setelah dia menerima perlakuan buruk dari White Witch.
Ada dua pertanyaan yang terdapat dalam skripsi ini. Pertanyaan yang pertama adalah 1) Bagaimanakah Edmund Pevensie, tokoh utama di dalam novel, dikarakterisasikan? 2) Bagaimana perlakuan buruk yang diterima oleh Edmund mempengaruhi perubahan kepribadiannya?
Untuk memecahkan masalah yang pertama, beberapa telaah referensi yang berkaitan dengan teori karakter dan karakterisasi dilakukan untuk menemukan karakterisasi tokoh tersebut. Untuk memecahkan masalah yang kedua, digunakan teori perunahan kepribadian untuk menganalisa perubahan kepribadian tokoh utama yang dipengaruhi oleh orang yang berarti. Penulis juga menggunakan pendekatan psikologi karena fokus penelitian ini adalah membahas tentang aspek psikologi dari tokoh utamanya.
Hasil – hasil dari telaah penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa kepribadian Edmund Pevensie berubah. Perubahan-perubahannya disebabkan oleh perlakuan buruk dari White Witch; teman Edmund, yang memperlakukannya gengan kejam setelah sebelumnya memperlakukannya dengan baik. Sebelum Edmund menerima perlakuan yang buruk dari White Witch, dia adalah orang yang keji dan egois. Dia memilih untuk menghianati saudara-saudaranya bemi White Witch. Edmund juga adalah orang yang lekas tersinggung dan rakus. Dengan kata lain, dia mempunyai sikap yang tidak menyenangkan. Namun setelah dia mendapat perlakuan buruk dari White Witch membuatnya penuh pertobatan dan keadilan. Dia memperdulikan orang lain dan menjadi Raja yang Adil. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa pengalaman Edmund dengan mendapatkan perlakuan yang buruk dari orang yang berarti untuknya, mempengaruhi kepribadiannya kemudian.
A. Background of the Study
According to Larry A. Hjelle and Daniel J. Ziegler, as human being, we are complex and different one from another.
Human beings come in many shapes and sizes and behave in exceedingly complex ways. Of the several billion people who presently inhabit the earth, no two are exactly alike (1981: 1)
We also have unique personality or a noticeable characteristic that makes us special as a creature.
With the word “personality”, the palpable uniqueness in all individuals is indicated (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 7).
It means that personality is the special properties that distinguish one person from another. There are no two people in the world who share the same personality.
Hurlock states that personality is the major significance in practically every life role. Junior high school students can also be seen as an example. Before they finish first grade, they know that the most popular children are those with “good” personality. They realize that, on a date, a pleasing personality is more desirable than intelligence, stylish clothes, or money. A good personality is believed to be a guarantee of happiness and success in life (Hurlock, 1976: 5).
Our personality when we were children is different from when we are old. Hurlock also explains that people are not completely satisfied with their personality and they often desire to change it. In real life, we can find that there are people who later are known to be wise and also able to act as the leader. According to Hurlock (1976: 120), there are many factors which influence personality development such as our desire to change the personality and the significant people around us. In other words that in personality development there is change in personality.
Changes in personality do not occur by themselves, there are two factors that influence it, namely internal and external factors. The internal factors come from the person himself, such as changing of age which influence the individual’s physique and personality pattern whether it is easy to change or difficult to change. The external factors come from the outside of the person himself such as other character’s attitude and treatment toward him.
The influence of other character, such as his or her attitudes and treatment toward someone, may cause good personality development. We can see how the personality development because of the treatment from other character in the novel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
bad. One of the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is the best-known book of the series. This story is about the experiences of the major characters in exploring the magic world, Narnia.
Edmund as one of the major characters experiences personality development as the result of bad treatment from other. Furthermore, that only happens to Edmund. In the beginning of the story, Edmund’s relationship with his siblings is not good. It is getting worse after he returns from Narnia. He meets the White Witch, a very evil Witch who rules Narnia. The second time he meets her, he becomes the victim of the White Witch’s cruelty that influences his later personality.
This paper is intended to study about Edmund’s psychological condition by analyzing Edmund’s personality development that is influenced by bad treatment.
B. Problem Formulation
1. How is Edmund Pevensie, the main character of the novel, characterized?
C. Objectives of the Study
The study aims to answer the research questions stated before. Therefore, the objectives of the study will be firstly to understand the characteristic of Edmund in the novel. The second objective is to examine the influence of bad treatment on the main character’s personality development as it is revealed in the novel.
D. Definition of Terms
It is important to clarify the meaning of certain words to avoid misunderstanding of the meaning of the words related to the topic of study. There are two terms to be clarified in this paper. They are:
1. Personality
According to Allport, personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic behavior and thought (Hurlock, 1976: 7).
2. Development
A. Review of Related Studies
According to Meghan O'Rourke, Lewis known as a devout Christian apologist and literary scholar. His spiritual beliefs are reflected in the seven volumes that comprise The Chronicles of Narnia.
Aslan is the most indubitably Christian element of the stories. When in the first volume he sacrifices himself in order to redeem Edmund, and in the last leads the talking animals to a beautiful afterworld, it's so easy to see Lewis ringing his Christian themes that you marvel at how you utterly missed them as a child.
Indirectly, Lewis put the Christianity value into his story (http://www.slate.com /id/2131908/nav/tap1/).
According to Alison Lurie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe not only about adventure of the four English children, to find the new world, Narnia but also there is Christian element inside.
The story can also be read as a Christian allegory in which the killing and resurrection of Aslan stands for the death and rebirth of Christ, who sacrifices himself to expiate the sins of mankind; in this case, the sulky ten-year-old Edmund, who has betrayed his brother and sisters to the White Witch out of sibling rivalry and a greedy passion for a candy called Turkish Delight.
Same as with Meghan O'Rourke, Lurie also consider that there are Christian elements in the novel about Christ’s sacrifices (http://www.nybooks. com/articles).
Christin Ditchfield in her book,The Secret of the Wardrobe, discovers the true story behind C. S. Lewis's classic book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeis the story of Aslan and his sacrifice parallels the true story of Jesus and the saving work He did for us (http://www.gnpcb.org/product/).
David Colbert in his book The Magical World of Narnia: the Symbols, Myths and Fascinating facts, says that The Chronicles of Narnia contain many Christian ideas. Not only Christian themes, but Lewis also borrows characters from Greek and Roman mythology as well as British and Irish fairy tales (Colbert, 2005: 2-7).
Duncan Rize states, from the beginning of the story Edmund’s attitude are sour and unpleasant. After, he returns from Narnia, Edmund’s behavior goes from bad to worse. However after Aslan takes Edmund in and speaks to him Edmund is redeemed. He returns to the nice person and become the King of the Just (http://www.thenarniaacademy.org/articleedmund.htm).
According to David C. Downing, at first, Edmund is only selfish and ill-tempered. But when he deliberately lies, refusing to confirm Lucy's story and admit there really is a magic world inside the wardrobe, he does great harm to his own soul. It means that Edmund is characterized as mean person (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/178/story178721.html).
development that only happened to the major character, Edmund. But, the writer finds that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe can be explored through different point of view. The writer will see the novel from psychology point a view. The study reviews will help the writer to develop Edmund’s personality development that is influenced by bad treatment.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theories on Character and Characterization
Character can be simply considered as a person who has a role in a story. Abrams also explains that the person presented in a story is called the character. He adds that the readers interpret the character as having certain characteristic in the way they play their roles that are expressed by what they saw or their dialogue and what they do or their action (1981: 20).
develop according to certain actions. Also, the character can keep still, change, or develop in the same manner as human being.
There are two kinds of characters based on their roles in a story, they usually help each other to arrange a story. Henkle (1977: 88) says that character can be separated into two kinds based on their roles in a story, namely major and secondary characters. Major characters are those who appear more often than the other characters in the story. Usually the story focuses on those characters that perform the important role in clarifying the novel, so the reader’s expectation depends on the major characters. The secondary characters are those who appear in certain setting, just necessary to become the background of the major characters. Their role is less important than the major characters.
The second is character as seen by another. Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another. The reader can understand the character through what other characters said about him. The third is speech. The author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of the persons in the novel through what the person says.
The fourth is past life. The readers can learn something about the character’s past life through the events set by the author that also has shaped the characters. This method can be done by the author through his direct comment, through the person thought, through his conversation or through the medium of another person. The author can also give the readers clues to a character through the conversation of othercharacters and the things they say about him. People talk about other people and they think that they say often give us a clue to the character of the person talked about.
person in a novel. The last, the author can describe a character’s mannerisms, habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell us something about description of his character.
2. Theories on Personality Development
The characters in a novel have personality, the characteristics that make the imaginary person alive. In the novel, the characters’ personality may change. Originally, the word “personality” comes from the Latin word “persona” which means “mask” and is associated with the ancient Greek theatre (Hurlock, 1976:108).
Hurlock (1976: 7) clarifies that personality development is “a stage in growth of a constantly changing and evoking process within and individual”. In personality development, there is a series of sequential changes in an individual. It means that in personality development there is change in personality. The changing in personality is so because people are not completely satisfied with their personality. They often desire to change it for the better or to improve it. Furthermore, there are some choices that may be taken: being steady, being better, or being worst because the society has a variety of influences to a personality.
personality to be a better person. It is common that people will never be satisfied with their belongings.
a. Characteristics of Change in Personality
There are three categories of changes in personality. First, some changes are for the better and some are for the worst. The personality for better and for worse reflects the kind of life adjustment the individual is making at the time. Successful adjustment improves the self-concept and the person exhibits greater composure, self-confidence, and self-assurance. On the other hand, failure to adjust leads the person to deterioration in self-concept and to feelings of inadequacy and inferiority (Hurlock, 1976: 120-122).
Hurlock says the next personality changes are for quantitative and some are for qualitative. In quantitative changes, characteristics already present are reinforced, strengthened or weakened. Undesirable traits usually become weaken as the person is motivated to weaken such traits and conform to socially approved patterns. The stronger of the motivation to win social approval and acceptance strengthen desirable traits.
normal, he may change into a spendthrift or he may change into an extravagant person or he may fluctuate between extreme generosity and miserliness (Hurlock, 1976: 121-122).
The changes are also classified base on the period of time. Hurlock says that the third are slow versus rapid changes. She clarifies that changes are regarded as slow if they are barely perceptible, while rapid changes are readily apparent to all. Normally, personality changes are slow and gradual. Every change in personality involves the violation of previous habit and the learning of a new habit to replace it (Hurlock, 1976: 122).
b. Variations in Personality Change
According to Hurlock, there are three categories of variations in personality changes. The first is Age of change. As one grows older, the habit of thinking of oneself in a particular way and of acting in accordance with this self-concept becomes more firmly rooted and personality changes become more difficult. This does not mean that habits cannot be broken and replaced with other habits, but that it becomes increasingly difficult and requires a longer time as people pass from childhood into adolescence and adulthood (Hurlock, 1976: 122).
highly susceptible to social pressure and the attitudes of significant people in their lives, change their self-concept and pattern of behavior more often and more radically than inner directed people – those who are governed by their own values and goals. This variation is due to the fact that the other-directed person is more anxious to see himself and to have others see him in favorable light. At all ages, the more stable the environment, the fewer pressures there will be on a person to change his personality. Adolescents who remain in the family and neighborhood in whom they grew up, for example, experience fewer pressures to change their personalities than those who go away to college (Hurlock, 1976: 122-123).
broaden, he or she becomes increasingly aware of what traits are approved and disapproved (Hurlock, 1976: 123-124).
c. Conditions Responsible for Personality Change
Hurlock states, that there are eight categories of conditions responsible for personality change. The first is physical changes. Physical changes may come from maturation, decline, illness, injuries or some condition resulting from the person’s life pattern but unrelated to the normal changes in the body structure (Hurlock, 1976: 124-125).
The second is changes in environment. Changes either in the physical or in the social environment may produce changes in the person’s self-concept and his characteristics behavior. A change in environment will not guarantee an improvement in personality although the change may have the opposite effect. Moving to a new environment will not automatically improve our personality. It depends on how well we are accepted in the new environment and whether it meets our needs (Hurlock, 1976: 125).
his pattern of behavior and his attitudes, beliefs, values and aspiration to theirs, changes in his personality pattern cannot be avoid. These changes may not be marked. Nor are they always permanent (Hurlock, 1976: 126).
The fourth is changes in social pressure. As childhood progresses, the child becomes increasingly aware that some personality traits are admired while some are disliked. Since everyone normally has a strong desire to be accepted by those who are significant to him, he tries to change any personality trait that will militate against his being accepted. Strong social pressure to conform to a socially approved personality pattern thus encourages change in certain aspects of the personality. Traits which are likely to lead to social rejection, such as shyness, bossiness, aggressiveness and greed are more subject to change that those, which are usually admired, such as affection, ambition, cooperativeness and generosity (Hurlock, 1976: 126-127).
The sixth is Strong Motivation. When the motivation to improve the personality pattern is strong enough, changes can be affected. Ordinarily people are strongly motivated to change those traits, which they believe will improve their social relationship and earn them greater social acceptance (Hurlock, 1976: 127).
The seventh is changes in self-concept. A change in the self-concept may cause the change in the entire personality pattern. This change becomes increasingly more difficult as people grow older. Changing the self-concept requires tremendous self-insight. This means that a person must be able to see himself as he actually is, not as he would like to be as others perceive him (Hurlock, 1976: 128).
C. Theoretical Framework
The Study on the influence of bad treatment on one’s personality development gives the opportunity to analyze the influence of the other character on the personality development of the major character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Therefore, theories of character and characterization and theories of psychology are used to answer the problem proposed in the problem formulation.
The theory of character and characterization is used to answer the first question in the problem formulation about the major character is described. The types of character stated by Forster and Henkle help to classify the character. The ways to make the character understandable presented by Murphy is used to find his characterization. Therefore, we can draw out what kind of personality that the character has. From the nine principles stated in chapter 2, which are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction, direct comment, thoughts, and mannerisms, only character as seen by another, speech, conversation of others, direct comment, thought, and reaction are committed to be devices in analyzing the characteristics of the main character of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
A. Object of the Study
The object of this study is a novel entitled The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. This work is the second novel of The Chronicles of Narnia. The novel is published in 2002 by HarperCollins Publishers. It consists of 206 pages.
This novel is a top best seller in many countries. It has been sold over 100 million copies in 41 languages. This novel has been adapted several times,
for radio, television, stage and cinema
(http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18672).
This novel tells us about the experience of a boy, named Edmund Pevensie who enters Narnia, a world ruled by an evil White Witch. At the first time, Edmund’s attitude is unpleasant. He betrays his siblings for the White Witch. However, the White Witch tortures him. Not only gets physically attacked, but also spiritually attacked. This White Witch’s bad treatment makes him realize that his decision to betray his siblings is wrong. In this novel, Edmund’s personality develops from bad to good.
Although The Magician’s Nephew was written several years after C.S. Lewis first began The Chronicles of Narnia, he wanted it to be read as the first book in the series.
B. Approach of the Study
In analyzing this novel, the approach will apply psychological approach in analyzing the main character’s personality development that is influenced by significant people.
Rene Wellek and Austin Warren in Theory of Literaturesays,
By ‘psychology of literature’, we may mean the psychological study of the writer, as type and as individual, or the study of the creative process, or the study of the psychological types and laws present within works of literature..(1956: 81).
The Psychological approach is the most appropriate approach because this paper will examine the psychological aspect that is experienced by the main character. The psychological approach will help to interpret the psychological aspect of the main character in the novel.
C. Method of the Study
In completing the analysis, the study used library to collect data. The data consisted of primary data and secondary data. The primary data was C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, while the secondary data were taken from many other source that were closely related to the study, such as Internet and other books,
The second step, the writer tried to find some information or references related to the theories of literature. The theories were used in order to analyze deeper on how the treatment of other to the main character influence his personality. The writer read many books and browsed the Internet for the information related to the analysis. The books that the writer used were about character and characterization and about personality development.
The third step was analyzing the novel. In this step, the writer answered the problems in the problems formulation using the references related to the study. The first problem was answered using the theories of character and characterization. Murphy’s theory on characterization helped to find out the main character’s characteristics by focusing on character as seen by another, conversation of others, author’s comments, character’s speech, character’s thought, and character’s reaction in the novel. The main character’s characteristics helped me to answer the second question from the problem formulation. Hurlock’s theory on personality development was used to answer the second problem. By applying Hurlock’s theory about the conditions responsible for personality change, the writer could understand the influence of significant people to the main character later personality.
A. The Characteristics of Edmund Pevensie
1. Before Edmund Pevensie Receives Bad Treatment From The White Witch
A character is an essential element in the work of literature. Characters are the person who are life-like, portrayed in a story and interpretable by the reader from their speeches, dialogues and actions (Abrams, 1981: 20). Further, characters are classified into major and minor characters, and flat and round characters. Henkle (1977: 88) states that major characters is created to carry out ideas or messages in a story to readers through the character’s feelings, thoughts, actions, and reactions. Minor or secondary characters are those who appear in a certain setting as the background to support the major characters.
In C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund Pevensie is the major character. He appears from the beginning until the end of the story and more often than the other characters. Edmund Pevensie can be included into round character because Edmund’s character are dynamic, complex and change constantly.
Lewis’ novel does not give detail information of Edmund’s physical appearance such as his body building. However, from the beginning of the
story, Edmund’s attitude is unpleasant. He likes to jeer his sister, Lucy, and lies for his self interest.
Edmund Pevensie is the third child of four. He has one older brother, Peter; one older sister, Susan; and one younger sister, Lucy. They sent away from London during the war because of the air-raids. They are sent to the house of an old Professor who lives in the heart of the country.
Edmund is a bad-tempered person. Sometimes, trifles can make him easy to be angry. It can be seen when the first time they meet Professor in his big house, Edmund has shown bad attitude. And it can also be seen from looking at the explanation of the author about him. When Susan gives opinion about Professor, Edmund comments on it severely. Actually he does it, just to cover his tiredness.
“I think he’s an older dear,” said Susan.
“Oh, come off it!” said Edmund, who was tired and pretending not to be tired, which always made him bad-tempered. “Don’t go on talking like that (p.2).”
We can also see that Edmund is a bad-tempered person from the way he speaks to Susan. When Susan asks him to sleep, he answers it angrily.
“Like what?” said Susan; “and anyway, it’s time you were in bed.” “Trying to talk like Mother,” said Edmund. “And who are you to say when I’m to go to bed? Go to bed yourself (p.2).”
through the long passages and big doors. Edmund insults Lucy as a silly person when Lucy suddenly asks about a strange noise that makes her afraid.
“What’s that noise?” said Lucy suddenly. It was a far large house than she had ever been in before and the thought of all those long passages and rows of doors leading into empty rooms was beginning to make her feel a little creepy.
“It’s only a bird, silly,” said Edmund (p.3).
Edmund also calls Lucy ‘batty’ when Lucy tells them that she has been leave for a long time because she was in Narnia, a world ruled by an evil witch where it is always winter and never Christmas. He thinks that it is a nonsense story.
“So you’ve been hiding, have you?” said Peter. “Poor old Lu, hiding and nobody noticed! You’ll have to hide longer than that if you want people to start looking for you.”
“But I’ve been away for hours and hours,” said Lucy. The others all stared at one another.
“Batty!” said Edmund, tapping his head. “Quite batty (p.25-26).”
When Edmund meets the White Witch for the first time, they have become friends because he does not know that she is a very evil witch. The White Witch asks him to bring his siblings to her house next time, but Edmund humiliates his siblings by saying that they are not special.
“There’s nothing special about them,” said Edmund, “and anyway, I could always bring them some other time (p.41).”
garden. Edmund grumbles because their plan is postponed. Here, Susan also asks him not to grumble.
“Of course it would be raining!” said Edmund. They had just finished their breakfast with the Professor and were upstairs in the room with two windows looking out in one direction and two in another.
“Do stop grumbling, Ed,” said Susan. “Ten to one it’ll clear up in an hour or so. And in the meantime we’re pretty well off. There’s a wireless and lots of books (p.4).”
Edmund is also known as a selfish person. It can be seen when Edmund and his siblings enter Narnia together for the first time, they decide to see Mr. Tumnus, Lucy’s friend who has saved her from the White Witch. However, they find that Mr. Tumnus’ cave is in a mess. It seems that it was destroyed by somebody. Peter, Susan and Lucy try to find out what actually happened is, but Edmund does not care about it. He says that there is no use being there.
The door had been wrenched off its hinges and broken to bits. Inside, the cave was dark and cold and had the damp feel and smell of a place that had not been lived in for several days. Snow had drifted in from the doorway and was heaped on the floor, mixed with something black, which turned out to be the charred sticks and ashes from the fire. Someone had apparently flung it about the room and the stamped it out. The crockery lay smashed on the floor and the picture of the Faun’s father had been slashed into shreds with a knife.
“This is a pretty good washout,” said Edmund; “not much good coming here (p.63).”
Witch, he tells her that Lucy has met the faun. Lucy wants to rescue Mr. Tumnus. Peter and Susan agree with Lucy, but Edmund’s reaction does not show an agreement. On the contrary, he just thinks about himself. He is a selfish person.
“Oh, but we can’t, we can’t,” said Lucy suddenly; “don’t you see? We can’t just go home, not after this. It is all on my account that the poor Faun has got into this trouble. He hid me from the Witch and showed me the way back. That’s what it means by comforting the Queen’s enemies and fraternizing with Humans. We simply must try to rescue him.”
“A lot we could do!” said Edmund, “when we haven’t even got anything to eat!”
“Shut up - you!” said Peter, who was still very angry with Edmund (p.65).
What Peter reactions above can be counted as an indication that he does not understand Edmund can be so that selfish.
Edmund has known that the world Narnia exist before the four children enter Narnia because he has already entered there. Edmund suddenly enters Narnia after he enters the wardrobe to seek Lucy when they play game hide-and-seek. It means that he has to admit that Lucy’s story about Narnia is true, but he does not want to do that. He admits to himself that he does not like to admit his fault.
He now remembered that he had been looking for Lucy; and also how unpleasant he had been to her about her ‘imaginary country’ which now turned out not to have been imaginary at all. He thought that she must be somewhere quite close and so he shouted, “Lucy! Lucy! I’m here too – Edmund.”
There is no answer.
When Edmund finally finds Lucy in Narnia, Lucy feels happy because at least one of her siblings has entered Narnia. Therefore, she can prove that his story about Narnia is true. Lucy hopes that Edmund can convince Peter and Susan that Narnia exist is not just only her lie. However, Edmund does not happy to admit in front of Peter and Susan that Lucy’s story is true. He is to coward to admit his fault. He also feels worry that Peter and Susan will be on the side of Fauns, so he cannot bring them to the White Witch.
“Yes, let’s,” said Lucy. “Oh, Edmund, I am glad you’ve got in too. The others will have to believe in Narnia now that both of us have been there. What fun it will be!”
But Edmund secretly thought that it would not be as good fun for him as for her. He would have to admit that Lucy had been right, before all the others, and he felt sure the others would all be on the side of the Fauns and the animals; but he was already more that half on the side of the Witch. He did not know what he would say or hoe he would keep his secret one they were all talking about Narnia (p.44-45).
While he was eating the Queen kept asking him questions. At first Edmund tried to remember that it is rude to speak with one’s mouth fully, but soon he forgot about this and though only of trying to shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could, and the more he ate the more he wanted to eat, and he never asked himself why the Queen should be so inquisitive. She got him to tell her that he had one brother and two sisters and that one of his sisters had already been in Narnia and had met a Faun there, and that no one expects himself and his brother and his sinters knew anything about Narnia (p.38).
Indeed, when Edmund has eaten and finished his Turkish Delight, he still wants it more and hopes the White Witch will give him some more.
At last the Turkish Delight was all finished and Edmund was looking very hard at the empty box and wishing that she would ask him whether he would like some more (p.39).
The White Witch promises him more Turkish Delight if he brings also his siblings to her house. However, Edmund is not patient to have Turkish Delight. Edmund insists her to invite him to her house at that time.
“Because, if you did come again – bringing them with you of course – I’d be able to give you some mote Turkish Delight. I can’t do it now, the magic will only work one. In my own house it would be another matter.”
“Why can’t we go to your house now?” said Edmund (p.39-40).
The White Witch also promises a throne for him and an authority to be a King some day if he brings the others to her. She will make his brother Duke and his sisters Duchesses. She also promises more Turkish Delight for him. Again, Edmund insists the White Witch to make her promises come true. He wants become a King at that time.
Turkish Delight all day long; and you are much the cleverest and handsomest young man I’ve ever met. I think I would like to make you the Prince – some day, when you bring the others to visit me.”
“Why not now?” said Edmund. His face had become very red and his mouth and fingers were sticky. He did not look either clever or handsome, whatever the Queen might say (p.40).
After the White Witch and Edmund make an agreement to fulfill their promise, the White Witch tells Edmund the way he back to his own country, the White Witch calls it ‘the World of Men’. She also tells Edmund where her house is. Edmund have to bring the others with him to her house. She asks Edmund not to tell his siblings about her and to keep it a secret between them two. She convinces him not to believe in Lucy’s story about her because maybe the Faun has told Lucy strange stories that make Lucy afraid to come to her. Before the White Witch left him alone, he asks once more to have Turkish Delight, but she refuses it.
“Please, please,” said Edmund suddenly,” please couldn’t I have just one piece of Turkish Delight to eat on the way home?”
“No, no,” said the Queen with a laugh, “you must wait till next time (p.42).”
Edmund feels uncomfortable. Although he is already feeling uncomfortable, he still wants Turkish Delight because of his greediness.
Edmund was already feeling uncomfortable from having eaten too many sweets, and when he heard that that the Lady he had made friends with was a dangerous witch he felt even more uncomfortable. But he still wanted to taste that Turkish Delight again more that he wanted anything else (p.44).
Edmund’s desire to have Turkish Delight, to be King and later to pay Peter out bring him to betray his siblings. The White Witch has promised will make his siblings Duke and Duchesses, but Edmund does not want the White Witch give a nice attention to them and put them on the same level as himself as Queen or King. He is too greedy for an authority.
He did want Turkish Delight and to be a Prince (and later a King) and to pay Peter out for calling him a beast. As for what the Witch would do with others, he didn’t want her to be particularly nice to them certainly not to put them on the same level as himself (p.96).
Lucy has told her siblings, include Edmund, about her experience to Narnia. However, they do not believe Lucy and it makes her become so sad. She can be peaceful with the others easily at any moment if she says that the whole thing was only a story made up for fun. But, Lucy is a very truthful girl and she knows that she is really in the right. Peter and Susan do this without any purpose to do it, but Edmund do this unmercifully.
The two elder ones did this without meaning to do it, but Edmund could be spiteful, and on this occasion he was spiteful. He sneered and jeered at Lucy and kept on asking her if she’d found any other new countries in other cupboards all over the house (p.28).
the only one brother who can help Lucy to convince Peter and Susan that her story about Narnia is true. Lucy expects Edmund’s help. However, when Peter and Susan ask Edmund to tell the truth, Edmund do the most spiteful thing. He wants to make Lucy disappointed by telling a lie. He lies and says that he and Lucy just pretend that the world Narnia inside the Wardrobe is true.
“What’s all this about, Ed?” said Peter.
And now we come to one of the nastiest things in this story. Up to that moment Edmund had been feeling sick, and sulky, and annoyed with Lucy for being right, but he hadn’t made up his mind what to do. When Peter suddenly asked him the question he decided all at once to do the meanest and most spiteful thing he could think of. He decided to let Lucy down.
“Tell us, Ed,” said Susan.
And Edmund gave a very superior look as of he were far older than Lucy (there was really only a year’s difference) and a little snigger and said, “Oh, yes, Lucy and I have been playing – pretending that all her story about a country in the wardrobe is true. Just for fun, of course. There’s nothing there really (p.48).”
Lucy is very sad because Edmund doesn’t tell the truth. She gives Edmund one look and runs out of the room. Edmund thinks that he has succeeded to hurt Lucy. Edmund’s attitude is deeply regretted. It makes Peter, as the older brother, upset. Peter thinks that Edmund do this just because he is spite. Edmund always likes being beastly to anyone smaller than himself.
Edmund, who was becoming a nastier person every minute, thought that he had score a great success, and went on at once to say, “There she goes again. What the matter with her? That’s the worst of young kids, they always -”
Looking at the explanation of the author and Peter, it can be concluded that Edmund is spite. He just desires to hurt Lucy.
Edmund can be said as a person who bears a grudge. He wants to pay Peter out. When the four Pevensie finally enter Narnia. Peter and Susan apologize for not believing Lucy. They have a plan to explore the wood. Edmund remember the White Witch saying that he has to bring his siblings to her house. And to reach her house, they have to find the lamp-post and look for two hills and walk through the wood till they reach her house. So, Edmund says that they have to walk a bit more to the left to go to the lamp-post. He forgets that he must pretend never to have been in the wood before. The moment the words are out of his mouth he realizes that he has given himself away. Everyone stares at him. Peter is upset and then he calls Edmund ‘of all the poisonous little beasts’. For Peter’s saying for him, he has the mean thought that he will take revenge to Peter.
“So you really were here,” he said, “that time Lu said she’d met you in here – and you made out she was telling lies.
There was a dead silence. “Well, of all the poisonous little beasts,” said Peter, and shrugged his shoulders and said no more. There seemed, indeed, no more to say, and presently the four resumed their journey; but Edmund was saying to himself, “I’ll pay you out for this, you pack of stuck-up, self-satisfied prigs (p.62).”
others notice Mr. Beaver’s house, Edmund notices something else. He looks two small hills that are ever pointed by the White Witch. He thinks that there must be two hills where the White Witch’s house is located. Besides he imagines about Turkish Delight, he also imagine about horrible ideas to pay Peter out.
And looking up that valley, Edmund could see two small hills, and he was almost sure they were the two hills which the White Witch had pointed out to him when he parted from her at the lamp-post that other day. And then between them, he thought, must be her palace, only a mile off or less. And he thought about Turkish Delight and about being a King (“And I wonder hoe Peter will like that?” he asked himself) and horrible ideas came into his head (p.77).
In Mr. Beaver’s house, Mrs. Beaver serves foods to them. After they finish their dinner, Lucy tells to Mr. Beaver that Mr. Tumnus is arrested by the White Witch. Lucy asks Mr. Beaver to do something so they can rescue Mr. Tumnus. Peter also suggests about the stratagem arrangement to save Mr. Tumnus. But, Mr. Beaver says that it is no good for them. Then he tells that Aslan is on the move to overthrow the White Witch and save Narnia. Aslan is the Great Lion, Lord of the whole wood. Mr. Beaver also tells about the White Witch. She always look out for any humans in Narnia, and kill them because when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve sit in four thrones in Cair Paravel, then it will be the end not only of the White Witch’s reign but also of her life.
White Witch. Edmund decides to betray them for the White Witch. Then he goes to her house through the forest alone. He is very cold because the snow falls all round him. He skidded on frozen puddles, tripped over fallen tree-trunks, slipped down the banks. The silence and the loneliness are dreadful. He more and more hates Peter because he thinks that all his suffering during his journey to the White Witch’s house is Peter’s fault.
And every time this happened he thought more and more how he hated Peter – just as if all this had been Peter’s fault (p.99).
Edmund sometimes thinks about his siblings negatively. When he decides to betray his siblings and goes to the White Witch, he still has a mean thought about them. He thinks that when they are in Mr. Beaver’s house, his siblings do not pay attention to him. However, it is not true. It is just his imagination.
And he had heard the conversation, and hadn’t enjoyed it much either, because he kept on thinking that the others were taking no notice of him and trying to give him the cold shoulder. They weren’t, but he imagined it (p.95).
Finally, Peter, Susan, Lucy, Mr. Beaver and Mrs. Beaver realize that Edmund has slipped away from them, they try to find him. However, Mr. Beaver says that there is no use looking Edmund because he thinks that Edmund goes to the White Witch to betray them all.
Through the sentence above, it suggest that Edmund is a treachery. Not only Mr. Beaver who calls Edmund as a treachery, but also the White Witch herself, some one who becomes the cause of his treason.
After Edmund is rescue from the White Witch, she comes to Aslan and says that she wants Edmund because there is written about the Deep Magic that every traitor belongs to her. However, Aslan and The White Witch make a promise so that she renounces the claim on Edmund’s blood.
“You have a traitor there, Aslan,” said the Witch. Of course everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he’d been through and after the talk he’d had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn’t seem to matter what the Witch said.
“Tell you?” said the Witch. “You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill (p.155).”
2. After Edmund Pevensie Receives Bad Treatment From The White Witch
The second time Edmund meets the White Witch, he gets very different treatments from her. It does not like in the first time he meets her, the White Witch treats him cruelly. Because of that, he begins to have a change heart after witnessing how the White Witch cruelly treats both him and other Narnians.
They go away into the darkness and the cold. Edmund does not wear a coat because he left his coat behind in the Mr. Beaver’s house. He does not get Turkish Delight which has promised by the White Witch, even less a coat from her. He is covered with snow. And he soon stops trying to shake it off because, as quickly as he does that, a new lot covering him, and he is so tired. Soon he is wet to the skin.
And oh, how miserable he was! It didn’t look now as if the Witch intended to make him a King. All the things he had said to make himself believe that she was good and kind and that her side was really the right side sounded to him silly now. He would have given anything to meet the others at this moment - even Peter (p.124).
Above, it can be counted as indication of Edmund’s deepest feeling. He realizes his mistakes about betraying his siblings to the White Witch. The White Witch is a wrong choice. The White Witch is not a kind Queen. He also realizes that she will never fulfill her promises to give him Turkish Delight, even a throne to be a King. And he begins to have feeling for his siblings. He misses them and he wants to hand over anything in order to meet them. He believes that his siblings are everything for him.
is very upset finding her people celebrate Christmas. When she wants to turn them into stone, Edmund begs her not to do that. But it is too late.
“What is the meaning of this?” asked The Witch Queen. Nobody answered.
“Speak, vermin! She said again. “Or do you want my dwarf to find you a tongue with his whip? What is the meaning of all this gluttony, this waste, this self-indulgence? Where did you get all these things?”
“Please, your Majesty,” said the Fox, “we were given them. And if I might make so bold as to drink to you Majesty’s very good health – “ “Who gave them to you?” said the Witch.
“F-F-F-Father Christmas,” stammered the Fox.
“What?” roared the Witch, springing from the sledge and taking a few strides nearer to the terrified animals.
“He has not been here! He cannot have been there! How dare you – but no. Say you have been lying and you shall even now be forgiven.” At the moment one of the young squirrels lost its head completely. “He has – he has – he has!” It squeaked, beating its little spoon on the table. Edmund saw the Witch bite her lips so that a drop of blood appeared on her white cheek. Then she raised he wand.
“Oh, don’t, don’t, please don’t,” shouted Edmund, but even while he was shouting she had waved her wand and instantly where the merry party had been there were only statues of creatures (one with its fork fixed forever halfway to its stone mouth) seated round a stone table on which there were stone plates and a stone plum pudding (p.126-127). From Edmund’s reaction above that Edmund begins to care about others. Previously, Edmund does not care about others. It can be seen when Mr. Tumnus is arrested, he does not have a pity. He just thinks about himself. But now, he cares others. He asks the White Witch to forgive them because he does not have the heart to see the innocent creatures turned into statues. And after he witnesses the White Witch changes the Narnians into statues of creatures, for the first time he feels sorry for others.
“As for you,” said the Witch, giving Edmund a stunning blow on the face as she remounted the sledge, “let that teach you to ask favor for spies and traitors. Drive on!” And Edmund for the first time in this story felt sorry for someone beside himself. It seemed so pitiful to think of those little stone figures sitting there all the silent days and all the dark nights, year after year, till the moss grew on them and at last even their faces crumbled away (p.127-128).
Looking at the explanation of the author, it also strengthen that Edmund has a pity for others. He cannot imagine how tragic the living creatures turned become a dead creature. Now, he has heart full of mercy.
The White Witch fails to kill Edmund’s siblings. She cannot chase them. So, Edmund’s siblings with Mr. Beaver and his wife succeed to reach Stone Table to meet Aslan. Because of that she has a plan to kill Edmund. It can cause to fail the Four thrones in Cair Paravel to be fulfilled. If only three are filled, that will not fulfill the prophecy. Because, if the Four thrones in Cair Paravel is fulfilled, the White Witch will die.
However, before Edmund killed, Aslan’s army rescues him. They attack the White Witch and her army, but she is escape. Aslan’s army bring Edmund to go back to Stone Table, where Aslan and the others camp.
The next morning Aslan and Edmund walk together in a conversation which Edmund never forget. Aslant brings Edmund to meet Peter, Susan and Lucy.
“Here is your brother,” he said, “and – there is no need to talk to him about what is past.
natural – and of course no one could think of anything in the world to say (p.153).
Above shows that Edmund repents his mistakes. He asks his siblings for forgiveness. He is also sorry because he has hurt and made them disappointed because he is too greedy and selfish. He almost brings them into danger.
Here, Edmund has the spirit of a hero. He admits his mistakes and begs for forgiveness bravely in front of his siblings. He wants to make his relationships with his siblings better. And he has done it. It is supported by his siblings. They are too happy accepting him that they are speechless.
Not for long, one of Aslan’s soldiers comes to him and tells that there is a messenger from the White Witch. The White Witch wants to have a negotiation with Aslan. Aslan agrees, but she has to leave her wand in a certain place. The White Witch wants Edmund to be handed over to her because there is a written Deep Magic that every traitor belongs to her.
“Tell you? said the Witch, her voice growing suddenly shriller. “Tell you what is written on that very Table of Stone which stands beside us? Tell you what is written in letters deep as a spear is long on the fire-stones on the Secret Hill? Tell you what is engraved on the scepter of the Emperor beyond-the-Sea? You at least know the Magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that every treachery I have a right to a kill.
Here, although the situation enables Edmund to be handed over to the White Witch, but he react it in calmness. It also can be seen that he does not only think about himself. It is proven by his belief in Aslan. He trusts Aslan that Aslan will decide the best decision in the interest of all, whether he will be handed over to the White Witch or not. Here, Edmund tries to have positive thinking and believes someone.
Edmund’s patience is being tested again when the White Witch tells them more about the Deep Magic that if Edmund is not handed over to her, Narnia will be overturned in fire and water. And Aslan knows it.
“It is very true,” said Aslan, “I do not deny it.”
“Oh Aslan!” whispered Susan in the Lion’s ear, “can’t we – I mean, you won’t, will you? Can’t we do something about the Deep Magic? Isn’t there something you can work against it?”
“Work against the Emperor’s Magic?” said Aslan, turning to her with something like a frown on his face. And nobody ever made that suggestion to him again.
Edmund was on the other side of Aslan, looking all the time at Aslan’s face. He felt a choking feeling and wondered if he ought to say something; but a moment later he felt that he was not expected to do anything except to wait, and do what he was told (p.156).
Aslan. He has a thought of submission and complete trust. He tries to have frigid spirit.
Then, Aslan wants to talk to the White Witch alone. They have a serious talk. Everyone waits and wonders. And still the talk between Aslan and the White Witch goes on. At last, Aslan says that he has settled the matter. The White Witch has renounced the claim on Edmund’s blood. Everyone is happy. But they do not know what Aslan and the White Witch have talked about.
Aslan asks the four Pevensie and also his armies to move from the Stone Table to the Fords of Beruna because it will be wanted for other purpose. During the journey, Aslan explains to Peter his plan of campaign in order to make preparations to against the White Witch’s attack at any time. Aslan does not talk very much and seems to them to be sad. Aslan’s mood affected everyone. Peter feels uncomfortable too at the idea of fighting the battle on his own, because the news that Aslan may not be there has come as a great shock to him. This feeling affect Susan and Lucy so much that they cannot sleep when they go to bed. They feel that either some dreadful thing is going to happen to Aslan. Then they decide to look for Aslan.
left, Susan and Lucy come to Aslan who is died. They are with him until morning.
However, when they want to back to their camp, they see Aslan is alive. It means that thought the White Witch knows the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she does not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she wants looks a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before time dawned, she will have read there a different incantation. She will have known that when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself will start working backward (p.178-179).
Aslan, Susan and Lucy go to the White Witch’s castle. Aslan makes all the statues alive. Meanwhile, Peter faces a great battle with the White Witch in Ford of Beruna. Edmund helps Peter to against the White Witch and her armies in the Battle of Beruna.
There stood Peter and Edmund and all the rest of Aslan’s army fighting desperately against the crowd of horrible creatures whom she had seen last night; only now, in the daylight, they looked even stranger and more evil and more deformed. There also seemed to be far more of them. Peter’s army – which had their backs to her – looked terribly few (p.193).
The White Witch’s bad treatment makes him has a certain thought about her. He does not see her as a good and kind Queen anymore.
Not for long, Aslan, Susan, Lucy and the other Narnians come and help Peter. They win the battle. Edmund becomes a hero on the battle. He defeats the White Witch courageous. He succeeds in breaking the White Witch’s wand; her power. So with the result that Peter can attack her without afraid she can turn him into a stone. For Edmund’s effort, he receives esteem from Peter.
“It was all Edmund’s doing, Aslan,” Peter was saying. “We’d have been beaten if it hadn’t been for him. The Witch was turning our troops into stone right and left. But nothing would stop him. He fought his way through three ogres to where she was just turning one of your leopards into a statue. And when he reached her he had sense to bring his sword smashing down on her wand instead of trying to go for her directly and simply getting made a statue himself for his pains. That was the mistake all the rest were making. Once her wand was broken we began to have some chance – if we hadn’t lost so many already. He was terribly wounded. We must go and see him (p.196).”
In his battle with the White Witch, Edmund terribly wounded. He is willing to sacrifice his life. It shows that there is a sincerity to love others, to help Peter and to help Narnians without asking any repayment. Then Lucy helps Edmund to heal his wound by giving a few drops into his mouth of the precious cordial that has been given her for a Christmas present. And it makes him recover.
“I’m sorry Aslan,” said Lucy, getting up and going with him. And for the next half-hour they were busy – she attending to the wounded while he restored those who had been turned into stone. When at last she was free to come back to Edmund she founded him standing on his feet and not only healed of his wounds but looking better than she had seen him look – oh, for ages; in fact ever since his first term at that horrid school which was where he had begun to go wrong. He had become his real old self again and could look you in the face. And there on the field of battle Aslan made him a knight (p.197).
However, for his heroism, Edmund gets esteem from everyone, even Aslan. Aslan makes him a knight. Aslan also crowns him a throne to be a King in Narnia. Together with his siblings, he governs Narnia well and happy is his reign. In this second book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, it is not told period when Narnia is under his administration in detail because it is told in the third book, The Horse and His Boy. However in the second book, it is just told in a broad line.
And now, as you see, this story is nearly (but not quite) at an end. These two Kings and two Queen governed Narnia well, and long and happy was their reign. At first much of their time was spent in seeking out the remnants of the White Witch’s army and destroying them, and indeed for long time there would be news of evil things lurking in the wilder parts of the forest – a haunting here and killing there, a glimpse of a werewolf one month and a rumor of a hag the next. But in the end all that foul broad was stamped out. And they made good laws and kept the peace and saved good tress from being unnecessarily cut down,…(p.200-201).
state and receive visits of state from them. And Edmund with his three siblings grow and change as the years pass over them.
And Peter became a tall and deep-chested man and a great warrior, and he was called King Peter the Magnificent. And Susan grew into tall and gracious woman with black hair that fell almost to her feet and the kings of the countries beyond the sea began to send ambassadors asking for her hand in marriage. And she was called Susan the Gentle. Edmund was a graver and quieter man than Peter, and great in council and judgment. He was called King Edmund the Just. But as for Lucy, she was always gay and golden-haired, and all princes in those parts desire to be their Queen, and her own people called her Queen Lucy the Valliant (p.201).
Edmund becomes a serious and quieter man. He is great in council and judgment. He is called King Edmund the Just. Edmund has proved to the others that he has changed to be a better person.
pale, but white like snow, except for her very red lips. She is on a sledge with a dwarf as the driver. Edmund sees her as a beautiful woman in other respects but proud and cold and stern.
“Ha!” said the Queen, speaking more to herself than to him.
“A door. A door from the world of men! I have heard of such things. This my wreck all. But he is only one, and he is easily dealt with.” As she spoke these words she rose from her seat and looked Edmund full in the face, her eyes flaming; at the same moment she raised her wand. Edmund felt sure that she was going to do something dreadful but he seemed unable to move. Then, just as he gave himself up for lost, she appeared to change her mind (p.36).
Actually after the White Witch knows that Edmund is a human, she almost loses her patience and wants to kill him. However, she changes her mind. She says in a different voice. She says to Edmund softly. She asks Edmund to come and sit with her on the sledge and she puts a mantle round him. At first, Edmund’s instinct warns him that the White Witch is not a kind person. However, he ignores his instinct. The White Witch begins to treat him well. She offers a hot drink to him.
“Perhaps something hot to drink?” said the Queen, “should you like that?”
“Yes please, your Majesty,” said Edmund, whose teeth were chattering (p.37).
sip the hot drink. It warms him right down to his toes. Edmund admires the White Witch from what she has done for him.
The White Witch not only offers Edmund a hot drink, but also a food to comfort him. Because of Edmund’s fondness of Turkish Delight, he asks Turkish Delight to the White Witch.
“It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,” said the Queen presently. “What would you like best to eat?”
“Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty,” said Edmund (p.38).
The Queen lets another drop fall from her bottle onto the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which there are several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece is sweet and light to the very center and Edmund has never tasted anything more delicious. He is quite warm and very comfortable. Turkish Delight makes him telling the White Witch that he has one brother and two sisters.
The White Witch treats Edmund well is not because she really wants to make friends with him. However, she keeps him alive as long as he is the only one she has got, because she wants to use him as a decoy later; as bait to catch the rest of his brother and sisters. Edmund does not realize it, because he has been blinded by the magical food, Turkish Delight. Once he has eaten Turkish Delight, he is addicted.
“Son of Adam, I should so much like to see your brother and your two sisters. Will you bring them to see me?”
“It is a lovely place, my house,” said the Queen. “I am sure you would like it. There are whole rooms full of Turkish Delight, and what’s more, I have no children of my own. I want a nice boy whom I could bring up as a Prince and who would be King of Narnia when I am gone. While he was Prince he would wear a gold crown and eat Turkish Delight all day long; and you are much the cleverest and handsomest young man I’ve ever met. I think I would like to make you the Prince – some day, when you bring the others to visit me (p.39-40).”
The White Witch’s good treatment to Edmund, her magical food Turkish Delight, and her promise of becoming a King makes him believe and consider her as a kind Queen. In his greediness, he agrees to bring his siblings to her.
When Edmund finally meets Lucy in Narnia at the first time, actually he is already feeling uncomfortable from having eaten too many Turkish Delight and when Lucy tells him that the Lady he has made friends with is a perfectly terrible and dangerous person. However, he ignores it because he still wants to taste Turkish Delight and to be King. The White Witch’s kindness can no longer see evil for what it truly is.
Edmund tries to trick his siblings by suggesting not helping Lucy’s friend, Mr. Tumnus because he already knows that Mr.Tumnus is the White Witch’s enemy. He is afraid because if they rescue Mr.Tumnus and Lucy tells to Peter and Susan about the White Witch’s cruelty, he will fail to bring them to the White Witch.
At the moment they meet Mr.Beaver, Edmund’s feeling is not good. Moreover, when Mr.Beaver brings them to his house and tells everything about Aslan, the Lord of the whole wood. Aslan has back in Narnia. He will settle the White Witch and save Narnia. For the mention of Aslan gives him a mysterious and horrible feeling just as it gives the others a mysterious and lovely feeling.
