Novel Insights Guide To

The Magician's Nephew

by C. S. Lewis

Guide - $15.95 Guide On CD - $12.95

Jump to table of contents Jump to Chapter 1 Review Jump to Suggested Activities

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Author Biography	..................................... 1
Chapter 01	..................................... 3
Chapter 02 - 03	................................... 11
Chapter 04	................................... 18
Chapter 05 - 06	................................... 25
Chapter 07 - 08	................................... 34
Chapter 09	................................... 43
Chapter 10 - 11	................................... 51
Chapter 12 - 13	................................... 59
Chapter 14 - 15	................................... 69
Vocabulary Tests	................................... 76
Test Questions	................................... 93
Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle	.................................. 101
Selected Bibliography	.................................. 115

Chapter 01

Chapter one provides the setting for the story as well as the importance of imparting this information - it explains how Narnia began. By using the "days Mr. Sherlock Holmes was still living in Baker Street" as a time marker, the actual time placement for this story would be late nineteenth/early twentieth century. At this point in time, there lived in London a young girl named Polly Plumber and a boy named Digory. Polly is surprised one day to discover Digory living next door to her, as there have been no children living there before. However, he has come to live with his Uncle Andrew and Aunt Letty Ketterly, a bachelor and old maid who live next door to Polly. Polly discovers Digory crying in his back yard, and asks him why he is crying. He denies having been crying at first, then admits it, saying anyone who has lived in the country with a pony and a river at the bottom of their garden would cry if they had to come to live in a hole like London while their father was away in India. He goes on to explain his mother is ill and is going to die. Trying to distract him, Polly asks if his uncle is really mad. He replies that he is either mad or has some mystery going on in his top floor study where no one is allowed to enter, not even his Aunt Letty. Furthermore, every time his uncle attempts to speak to him at meals, Aunt Letty shuts him up. Digory mentions he is sure he heard a yell as he passed the attic stairs the night before, and Polly suggests perhaps Uncle Andrew keeps a mad wife shut up in the room. Digory counters with the idea that it might be a pirate like in Treasure Island. Polly exclaims his house is exciting, but Digory tells her it is scary to sleep there; he finds Uncle Andrew's eyes frightening. Because the summer becomes very wet and cold, the children begin to explore inside their houses, and discover a passageway that connects the two houses through their attics. They talk of the prospect of exploring one of the houses that has been empty for as long as anyone can remember. Neither of them uses the word "haunted," but that is the reputation of the house. Digory thinks someone is living in the house, citing noises that have been heard. Polly reports her father attributes the noises to the drains. They make careful calculations as to how far they should go to take them past Digory's house and into the unoccupied house. However, they are also in a hurry, because they want the adventure to begin. As they reach their destination, they find a small door with no handle, and open it. To their astonishment, instead of finding a deserted room, they discover an attic that is furnished as a sitting room. On a table in the middle of the room is a tray with a number of brightly colored pairs of rings on it. They notice the sound of a ticking clock, as well as a humming sound. Polly is drawn to the rings, but Digory tells her they need to leave before they are found. Before they can withdraw, Digory's Uncle Andrew appears and they realize they are not only in Digory's house, but in Uncle Andrew's forbidden study. Uncle Andrew immediately locks the door, declaring his sister will not be able to interfere with him now. Digory and Polly are filled with fear, and Digory tries to back out the door through which they entered, but Uncle Andrew is too quick, shutting and locking that door as well. Polly pleads with him to let them go, promising they will return after dinner if he will allow them to leave. He tells them he was hoping for some children for an experiment he was conducting. He has used a guinea pig, but now needs some children. Digory reminds him it is dinner time, and they will be missed. He must let them go. Andrew will not be coerced. He feigns giving in to them, telling them he will give them a present before they go, and offers Polly one of the yellow rings. She asks about the green ones, but he tells her he cannot give her one of the green ones; only one of the yellow ones. Polly observes the humming sound seems louder closer to the rings, almost as if they are making the sound. As she reaches for the ring, Digory admonishes her not to be a fool and touch them. However, it is too late. As Polly touches the ring, she disappears, leaving only Digory and Uncle Andrew in the room.

Suggested Activities - Chapter 01

Ask students to illustrate in the manner of their choosing the main characters of the story who have been introduced thus far: Polly, Digory and Uncle Andrew.
Have students read one of the Sherlock Holmes stories and come to a conclusion as to the time period in which the story is set. Ask them why they think C.S. Lewis used Sherlock Holmes as a time marker, rather than simply giving the actual date. (Hint: Lewis was writing for British schoolchildren, all of whom would have been familiar with Sherlock Holmes and the time period in which his stories were set. Many of today's American students, on the other hand, are not even familiar with Holmes. Explain that this was more creative and allowed the reader to use his deductive abilities.)
Ask students to write a short story about children exploring an area that is familiar to them in the beginning, which leads to something surprising at the end. This could be something that has happened to them in real life, or something they create from their imagination.

Review Questions - Chapter 01

The setting of a novel tells the time and place in which it occurs. What is the setting of The Magician's Nephew?
Why does the author feel it is important to tell this story?
In comparing the time in which the story is set to the time in which he is writing, how does the author contrast the two?
Describe Polly and Digory.
Why is Polly surprised the first time she meets Digory?
Where has Digory lived before? Why is he living where he is now? How does he feel about his present situation?
What seems to be the general reputation of Digory's Uncle Andrew?
What does Digory say about him?
What happens that causes the children to explore inside the house? What do they discover?
Why do they want to explore the house on the other side of Polly's ?
Although neither of them says it, what explanation do they think might explain why the house has been empty so long? How does Polly's father explain the strange noises that come from the house?
As they reach the place they calculate will take them to the empty house, what do they find?
What surprises them on the other side?
Before they can escape, who greets them? What does he do that they find disturbing?
Why does he say he has been wanting two children?
What do they try to convince him to do?
In what way does he seem to change?
What does he offer to Polly?
Read Gen. 3:1-6. How does Uncle Andrew's offer of the rings to Polly compare to the temptation of Eve by the serpent?
What does Polly find she feels about the rings? What does that say about temptation?
Which rings does he tell her she may not choose from?
What does Polly notice about the rings as she draws nearer?
Although Polly is no longer frightened by Uncle Andrew, what does Digory notice that causes him alarm?
Why does Polly not heed Digory's warning?
What does Polly have to do with the ring in order for it to work its magic?

Review Question Answers - Chapter 01

It takes place in London, England during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
This story explains how Narnia first began.
He says that the schools were nastier, but the meals were nicer, and the sweets were good and cheap.
Polly is a young girl of school age who has been living in London, apparently for her entire life. She is very curious, has an active imagination, and a longing for adventure. Digory is a boy about the same age as Polly who has lived in the country but has come to live in the city with his aunt and uncle. He also is well read, curious and desirous of adventure. He is grieving because his father is in India and is mother is ill with a terminal illness. He welcomes the imaginative adventures with Polly, which provide a distraction from the loss he is feeling.
There has never been a child living in that house; only the Ketterleys, who are a bachelor and his old maid sister.
He lived in the country before, but has come to stay with his aunt and uncle because his father is in India and his mother is dying. He is grieving the loss of his life in the country, his separation from his father, and his mother's illness and imminent death.
It is believed he is insane.
Either he is insane or there is some other mystery going on with him, since he has a room in the attic which he will not allow anyone else to enter. Digory says he is sure he has heard a yell coming from the room, and Polly suggests perhaps Uncle Andrew keeps an insane wife locked in the room, or maybe he is a pirate or an inventor.
The weather is more cold and rainy than usual for the summer, and they are forced to play inside. Polly has been playing in the attic for some time, and they discover the attics of all the houses are connected.
The house has been empty ever since Polly's family has lived there.
They think the house might be haunted. He attributes the noises to drain pipes.
They find a small door with no handle on their side - it was made for getting into the crawl space above the attic, not getting out of it.
Instead of opening into an empty house, the door opens into a furnished room.
Uncle Andrew greets them, then locks the door in order to prevent them from escaping. He also locks the small door through which they have entered, blocking any hope of escape.
He has been in the middle of an experiment which he has tried on a guinea pig, and he needs some children to further test the experiment.
They try to convince him to let them go to eat dinner, then come back to him after dinner.
He suddenly seems more friendly and softer toward them, acting as if he will actually let them go.
He offers her one of the rings on the table.
Just as Eve finds the fruit pleasant to the eye and something to be desired, Polly is drawn to the rings, finding them beautiful and attractive.
Polly finds the rings very attractive. Those things that are sinful never appear repulsive. They always draw us to them by their attractiveness.
He tells her she may only choose one of the yellow ones, not one of the green ones.
She notices a humming sound that seems to get louder as she gets nearer to the rings.
He notices an eager, almost greedy look in his eyes.
The attraction of the rings is too great.
She only has to touch it - she does not have to put it on.