The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Homeschool Literature Study Guide

Students should note that the older children treat Lucy's account as impossible or as a made-up game, and that Edmund is particularly unkind in his dismissal. A strong answer will observe that Peter and Susan are skeptical but not cruel, while Edmund mocks Lucy outright. This contrast hints at differences in character that will matter later. The follow-up can then shift attention to craft: how Lewis uses the siblings' disbelief to build suspense for the reader, who has already 'seen' Narnia through Lucy's eyes.

Students should recognize that because the reader has shared Lucy's experience, we know she is telling the truth even when her siblings do not. This creates dramatic irony—the reader holds information the other characters lack—and makes the disbelief feel unfair rather than reasonable. Look for students to describe the emotional effect (frustration, sympathy for Lucy) and connect it to Lewis's choice of perspective.

Students should move past the surface answer of 'he wants sweets' to recognize that Edmund craves importance and respect, especially in relation to his older brother Peter. A strong answer will note that the Witch promises Edmund a throne and authority over his siblings, which appeals directly to his resentment. The enchanted Turkish Delight keeps him wanting more, but it is the promise of status that keeps him loyal to the Witch even after the food is gone. Look for students to connect Edmund's emotional need to a believable human feeling rather than labeling him simply as greedy or evil.

Possible images include frozen statues of creatures in the Witch's courtyard, bare and icy landscapes, or the general absence of warmth and festivity. Students should move from describing the image to interpreting it: the frozen world reflects the Witch's desire to stop time, prevent joy, and keep everything under her control. Credit any well-supported image; the goal is practicing the skill of reading setting as a carrier of meaning.

Students should note that the mere mention of Aslan's name produces strong feelings in each child—feelings they cannot fully explain. Lewis signals that these reactions reveal something about each child's inner character rather than being random. A strong answer will try to distinguish the siblings' responses: some feel a kind of hopeful excitement, while Edmund feels something more like dread or shame, which foreshadows his already-begun betrayal. Students do not need to perfectly decode every reaction, but they should recognize that Lewis uses the characters' responses to Aslan's name as a form of character revelation.

Edmund has already lied about Narnia, accepted the Witch's enchanted food and promises, and grown resentful of Peter. His departure turns the siblings' disagreement into an immediate betrayal and puts both Edmund and the others in danger. Strong answers trace this choice to earlier evidence rather than describing the four children as a united team.

Students should observe that Aslan neither dismisses the law the Witch invokes nor abandons Edmund to it. His choice to negotiate, and ultimately to offer himself, shows that he takes the rules of Narnia seriously even when they are painful to him. A strong answer will recognize that this makes Aslan's sacrifice meaningful rather than arbitrary: he works within a framework of justice rather than simply using raw power to erase the problem. Students may also note that this reveals Aslan's care for Edmund as an individual, not just as a piece in a larger conflict.

Students should look for moments where Edmund's behavior or attitude shifts—his quietness, any signs of shame or remorse, or the way other characters treat him after his rescue. Lewis handles Edmund's transformation with restraint: Aslan speaks privately with him, and Lewis tells us the conversation is between them alone. Students should recognize this as a deliberate craft choice that respects Edmund's dignity. Credit answers that identify specific character signals rather than simply asserting 'he felt bad.'

Students should track the contrast between the darkness, cold, and silence of the night vigil and the moment when dawn, warmth, and a loud crack signal the table's breaking. Lewis uses sensory details—what the characters hear, see, and feel—rather than simply stating that hope has returned. A strong answer will identify at least two specific contrasts (e.g., darkness giving way to light, grief giving way to shock and then joy) and connect them to the story's emotional arc. This question practices the skill of reading craft elements as meaning-carriers.

Students should note that the two girls are portrayed as going through the experience together, keeping watch through the night, and being present for the moment of return. Lewis suggests that witnessing something profound—even something terrible—creates a kind of intimacy. A strong answer will focus on specific actions or reactions Lewis attributes to Susan and Lucy rather than speaking in vague terms about 'friendship.' Look for students to distinguish between what the text shows and what they are inferring.

Students should grapple with the strangeness of the ending: the children are both unchanged (still children in our world) and deeply changed (they have lived full lives in Narnia). A strong answer will note that Lewis seems to suggest Narnia operates by different rules of time and experience, and that what happens there is real even if it leaves no outward mark on the children back home. Students may feel this is wonderful, sad, or both—all of these responses are valid if supported with reasoning. This question is intentionally open-ended to allow for genuine interpretive range.

This review question asks students to synthesize the whole book. Any well-chosen symbol should work: the wardrobe as a threshold between worlds, the lamp-post as a landmark connecting Narnia to the ordinary world, the Stone Table as a site of law and then of its overturning, the shift from winter to spring as a sign of the Witch's power fading. Assess whether the student tracks the symbol across more than one moment in the book and whether they articulate what it means beyond its literal description. This prepares students directly for the final project paragraph.