The Magician's Nephew is a high

fantasy novel for children by C. S.

Lewis, published by Bodley Head in
1955. It is the sixth published of seven
novels in The Chronicles of Narnia
(19501956); it is volume one of the
series in recent editions, which sequence
the books according to Narnia history.
Like the others, it was illustrated by
Pauline Baynes whose work has been
retained in many later editions. The
Bodley Head was a new publisher for
The Chronicles, a change from Geoffrey
Bles.[1][3]

The Magician's Nephew is a prequel to

the series. The middle third of the novel
features creation of the Narnia world by
Aslan the lion, centred on a section of a
lamp-post brought by accidental
observers from London in 1900. The
visitors then participate in the beginning of Narnia history, 1000 years before
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe[a] (which inaugurated the series in 1950).

The frame story is set in England and features two children ensnared in
experimental travel via "the wood between the worlds". Thus, the novel shows
Narnia and our middle-age world to be only two of many in a multiverse, which
changes as some worlds begin and others end. It also explains the origin of
foreign elements in Narnia, not only the lamp-post but also the White Witch
and a human king and queen.

Lewis began The Magician's Nephew soon after completing The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, spurred by a friend's question about the lamp-post in the
middle of nowhere, but he needed more than five years to complete it. The story
includes several autobiographical elements and explores a number of themes
with general moral and Christian implications, including atonement, original
sin, temptation and the order of nature.

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 Chapter 1 The Wrong Door

1. What does the narrator say is really important about this story?

2. Look up the following allusions made in Chapter 1. What do they have to do with the
story?

Sherlock Holmes

Bastables

Eton collar

Treasure Island

3. At the beginning of the chapter, how does Lewis portray the time period?

4. What is Polly Plummer like when you first meet her?

5. Why is Digory crying?

6. Whats strange about Digorys aunt and uncle?

7. What is the smugglers cave?

8. Grown-ups are always thinking of uninteresting explanations. Who says this? Why
might it be important to the story?

9. What was D and Ps original plan in the attic? Where did they end up?

10. If Polly had been a very little younger she would have wanted to put one in her mouth.
What would Polly have put in her mouth?

11. How did D and P act around Uncle Andrew? What does this say about his character?

12. What happens to Polly at the end of the chapter?

13. What do you think Digory will do?

14. How are D and P different?

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 Chapter Two Digory and His Uncle

1. Magic is defined as a supposed supernatural power that makes impossible things happen or
gives somebody control over the forces of nature. Magic is used in many cultures for healing,
keeping away evil, seeking the truth, and for vengeful purposes. Do you believe in magic?
Why or why not? Is there anything in this world that you consider magical?

2. What is meant by Digorys thought the horrible meanness at getting at a chap in that
way?

3. Who is Mrs. LeFay and what kind of person is she?

4. What promise does Uncle Andrew break?

5. What are your reactions to UAs comment on the top of p. 21? Is it fair to say that
intelligence gives you the right to break rules? Can you think of any modern day examples?

6. What was inside the box that Mrs. LeFay gave to UA?

7. What does the yellow ring do?

8. Why didnt UA send himself?

9. No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice. Do you agree with this? Why or why
not?

10. What does it mean to be given to showing the white feather?

11. What do the green rings do?

Chapter 3 The Wood Between the Worlds

1. Describe a wooded area. Why would Lewis choose to make the place between the worlds be
a wooded place?

1. Describe the woods.

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 2. How does one feel when he or she enters the woods?

3. What happens when D and P jump into the London pool the first time?

4. Before Polly would explore other pools, what did she want to do?

5. Why didnt the yellow ring work in the other pools?

6. How have Pollys and Digorys characters changed from the first chapter?
Differences/Similarities?

Chapter 4 The Bell and the Hammer

1. Pick the two most accurate descriptive words to describe the new worlds setting.

2. Which of the two children seem to be braver in the new world? Why?

3. Both D and P were interested in the stationary people but for different reasons. What
interested Polly about the people? What interested D about the people?

4. How do the faces change as the children go down the room?

5. Lewis makes several references to Digorys future. What effect does this have on the story?

6. Paraphrase the poem that is next to the bell and hammer.

7. Why do D and P quarrel at the end of the chapter?

8. What was the sound like when D hit the bell?

9. Did Digory make the right choice to strike the bell? Why or Why not?

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Chapter 5 The Deplorable Word

1. After the Queen asks who struck the bell, Digory immediately replies saying it was him. What
does this say about Digorys character?

2. What happens to the building the children are in?

3. What does Polly worry that the Queen will get from them?

4. Which of the two children appear to take more interest in the Queen? Why?

5. From the kinds of comments the Queen makes, write two descriptive words to define her
character.

6. What was the difference between the sun in Charn and the sun in London?

7. What is the Queens name?

8. What did the Queen do to her city? Why?

9. What is the Deplorable Word?

10. Where does the Queen wish to go? Who does she wish to see?

11. Compare the Queen and Uncle Andrew.

12. In the chapter, the Queen only addresses Digory. Even if Polly asks a question, the Queen
answers to Digory. Why might this be?

Chapter 6 The Beginning of Uncle Andrews Troubles

1. What do you think are Uncle Andrews troubles?

2. How does Queen Jadis end up in the Wood?

3. How does QJ change in the Wood? What do you suppose causes this change?

4. Digory describes QJ as appearing hardly human. Do you think this is a fitting description for
her? Why?

5. How does UA react to QJ?

6. What does QJ ask UA to do for her?

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7. The narrator speaks to us in first person saying, I think (and Digory thinks too) that her mind
was of a sort which cannot remember that quiet place at all (85). Do you think the narrator
witnessed all the events in the book? Was the narrator present at the time that QJ came to
London?

8. Why doesnt QJ take any notice of the children when she enters London?

9. What was your reaction to Pollys immediate desertion of Digory?

10. Why was UA acting so silly?

10. What was Aunt Letty mending? What does UA ask his sister for?

11. How do you think Aunt Letty will react to QJ?

12. Do you think Polly will return to help Digory? Why or why not?

Chapter 7 What Happened at the Front Door

1. While reading look for 2 similes. List them below.

2. There are several idioms used in the chapter. List two of them below. What do they mean?

3. What was QJ unable to do in London that she could do in Charn?

4. What did QJ do to Aunt Letty?

5. What did someone bring for Mabel Kirke?

6. Who is Mabel Kirke?

7. What excited Digory about the conversation between Aunt Letty and the delivery lady?

8. Describe the scene that Digory saw outside his window.

9. What is the horses name?

10. What will the Empress do next?

11. Why didnt Digory speak up?

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Chapter 8 The Fight at the Lamp-post

1. How does music affect you?

2. Two idioms are used in chapter 8. What does each of these idioms mean?
You are a brick
A pretty kettle of fish

3. What does QJ grab after being mocked by the crowd?

4. Which spectator from the crowd was the bravest as well as the kindest person present?

5. Who does UA blame for his troubles?

6. Who all comes to the Wood between the Worlds?

7. How did the Woods affect UA? The Woods also had a similar affect upon whom?

8. What was the new world like when they first entered it?

9. Describe the character of the Cabby in two words.

10. What did the group hear before they saw anything? How did this noise affect each of the group
members?

11. Why wouldnt Digory leave with UA?

12. How did the new world transform?

13. Who was the singer the Voice?

14. Why is the Cabby so mesmerized by the Voice?

15. Why are UA and QJ so repulsed by the Voice?

16. Who might the Lion be?

Chapter 9 The Founding of Narnia

1. How does the scenery change as the music changes? What is added to the new world?

2. What does UA ridicule QJ for?

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3. Why do Digory and the Cabby become nervous?

4. What did QJ throw at the Lion? Why do you think the thrown object does not affect the Lion?

5. What is peculiar about the lamppost that was brought into the new world?

6. Uncle Andrew says, The commercial possibilities of this country are unbounded (131). What
does he mean by this? What does he see as a possible future for this new land?

7. Where does UA believe they may be? Why does this excite Digory?

8. How does the Lions song change as the animals begin springing up?

9. How many of each animal did the Lion select? How did the Lion select them?

10. What happens to the selected animals as the Lion stares at them?

11. What might the Lion be calling each of the selected animals to do?

Chapter 10 The First Joke and Other Matters

1. What does it mean to believe? What is the importance of believing?

2. What else appears in Narnia besides animals?

3. What is the Lions name?

4. What was Strawberry picked out to be?

5. Who are the Dumb Beasts?

6. What does the Lion mean by, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well as justice come
with speech.?

7. Who was the first joke?

8. Why does the Lion gather a council together?

9. What did the animals believe might be large heads of lettuce or possibly the Second Joke?

10. Although the Cabby tries to help Strawberry remember the good things about his life in
London, what does Strawberry remember? Why would Strawberry only remember the negative
things about his life in London?

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11. As the animals spoke, what did UA hear? Why?

12. How might the following passage be true in your own life?
For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends
on what sort of person you are.

13. Do you think that UA will ever be able to hear the animals talk?

Chapter 11 Digory and His Uncle are Both in Trouble

1. According to the title of the chapter, both Digory and UA are in trouble. Why might Digory be
in trouble?

2. What is the Third Joke?

3. Why do you think the animals cannot understand UA?

4. What do the animals do to UA?

5. Who is the Son of Adam?

6. What does Digory admit to doing? What does this say about him?

7. Who says, Evil will come of that evil, but it is a long way off, and I will see to it that the worst
falls upon me (161).

8. By what name does Aslan call the Cabby?

9. Whom does Aslan bring into Narnia with a call of his voice?

10. What are the Cabby and his wife to do in the land of Narnia?

11. What does Aslan ask Polly?

12. What do you think Aslan has in store for Digory?

13. Why doesnt Digory just escape back to London?

14. Write one open-ended question about this chapter. Answer your question.

Chapter 12 Strawberrys Adventure

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 1. Queen Jadis has almost vanished from the story. Where do you suppose she has gone?

2. Who must undo the wrong?

3. Why is the Lion crying?

4. What does Aslan mean by So this land shall have a long, bright morning before any clouds
come over the sun (169)?

5. What happened to Digory when Aslan kissed him?

6. What is Digory supposed to bring back to Aslan?

7. Who is Fledge?

8. Who is Queen Helen? Why do you suppose her name was chosen?

9. Who joins Digory in his mission?

10. Why didnt they see animals and other living beings as they flew westward?

11. How does Digory suggest they get food? Does Polly agree?

12. What do D and P end up eating?

13. What do they do with the ninth piece of food?

14. What do you suppose made the noise in the dark?

Chapter 13 An Unexpected Meeting

1. Who do you think the children and Fledge meet?

2. How important is advice? Should you always heed the advice of others?

3. What happened to the piece of toffee that the children planted?

4. How did the air change as the group approached the Place?

5. What surrounded the garden?

6. What is meant by the last line of the warning posted on the golden gate?

7. What might the fountain in the middle of the garden symbolize?

8. What color were the apples?

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 8. What kind of a reaction did Digory have after smelling the apple? Was it a good idea for him to do this?
Could you have resisted?

9. What was sitting in the apple tree?

10. Who else did Digory see in the garden? What was she eating?

11. In what ways does the Witch try to persuade Digory to eat the apple?

12. In the end, what does the Witch say that makes Digory refuse to leave the new world with the apple?

Chapter 14 The Planting of the Tree

1. After bringing back the silver apple to Aslan, Digory forgets his troubles and feels content. Why
do you think he feels this way?

2. What are the Kings and Queens names?

3. What is found inside the twisted trees?

4. What kinds of things did the Beasts try feeding UA?

5. What did the Beasts decide to name UA? Why?

6. Why do the children want to send UA out of Narnia? Why does Aslan say they should not be
concerned? What will Aslan do for UA?

7. Why have a tree of gold and a tree of silver grown from the ground?

8. What is the Shield that will protect Narnia from the Witch?

9. Aslan says, That is what happens to those who pluck and eat fruits at the wrong time and in
the wrong way. The fruit is good, but they loathe it ever afterward (207). What might this mean
symbolically?

10. What would have happened is someone had stolen the apple and planted the tree? How would
have Narnia been different?

11. What does Aslan give to Digory before he leaves Narnia?

12. Would the apple of youth helped restore Digorys mother? Why does Aslan say that giving the
apple of youth would have been more destructive?

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 Chapter 15 The End of this Story and the Beginning of All the Others

1. What was Aslans warning and command?

2. What was the ultimate fate of the apple?

3. What happened to Uncle Andrew?

4. Aslan promises that the tree which Digory planted will protect Narnia from the Witch for many
years as a "Shield." Why will she "loathe" the tree and want to avoid it?

5. How did the children get into Narnia to begin with? How do they leave Narnia and get home?
What happened to the Apple which Aslan gave to Digory? What warning and command did Aslan
give to the children before He sent them back to their own world?

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