Once Upon a Wardrobe, not very long ago and not very far away, an 8 year old boy named George finished a book. This book was by C S
Lewis, and it was called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
It is late in 1950 when George asks his sister Megs if she will do something for him. Megs is 17 and a maths and physics university student at Oxford. She will do anything for her little brother who has been bed-ridden more often than not in his short life. With a weak heart, the entire family’s schedule revolves around him. This is done with much love as George has already lived 3 years beyond what the doctors diagnosed many years before.
George wants to know where Narnia came from. Meg assures him that it will be from the author’s imagination. This is her automatic answer as her passion is numbers and understanding the world around them through science. She doesn’t want to think about children’s fairytales. George is far from happy with this answer, asking her to read the book aloud to him. After the final page, Meg has to agree this new book is definitely something special. But it is still a fairytale.
As Mr Lewis works at Oxford University not far from Meg’s own lectures, George begs her to go to him and ask his question. After many visits that don’t quite happen, she finally meets George’s favourite author and his own big brother.
The answer to George’s question is far from straight forward and the storyteller that Mr Lewis is, takes Megs on an adventure of her own. He and his brother share many stories of his life. Meg must scribble down all she remembers afterwards because his stories are often told as they walk together along Oxford streets and lanes.
Meg’s mother asks her to stop, thinking that she is upsetting George with each of her story sharing visits, but gives in at his insistence for more. She also wonders if Megs should be spending time with people her own age, not chasing fairytale answers. Megs shakes this off, not only because she is uncomfortable in noisy social settings like the local pubs, but is becoming more and more intrigued about the origin story of the magical land of Narnia, herself.
She does bump into a young man every now and then, and is becoming fond of him. He too is soon caught up in the pursuit of Narnian experiences and dreams, wished for by little George. Much discussion ensues regarding the preciseness of maths and physics compared to the wonder, joy and untamable world of stories.
I was thrilled to discover this story, written for adults probably just like me – a Narnia nut from very young. But anyone who loves the magic of story itself, a gentle romance and a sibling’s love, will enjoy this novel.
The novel itself is part fiction and part fact, with events and experiences from C S Lewis’ childhood and early adult life told to a student of maths and physics. She had always focused on this clear-cut side of life but the author’s way of showing her the wonder and magical foundations of story through even more stories, opens her eyes. Finally she has to concede that fairytales are not only for children.
C S Lewis and his works have been the subject of many literary scholars and certain academic institutions who focus on the Christian side of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Once upon a Wardrobe taught me much about Clive Staples Lewis who preferred the name Jack from very young, and how he might have come to know the land of Narnia and the four children who discover it.
I simply loved this. Tissues may be required, but the journey is a hundred percent worth it.
Author – Patti Callahan
Age – 15+
(2021, Narnia, Aslan, Sibling love, Family, Oxford University, C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien, The Inklings, Writing , Fairytale, Stories, Wonder, Magic, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Illness, Weak heart, 1950, War, Ireland, UK, Castle, Adventure, Bedridden, Kindness, First Love, Historical)