About
Air-raids over London during WWII compel four siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – to be sent away from the city to the house of a kindly but remote Professor “who lived in the heart of the country.” There is much to discover in the country, but the children will soon discover that the Professor’s large house, staffed by three servants, holds even more mystery, including a room which holds nothing but a large wardrobe, which Lucy opens one rainy day, never dreaming that the wardrobe is a passageway into a place called Narnia.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Why did the children get sent to this big house in the country?
Page 3 — It was during WWII and all of the children were sent away from the city to the country for protection
3
How did Lucy find the dark snowy world with the lamp post?
Page 8 — She went into the wardrobe and kept feeling for the grain of the wood that should have been the back of it and instead she found herself touching branches and cold air with snow falling on her
8
Describe a Faun to me.
Page 9 — A strange person, a little taller than Lucy, from the waist up a man, but his legs were shaped like a goat’s with goat hoofs for feet, he had a tail, pleasant face with pointed beard, curly hair and two horns one on each side of his forehead
9
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
What did it mean when the Faun asked Lucy if she was a Daughter of Eve?
Page 11 — If she was a human; Did she come from earth where Adam and Eve were the first parents
11
What did Mr. Tumnus need to do for the White Witch?
Page 19 — If he saw a Daughter of Eve or Son of Adam he needed to hold onto them and give them to her
19
What happened to Lucy?
Page 22 — Mr. Tumnus decided he couldn’t turn her over to the White Witch, so helped her get back to the lamp post and she found her way to the wardrobe
22
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why was Lucy so unhappy about her brothers and sister thinking she was making up her story about Narnia?
Page 26 — She was an honest person and she didn’t like people to think she was lying
26
What happened to Edmund in this chapter?
Page 28 — He saw Lucy go into the wardrobe, followed her, and found himself in Narnia. He couldn’t find Lucy, but heard sleigh bells and met a woman on the sleigh who called herself the queen
28
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Who is the woman on the sledge?
Page 34 — The White Witch
34
What did the queen do to help Edmund feel comfortable?
Page 42 — Wrap him in her mantle, gave him a warm drink, gave him Turkish Delight
42
What do you think made Edmund sick?
Page 43 — The Turkish Delight; knowing he was on the side of the White Witch; having to tell his siblings the truth about Narnia
43
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Describe to me the part of the story when Peter and Susan go talk to the Professor about Lucy.
Page 51 — He listened and then asked, “how do you know your sister’s story isn’t true?”; he gave them a few reasons to help them understand Lucy: she’s lying, she’s mad or she’s telling the truth; he told them all to mind their own business
51
What made all the children climb into the wardrobe?
Page 53 — Mrs. Macready was giving a tour of the house to some visitors and they were supposed to stay out of the way; that was the only place they could hide until the tourists were out of the Wardrobe Room
53
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
When the children got to Mr. Tumnus’ house what did they find?
Page 57 — The door torn off the hinges and broken into bits; dishes broken; like it hadn’t been lived in for days; a note saying he had been taken by the queen for treason
57
What was Edmund’s concern as the children followed the robin?
Page 61 — If the robin was helping them or leading them into a trap
61
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
How did the children know the beaver was a friend?
Page 67 — he gave them the same white handkerchief to them that Lucy had given to Mr. Tumnus
67
Who do you think is Aslan?
Page 67 — Listen to your child’s answer
67
Tell me about Edmund.
Page 70 — He is grumpy; feels picked on by Peter; is mean and selfish
70
How do you think the children felt about being in the home of the Beavers’?
Page 75 — happy, full, content, safe
75
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Who is Aslan?
Page 78 — The King; the Lord of the whole wood; he’ll take care of the White Witch; the great Lion
78
Why is it so important for the children to go to the Stone Table and meet Aslan?
Page 80 — To begin doing things; to help Mr. Tumnus; to help get rid of the White Witch
80
Why would Edmund betray them all?
Page 85 — He is under the White Witch’s spell; he wants Turkish Delight and to be a King
85
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Tell me about Edmund’s journey to the White Witch’s castle.
Page 88 — It was snowing, cold and the sky grew dark; it was slippery, rocky and he tripped over tree stumps; the snow stopped falling and it got windy, but the moon came out so Edmund could see. He finally made it and didn’t want to go in, but knew he couldn’t’ go back at this point
88
Why do you think the White Witch turned the creatures in her courtyard to stone?
Page 96 — Listen to your child’s answer; they had displeased her
96
What did Edmund tell the queen when he was brought to her?
Page 99 — His siblings were at the Beaver’s home; Aslan has returned
99
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why was it important for them all to see Father Christmas? What did it mean?
Page 107 — That Aslan is on the move; the witch’s magic is weakening
107
What were the presents Father Christmas shared with the children?
Page 108 — Peter a sword and shield; Susan a horn and bow with arrows; Lucy a cordial and dagger
108
Why didn’t Father Christmas want Susan or Lucy to be a part of the battle?
Page 109 — Battles are ugly when women fight
109
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Why weren’t the wolves able to find the children or the Beavers’ during the night?
Page 113 — The scent was cold and snow had covered up their tracks
113
What happened to the merry party eating a feast when the witch and Edmund rode up in the sledge?
Page 116 — The Witch turned them to stone for being traitors
116
What was happening to the world around them as Edmund, the dwarf and the witch were walking to the Stone Table?
Page 120 — It was turning to spring; birds were chirping; flowers were blooming; grass was growing
120
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Describe to me what the Stone Table looked like.
Large slab of gray stone that was supported by four upright stones; it was cut all over with strange lines and figures that might have been letters to an unknown language.125
What made Susan blow her horn?
Page 130 — They were being attacked and needed Aslan and Peter to come back
130
Why were the wolves attacking them?
Page 131 — The witch had ordered them to kill the children
131
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
How did the Witch and dwarf escape from Aslans’ rescue party?
Page 138 — They turned into a stump and boulder
138
When the Witch came and spoke with Aslan and the others, what did she demand?
Page 142 — That she has a right to have Edmund since he had been a traitor
142
What do you think Aslan and the Witch spoke about when he asked everyone to back up so he could speak to her alone?
Page 143 — Listen to your child
143
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Why weren’t Susan and Lucy able to sleep at the first of the chapter?
Page 147 — They had a horrible feeling
147
Who was all gathered at the Stone Table that night?
Page 150 — Crowd of people; ogres; wolves; bull-headed men and other creatures; the White Witch
150
Tell me what happened to Aslan at the Stone Table?
Page 154 — The White Witch had him tied up and had his mane shaved off; the creatures spit on him, kicked him, hit him, jeered at him; the White Witch killed him
154
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
What did the mice do to help free Aslan from the cords?
Page 159 — They chewed them loose
159
What brought Aslan back to life?
Page 163 — A deeper magic than the Witch’s magic; He knew that the spell she cast to kill him meant the Stone Table would crack and death would work backward since he had willingly given up his life
163
Did you imagine yourself riding on a lion with silent padded feet, going faster than a horse, flying in the wind? What do you think it would be like?
Page 165 — Listen to your child’s answers
165
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
How did Aslan bring the statues back to life?
Page 167 — He breathed on them
167
Who was Lucy most excited to see come back to life?
Page 171 — Mr. Tumnus
171
When Aslan reached the battle, who did he attack first?
Page 177 — The White Witch
177
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
How did Edmund smash the Witch’s wand?
Page 178 — He defeated 3 ogres to get to her and used his sword to smash her wand
178
What did Lucy’s cordial do for Edmund and others that were wounded from the battle with the Witch’s army?
Page 179 — Heal them
179
Why did Susan feel that she nor Lucy should tell Edmund what Aslan did for him?
Page 180 — It would make him feel terrible
180
How did the children come upon the old lamp post?
Page 185 — They were chasing a white stag
185
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