The Magician's Nephew

The Magician's Nephew Summary | Plot Summary

The sixth book in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew tells the tale of the creation of Narnia and the introduction of evil into this magical land. Seen through the eyes of two children, Digory and Polly, the story weaves through several different worlds and examines the differences between good and evil hearts.

Digory Kirke and his ailing mother move into the London home of Letty and Andrew Ketterly, who are brother and sister. Digory soon meets Polly, the young girl who lives next door, and they begin spending a great deal of time together. They decide to try to get into the empty house that is attached to their row houses. Misjudging the distance, they wind up in Uncle Andrew's study, where they see Yellow and Green Rings laid out on a table. Uncle Andrew offers one of the Rings to Polly and when she touches it, she vanishes. Uncle Andrew explains that the Rings are made of magic dust and the Yellow Rings have the power to take someone to another world, while the Green Rings should bring that person back. Because Polly does not have a Green Ring, Digory goes after her with another Ring.

Digory finds Polly in the Wood between Worlds, a transition place from which a person can access other words through the Rings and the pools of water. They decide to explore and find themselves in Charn, an empty, cold world, where nothing is living. Wandering around, they come to the Hall of Images, which is full of seated people in robes and crowns. A golden bell and hammer sit in the middle of the room, with a warning about ringing the bell. Digory rings the bell before Polly can stop him. At the end of the room, the most beautiful and fierce woman, Queen Jadis, awakens. While the building is crumbling around them, the trio makes their escape. The Queen tells the children that she spoke the deplorable word, killing off all of the people of Charn, in an effort to wrest power away from her sister. The children use the Rings and try to escape without the Queen, but she manages to grab hold of them, taking her with them when they travel back to the Wood between Worlds, and then to London.

In London, the Queen, or the Witch as she is now called, confronts Uncle Andrew. She decides that she will take control of their world. Uncle Andrew calls her a cab and they depart. Later, they return amid chaos. A crowd of people and policemen are chasing the Queen, who has stolen jewelry and the horse and carriage that she is now driving. Digory and Polly realize that they must get her out of London. They use the Rings again. This time, Uncle Andrew, the Cabby, the horse, and the Witch accompany Digory and Polly, all joined in the journey through touching each other when the Ring was used.

The group finds themselves on solid ground, surrounded by darkness. They begin to hear a Voice singing. Gradually, the darkness fades, and the landscape emerges. The Voice continues to sing. As the song changes, more and more things begin to appear. The group sees that the Voice is coming from a big, shaggy Lion, who is walking in slow arcs toward them. The Witch becomes frightened and throws part of a Lamp-Post at the Lion before running away. The children and Cabby continue to watch in awe.

Soon, trees, flowers, and animals spring from the earth. The Lion chooses some of the animals, and the others wander away. Digory, Polly, Cabby, and Strawberry the horse, follow the Lion, Aslan. Digory wants to ask Aslan if he has something that can save Digory's mother. They hear Aslan charge the animals with protecting and taking care of the land, Narnia. When they catch up, Aslan identifies Digory as the boy who brought evil into Narnia. Aslan also brings Cabby's wife to Narnia and tells them that they will be the king and queen. Finally, Aslan turns Strawberry the horse, into a winged horse named Fledge.

Aslan asks Digory to go to the garden at the top of the hill and retrieve one of the apples from the tree at the center of the garden. This will help to protect Narnia from the Witch. Digory and Polly climb on Fledge and the three fly toward the garden. Soon, it starts getting late and the trio decides to stay in a valley for the night and continue on in the morning. They hear something as they are falling asleep but cannot find anything. The next morning, they fly to the garden. A fence surrounds the garden and the gates contain the warning to only take fruit for others. Digory alone goes in and finds the tree with the silver apples. As he turns to leave, he sees that the Witch is also there. She is eating one of the apples, her face a deadly white. Digory runs toward Fledge and Polly outside the garden. The Witch almost catches him, trying to convince him to use his Ring to return to London with the apple. The Witch says that it will save his mother. Digory is tempted to do so but chooses to bring the apple to Aslan. Fledge, Polly, and Digory fly back to Narnia.

Aslan instructs Digory to throw the apple toward the river. After Digory does this, they go to the coronation of Cabby and his wife. When they look toward the river, a tree is quickly growing where Digory has thrown the apple. Aslan says that the Witch will not come near this tree and so it protects Narnia. Aslan tells Digory to pick an apple from this tree for his mother, for it will cure her.

Aslan returns Digory, Polly, and Uncle Andrew to London. Digory gives his mother the apple, and by the next morning, she is better. The children bury the Rings and the apple core in the back yard. A tree grows from the core. Digory's father writes that he is coming back from India, so Digory, his mother, and father move back to the country.

Later, when the tree is blown down, Digory has a wardrobe made out of the wood. Years later, other children use this wardrobe to reach Narnia.