Attraction... I think a lot of it is the sense of wonder, honestly. A bright, golden world where Good can win, every time, even if it takes a while - and all the fun species running around, which, for animal lovers - the idea of being able to talk to them is really something. And sea voyages, and flying... Also, it was my first "portal fantasy" - my first story where Normal People could stumble upon someplace marvelous and different, just around the corner from their everyday lives.

The allegory was... a bigger thing for me when I was younger in some ways.. At this point I start overthinking it and get into theological debates on possible interpretations in my brain, which is a downside. 😉 But the wonder - that is still there.
But I like overthinking on worldbuilding sometimes - details are fun, as long as they are a sandbox to play in and not where I live all the time. The fact that it's a mixty-mash of all sorts of different places and myths makes it that much more interesting to try to figure out how it logically synchronizes. 😉

Hans, Ariel, thegoldenchesspiece - I know that we "know" God here, but it still remains that for many of us, religion doesn't always feel very experiential, if that makes sense. And I can see why Narnia feels different on that front. However close someone may feel emotionally to God, there are so many dry spells and periods of silence. And Narnia... To have the dry spells - the Witch's reign and the Telmarine invasion, and all of the times which make Him feel uninvolved and far away - end not in an emotional experience or a word from the right person or a passage of Scripture, but in a presence which can be seen and touch and audibly spoken to, whose footprints you can see and whose breath you feel? Give or take some unusually blessed or mystical folks and visions, how many of us can get that in modern times in this world? So yeah, that longing - maybe a legit part of the attraction of Narnia.

@Lil: Oh, I totally get you on the "not always feeling experiential". That was what I was trying to get at earlier, with the Narnians actually, physically seeing Aslan whereas we won't actually, physically see Jesus till later. When I read Narnia, especially LB, I feel like Jewel, that longing for my true home, largely because I don't feel it here and now in my world, no matter how much I know.
Anyway, I won't gum up this thread with more of that. 🙂

Now that you mention the fantasy world aspect, Lily, in the words you did, I do remember that playing a part in drawing me in. The most fantasy I had up until Narnia were fairytales and, of those, largely the Disney-fied ones. Narnia was a different sort of fantasy somehow; it wasn't just princesses and knights in shining armour and dragons and happily-ever-afters. It was a bigger world with problems such as you'd find in our world (as opposed to people overcoming a personal curse or something). Narnia was able to achieve all that better than fairytales because Narnia is not a short story.

When threads lose their focus, it limits discussion from developing the given topic in depth.

Developing a given topic in depth involves going into the side issues.

Also, how Aslan in Narnia helped me grasp Christ in the Eucharist is hardly a side issue, nor is defending that against deniers of the real Presence.

Give or take some unusually blessed or mystical folks and visions, how many of us can get that in modern times in this world?

Catholics adoring the Blessed Sacrament?

with the Narnians actually, physically seeing Aslan whereas we won't actually, physically see Jesus till later.

A Host consecrated in a valid Mass IS physically seeing Christ here and now. Jesus' True Body, Born of the Virgin, Pierced on the Cross.

Sometimes a miracle makes this visible. Two of the latest occurred because Novus Ordo Catholics were not handling the Blessed Sacrament properly. One in Buenos Aires, one in Salt Lake City. Flesh from God's Human Heart, Bleeding visibly over the outrage.

Whathas always attracted me to Narnia was Lewis's style. I loved it when the narrator talked as if to the reader ("The worst thing about sleeping out of doors is that you wake up so dreadfully early.") I also loved how his character's problems could be related to. 🙂

Hans - I'm glad for you that you see Narnia as intersecting with a key aspect of your faith, and that this contributes to your attraction to the books. And perhaps I should have been more careful in my wording, as I realize that there are religious practices which have different meanings for some Christians than for others. However, it might be courteous to other members of this forum if we could continue that particular discussion in a theological discussion thread, or a thread about spiritual meanings in Narnia; or if there are only a couple of people you were wanting to engage, perhaps private messages? Because doctrinal differences have a way of being emotionally intense issues which can take over a topic quite quickly, and this thread seems to be intended for a wide range of comments on why people enjoy Narnia, rather than for people discussing solely whether or not Narnia represents a particular aspect of the presence of God. ...Also, since this is a forum with a very large Protestant presence of an unknown number of denominations, and the books themselves were written by an Anglican, there are very good chances that there are a wide range of opinions present on the exact meaning and correct practice of commands of Jesus concerning bread, wine, and remembrance.

Tenethia - Lewis's relatable language is quite fun, isn't it! 🙂

"I loved it when the narrator talked as if to the reader"

It attracts you to the story-teller, but would probably have attracted you to him if CSL had given a similarly told account of ... a walk in Wales or sth ... among the published works. Even sth which has nothing to do with Narnia.

I agree, but that attracts me to CSL, not specifically to Narnia. Example you gave:

"The worst thing about sleeping out of doors is that you wake up so dreadfully early."

Well, same goes for some places you can sleep indoors, especially if eating a bit too much before going to sleep.

Btw, I sometimes try to match this when writing my fan fic.

However, it might be courteous to other members of this forum if we could continue that particular discussion in a theological discussion thread, or a thread about spiritual meanings in Narnia;

Anyone wishing to pursue the point further is very welcome to do so in ways suggested by dame/damsel Lily, I made the point shortly.

*Sticks Head in*
*Puts Staffie Hat*

I have heard some complaints regarding this thread.

I will say this. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, to think how they want. That's great! 😀 It can be very exciting for one to discover for oneself thoughts and ways that Narnia that makes Narnia come alive to us, whether spiritually through our faith or not. (I do not expect Narnia draws people to it for the same reason, that would be foolish.)

And while others maybe be intrigued or find their mind opened by a new way of looking at things, everyone is expected to behave with politeness and courtesy as befits a Narnian. You are NOT allowed to try to make other think that their way is wrong or your way is right. If I hear complaints again about this, I WILL confer with my fellow staff, as well as alerting Our Chief Administrator, Kristi. You are allowed to discuss, you are not allowed to make any one feel that their thoughts/feelings are wrong or in anyway make this an unsafe place (either for personal safety or for sharing of thought.)

If anyone is unsure about about the proper conduct, please refer to our site guidelines here http://www.thelionscall.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=25 or speak to staff.

*Staffie out*

Talking animals.

Sure there's life lessons and great characters and good storytelling.

But I just have to face it. I listened to "The Magician's Nephew" and just loved...

The Talking Animals.

Animals. THAT TALK.

It's awesome.

I knew Narnia, before I knew that it was Narnia. I can't remember exactly what drew me to it, because I saw it first as an animated movie. (which I loved despite any flaws it might now be seen to have.) I know I loved Lucy (being a younger sibling.) and I loved Aslan. When I got the Horse and His boy on Audio Drama by focus on the family, it was the art on the box. (Mostly because it had horses. 😛 ) What was the story? Why was the boy scared? Why was a Lion chasing Him? (because I felt half scared for the boy, and half intrigued. I mean there was a certain excitement to it. 😛 ) Where was he going? It certainly beckoned a story to tell.

Now that I'm older I love it more for the truths I've found. Like Lewis wrote in Letters to Children, Aslan makes me feel closer to Jesus than church, and reminds me that Jesus is all the things Aslan is and more.

What has always attracted me to Narnia was Lewis's style. I loved it when the narrator talked as if to the reader ("The worst thing about sleeping out of doors is that you wake up so dreadfully early.") I also loved how his character's problems could be related to. 🙂

Yeah! That's a good point as well, Tenny!

*Sticks Head in*
*Puts Staffie Hat*

I have heard some complaints regarding this thread.

I will say this. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, to think how they want. That's great! 😀 It can be very exciting for one to discover for oneself thoughts and ways that Narnia that makes Narnia come alive to us, whether spiritually through our faith or not. (I do not expect Narnia draws people to it for the same reason, that would be foolish.)

And while others maybe be intrigued or find their mind opened by a new way of looking at things, everyone is expected to behave with politeness and courtesy as befits a Narnian. You are NOT allowed to try to make other think that their way is wrong or your way is right. If I hear complaints again about this, I WILL confer with my fellow staff, as well as alerting Our Chief Administrator, Kristi. You are allowed to discuss, you are not allowed to make any one feel that their thoughts/feelings are wrong or in anyway make this an unsafe place (either for personal safety or for sharing of thought.)

If anyone is unsure about about the proper conduct, please refer to our site guidelines here http://www.thelionscall.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=25 or speak to staff.

*Staffie out*

Thanks for addressing this!

I think for me, it was a lot of what others have already mentioned. (Except the allegory thing. I'm not that much into them, just like Tolkien, and I actually like Narnia more for not being a full-blown one.) Buuut... I think ultimately, when all is said and done, the thing that keeps bringing me back is a bit hard to define simply, but it's that quality of Narnia and Lewis' writing in the books that makes it easy to relate what you know from Narnia to what you know from your own life. Which can be seeing types of behaviour around you, for example, but for me, it is also seeing Narnian landscape in Czech landscape, and Talking Beasts in the animals I chance upon, and, well... there was once a long, long winter, a couple of years ago, and then there was spring, and I can't get Narnia off my mind since then, okay?
Recalling this now makes me wonder how people from other climates perceive Narnia. For me, though, it hits upon some very fundamental experiences.
(Me and my sister visited my Real World River Rush yesterday, and I asked her whether she also imagined the river in the book as this river we know, and she replied: "What else?" That's how it works. Maybe it's just the fact these were the books we grew up reading. It doesn't ultimately matter, though; we would not have kept returning to them were there not something in them.)

Well, when I was eight, when I first read the books, I would've told you it was because of talking animals, and castles, friendship, and adventure.

When I was a teenager, and the movies came out, I would've told you it was because the books were a supposal of what would have happened if Christ had come to a fantasy world. I would've told you, also, that the books had good morals. I would've also said that I was glad there was a series where not every character was required to be in a romantic relationship.

Now, I look back and I realize that both statements are not what really attracts me to the Narnia series - after all, other series can have these things too - I think the reasons I kept enjoying Narnia so long are more complex. I think I read Narnia because it reminds me of something I am looking for that I haven't found yet (which is something Lewis talked about in another book) and I think it influenced me a lot because I, like Lewis, also lost a parent to cancer when I was a child. I think Narnia meant more because I feel Lewis understood this, that, for example, Digory's mum wasn't ill just as a plot point, but that Lewis was trying to answer bigger questions. And really, all of the Narnia series has more relevance that what is just on the surface because Lewis is re-telling the truth, but showing it in examples we can enjoy and understand.

For me, it was the characters, especially Lucy. the first time I was exposed to Narnia was watching LWW in theatres with my dad and sister, I remember having the same expression on my face, that Lucy had when she discovered Narnia. I remember watching her meet Tumnus and how friendly I thought he was and I too wanted to have tea with him (I still do.) Then when Lucy went back and told her siblings, it remind may of all the game I would play where I would pretend to be in another world and one my older siblings would ether make fun of me or look at me like I was insane. So when I saw Peter, Susan, and Edmund reaction to Lucy were the same as my siblings, I was convested the story was about my life (will not exactly like my life, I never found another world 🙁 )

That’s quite a connection! I don’t think I’ve heard one like it before!