TheLion,theWitch,andtheWardrobe
MiddleSchoolLesson‐‐ResponsibilityandTrust
AlessonbyDeborahFarmer
CenterfortheAdvancementofEthicsandCharacter,2002
C.S.Lewis'classicnovel,TheLion,theWitchandtheWardrobe,servesasthefocus
forthisunitonresponsibility.Theworkalsooffersopportunitytoexaminemany
literaryconceptsandadditionalvirtues.ThelessonsarebasedontheInternalizing
VirtueFramework.
Awareness
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BeforeintroducingTheLion,theWitch,andtheWardrobe,conductaninformal
classpoll.Howmanystudentsaretheeldestchildren?Theyoungest?Themiddle?
Anonlychild?Whatisitliketobethe_________?Whatresponsibilitiesdoyouhave?
TellthestudentsthatTheLion,theWitch,andtheWardrobeisaboutfoursiblings
wholoveeachother,fightwitheachother,haveadventurestogether,andhave
differentresponsibilities.Invitethestudentstopayattentiontothedifferent
characters‐‐oldesttoyoungest‐‐andthechoicestheymake.
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Invitestudentstothinkabouthowtheirresponsibilitieshavechangedasthey
havegottenolder.Whatnewresponsibilitiestotheyhaveathomeoratschool?How
dotheythinktheirresponsibilitieswillchangeastheygrowolder?
Understanding(Week1)
Beforethisdiscussion,studentsshouldhavecompletedchapters1‐5ofTheLion,The
Witch,andtheWardrobe.
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Beginthediscussionbyaskingthestudentstodescribeeachofthefour
siblings‐‐theirpersonalities,actions,andrelationshipswithoneanother.
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Sharethefollowingdefinitionofresponsibilitywiththestudents:Being
dependableincarryingoutdutiesandobligations.Showingreliabilityand
consistencyinwordsandconduct.Beingaccountableforyourownactions.
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Discussthedefinitionofresponsibility,mentioningthatresponsiblepeopleare
oftenthoughttobetrustworthy.Discusstheconnectionbetweentrustworthiness
andresponsibility.
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Inthefirstfivechapters,thetrustworthinessoftwocharacters,Edmundand
Lucy,isquestioned.Readaloudthefollowingpassagefromchapter5:"Howdoyou
know,"[theprofessor]asked,"thatyoursister'sstoryisnottrue?"
"Oh,but‐‐"beganSusan,andthenstopped.Anyonecouldseefromtheoldman'sface
thathewasperfectlyserious.ThenSusanpulledherselftogetherandsaid,"But
Edmundsaidtheyhadonlybeenpretending."
"Thatisthepoint,"saidtheProfessor,"whichcertainlydeservesconsideration;very
carefulconsideration.Forinstance‐‐ifyouwillexcusemeforaskingthequestion‐‐
doesyourexperienceleadyoutoregardyourbrotheroryoursisterasthemore
reliable?Imean,whichisthemoretruthful?"
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Usethefollowingdiscussionquestionstohelpthestudentsunderstandthe
connectionbetweentrustworthinessandresponsibility:
1.Isthisafairquestionfortheprofessortoask?Canwejudgehowresponsiblea
personwillbebasedonhis/herpastactions?
2.HowdothesiblingsknowthatLucyismoreresponsiblethanEdmund?Whatdo
responsiblepeopledo?
3.Ifapersonhasahistoryofbeingirresponsible,cans/hechange?How?Howcould
Edmundregainhissiblings'trust?
4.Thediscussionfromquestionstwoandthreecanleadtoadiscussionofwhatit
meanstobearesponsiblestudent.Howdoresponsiblestudentsact?Howcanthey
earnthetrustoftheirteachersandfellowstudents?
AssignmentforWeek2
QuestionfourforeshadowsEdmund'seventualredemption...buthemakesmany
mistakesbeforehechangeshisways.Asstudentscontinuereading,askthemtopay
closeattentiontoEdmundandthechoiceshemakes.Whydoeshedowhathedoes?
Isheahappyperson?Thestudentsmightbeassignedtorespondtothesequestions
inwritinginpreparationforthenextmeeting.Theymightsharetheirresponsesin
smallgroups.
Understanding(Week2)
Beforethisdiscussion,studentsshouldhavecompletedchapters6‐11ofTheLion,The
Witch,andtheWardrobe
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Dividestudentsintosmallgroupswithonepersonactingastherecorder.The
groupswilldiscussthefollowingquestions:1.WhydidEdmundlietohisfamilyand
jointheWhiteWitch?2.HasEdmundbeenhappyatanypointinthestory?Pointout
thespecificpartofthetextthatshowsthatEdmundishappy.
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Reconvenethewholeclassafterabout10minutes.Therecorderswillreport
onthegroup'sanswers.Leadawholeclassdiscussionaboutthevariousresponses.
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AskthestudentsiftheyhavenoticedanysignsthatEdmundischanging.Point
outthefollowingtwopassagesfromChapter11."Ohdon't,don't,pleasedon't,"
shoutedEdmund,butevenwhilehewasshoutingshehadwavedherwandand
instantlywherethemerrypartyhadbeentherewereonlystatuesofcreatures....
AndEdmundforthefirsttimeinthisstoryfeltsorryforsomeonebesideshimself."
"Allroundthemthoughoutofsight,therewerestreams,chattering,murmuring,
bubbling,splashingandeven(inthedistance)roaring.Andhisheartgaveagreat
leap(thoughhehardlyknewwhy)whenherealizedthefrostwasover."
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AskthestudentstoconsiderwhattheyknowaboutAslanatthispointofthe
story.RemindthemofMr.Beaver'sfirstmentionofAslan:
"Aslan?"saidMr.Beaver,"Why,don'tyouknow?He'stheKing.He'stheLordofthe
wholewood,butnotoftenhere,youunderstand.Neverinmytimeofmyfather's
time.Butthewordhasreachedusthathehascomeback.HeisinNarniaatthis
moment.He'llsettletheWhiteQueenallright.Itishe,notyou,thatwillsaveMr.
Tumnus."
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PointoutthatthisquoterevealsthatMr.BeaverhasgreattrustinAslan.Tell
thestudentsthatthegoodanimalsofNarniashareinthistrustandthatthechildren,
astheyinteractwithAslan,alsocometotrusthim.Remindstudentsoftheprevious
week'sdiscussionabouttheconnectionbetweenresponsibilityandtrustworthiness.
AskthestudentstopredictwhyAslanwillgainthetrustofthechildren.
Understanding(Week3)
Beforethisdiscussion,studentsshouldhavecompletedchapters12‐16ofTheLion,The
Witch,andtheWardrobe.Readthefinalchapteraloudatthebeginningofclass.
Action
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Invitestudents'finalresponsesandthoughtsaboutthebook.
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AskthestudentstofocusonthecharacterofEdmund.Doeshechange?When
doeshechange?Whydoeshechange?HasEdmundearnedthetrustofhis
family?Hasheprovenhimselftoberesponsible?
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Inchapter12,PetersaysthefollowingofEdmund'streachery:"Thatwas
partlymyfault,Aslan.IwasangrywithhimandIthinkthathelpedhimtogo
wrong."AskthestudentstoconsiderPeter'ssuggestionthathewasinsomepart
responsibleforEdmund.Whatresponsibilitydowehavefortheactionsofothers?
Inwhatwaysarestudentsofyourageresponsiblefortheirclassmates?Howcanwe
assistothersastheyattempttoberesponsibleandearntrust?
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AskthestudentstoconsiderAslan'sdealwiththeWitchthatsavedEdmund.
Whywashewillingtoriskdeathforatraitor?Remindthestudentsofthe
conversationbetweenEdmundandAslaninChapter13.C.S.Lewisdidnotreveal
theconversationtothereader.Whatdotheythinkwassaid?
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Asthesiblingsgrewolderandwiser,theinhabitantsofNarniaadded
descriptorstotheirnames:KingPetertheMagnificent,QueenSusantheGentle,King
EdmundtheJust,andQueenLucytheValiant.Inmanywaysthesenamesreflectthe
personalitiesandcharactertraitstheydisplayedaschildren.Havethestudents
chooseaname‐‐andthereforeatrait‐‐thattheywouldliketobeknownaswhen
theyareadults.What,specifically,cantheydoduringthecurrentschoolyearto
becomeapersonwhopossessestheirchosenquality.Studentresponsestothis
assignmentcouldbewritteninessayorpoeticform.Thefinishedproductsmightbe
boundtogetherandplacedintheclasslibrary.Theymightbereferredtoduringthe
yearasthestudentsworktowardtheirgoals.
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PetertookpartoftheblameforEdmund'sactionsuponhimselfbecausehe
believedthatastheolderbrother,heshouldhavedonemoretohelphisyounger
sibling.Askthestudentstothinkabouttheirroleinhelpingyoungerstudents
becomesuccessfulandresponsible.Asaclass,brainstormpossiblelong‐term
projectstheymightdoforoneormoreprimaryclasses.Somepossibilitiesinclude
tutoring,buddyreading,playgroundbuddies,andcollaborativeserviceprojects.
Adoptoneoftheseprojectsandhelpthestudentstoplanandimplementtheirideas.
Eachstudentshouldbegivenaspecificresponsibilitythatwillcontributetothe
project'ssuccess.
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TheLion,theWitch,andtheWardrobedemonstratedtheconnectionbetween
responsibilityandtrustworthiness.Askthestudentstoconsidertheresponsibilities
ofchildrentheirage.Howdoessuccess/failureincarryingouttheseresponsibilities
contributetohowtheyareviewedbyothers?Askstudentstoidentifyaspecific
responsibilityanddescribethechallengesthataccompanyit.Howdoesthisspecific
responsibilityinfluencetheleveloftrusttheyaregranted?Theymightconsider
botharesponsibilitythattheyhavesuccessfullymasteredandonethatisacurrent
challenge.
Reflection
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Askthestudentstothinkabouttheactionsofthefourchildrenandother
charactersinthestory.Whatexamplesofresponsiblebehaviorcantheyremember?
Didresponsiblebehaviorcontributetowhetherornotthecharacterappeared
trustworthy?Whichcharacterswouldtheystudentsplacethemosttrustin?Why?
Whichcharactersseemtheleastworthyoftrust?Why?
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Asthestudentsplanandcarryouttheirprojectwithyoungerstudents,ask
themtokeepreflectionjournals.Astheprojectdevelopsaskthestudentsto
considerwhenbeingresponsiblewasespeciallychallenging.Howdidthey
overcomeobstacles?Dotheyfeeltheyhaveearnedthetrustofothers(theyounger
students,classmates,teachers)throughthisproject?
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Inchapter12,PetersaysthefollowingofEdmund'streachery:"Thatwas
partlymyfault,Aslan.IwasangrywithhimandIthinkthathelpedhimtogo
wrong."AskthestudentstoconsiderPeter'ssuggestionthathewasinsomepart
responsibleforEdmund.Whatresponsibilitydowehavefortheactionsofothers?
Inwhatwaysarestudentsofyourageresponsiblefortheirclassmates?Howcanwe
assistothersastheyattempttoberesponsibleandearntrust?