from the context of the story it can be said that Aslan is the symbolization of virtuous supreme power.
As it is said, a symbol is something suggesting something more than what it suggests on the surface. This principle can be applied as Aslan is said to be one of the
symbols in the story. In the surface, Aslan is a character being in the form of a lion created in such a way that he possesses virtuous magical power. However, if we want to
look beyond the physical form of Aslan himself, it is noticeable that the author uses those details to put ideas about virtuous supreme power into a tangible object. The
author is likely to put an emphasis by making each detail to be so explicit and complete as the proof of his high level of power. Therefore, it is also not coincidental that the
author uses the image of the Lion as the embodiment of the supreme power as he makes an association with
the common people’s idea about the lion. By the use of this easily understood experience from the real life, it helps the reader understand the special use
of Aslan in the story. This shows the author’s intention to create an object that can be a
symbol of that power within his literary work. Furthermore, the name of Aslan is also repeated throughout each event of the story, conveying his position as the symbol within
the story.
b. The White Witch
In the novel, the White Witch is also one of the manifestations of Magic being physically described in a form of a beautiful, tall, solemn queen with a strong, proud,
and happy expression but who looks cruel. She is also strong and brave with a very fast
movement that makes Digory sees her as a good figure of a Queen p.61. Her great and powerful magical power is shown in the form of the deplorable word, the incomparable
strength, outstanding power, and glorious charisma. The notion of the Deplorable word comes into action to describe the magical
power that the Witch uses to destroy her country and all of her citizen due to a conflict with her sister regarding the successor of the throne, as it is written:
At any moment I was ready to make peace – yes and to spare her life too, if only
she would yield me the throne. But she would not, her pride has destroyed the whole world….She flashed her horrible, wicked eyes upon me and said, ‘Victory.’
‘Yes,’ said I, ‘Victory, but not yours.’ Then I spoke the Deplorable Word. A moment later I was the only living thing beneath the sun p.66-67.
From the quotation, we know how magnificent the power of the deplorable word is so that it can destroy every living thing; except she who speaks it of course. This shows us
what supreme power she has within her. The author keeps that power within the possession of the Witch even after she is
woken by Digory. It is said when Digory and Polly have to escape from the room when they awaken her, they face the doors made by either ebony of some black metal. They
wonder how they will be able to escape from that room since the door is fastened hard so that it seems too high to reach and too heavy to lift p.63. However, it is written that
the Queen is finally able to destroy the door by the use of her Magic, as it is written: The Queen let go of his hand and raised her arm. She drew herself up to her full
height and stood rigid. Then she said something which they couldn’t understand but it sounded horrid and made an action as if she were throwing something
toward the doors. And those high and heavy doors trembled for a second as if they
were made of silk and then crumbled away till there was nothing left of them but a heap of dust on the thresholdp.63-64.
The author even uses the statement “
as if they were made of silk
” in a comparison to real hard black metal door. It can be said as the effort of the author to emphasize how
strong she is with her magical power. In addition to the deplorable word, the author also portrays the Witch as
possessing an incomparable strength. It is shown as the journey continues to bring them to England when she is said
to be able to lift Aunt Letty; Mrs. Ketterley’s sister, as if she is not heavy at all due to her rage, as it is written:
Without wasting a thought on her disappointment, she lunged forward, caught Aunt Letty round the neck and her knees, raised her high above her head as if she
had been no heavier than a doll, and threw her across the room p.87
That quotation shows that although she is not in her world, she still possesses such great power to do that action. The author even uses the statement “
no heavier than a doll
” to emphasize that she is greater beyond human power that means she can throw Aunt Letty easily.
Her magical power is asserted further by outstanding power when she is described to be able to ride a horse in a standing position with an outstanding balance condition
although they are at full speed, as it written: On the roof
—not sitting, but standing on the roof—swaying with superb balance as it came at full speed round the corner with one wheel in the air
—was Jadis the Queen of Queens and the Terror of Charn….Only a splendid rider could have
stayed on it back p.95
In this experience, the author himself states that not all people can do what she does since it can be done only by a splendid rider. This gives a hint that the author himself
wants to put the significance on the notion of her magnificent power. In addition, her magical power as the manifestation of Magic can also see from
the way the author puts in her a glorious charisma which really influences a lot of people who are dealing with her. It is seen in the moment when Digory first meets her.
At that mom ent Digory says that “And you could see at once, not only from her crown
and robes, but from the flash of her eyes and curve of her lips, that she was a great queen”p.58. This statement that there is something that that the White Witch embodies
so that although she has not spoken any word yet her charismatic appearance has spoken to Digory of what sort of great queen she is. Digory is really amazed with her so that he
felt to have found the best candidate to fulfill his definition of what a real Queen looks like p.61. Similar with Digory, Uncle Andrew is also once trapped with her beauty
that although she treats him badly and improperly, he still wants to be submissive toward her since she can get him for her possession p.83.
Until this point, we can see how Jadis is explicitly depicted as well as the supreme power as the manifestation of Magic within her. However, in contrast with
Aslan, she uses it for engaging in destruction. Thus, it can be said that her power is endowed with a vicious attitude. This viciousness is also exposed in several scenes
related to her pursue of her ambition for greatness.
It has been said above that the White Witch once used the deplorable word to destroy all of her city of people due to her ambition for ruling the Land of Charn .
Through this condition, we may have been able to see the viciousness of the White Witch, yet the author gives many important details to understand more about this
notion. It is written that she does not have any pity toward others that she says so easily about killing other people, as it is said
that “I poured out the blood of my armies like water
—“p.67. From this quotation, the reader can see her viciousness so that for fulfilling her desire and ambition for power, she becomes so cold, merciless, and
sadistic. Furthermore, her ambition for power also makes her to be self-centered, it is even written that
Don’t you understand? I was the Queen. They were all my people. What else were they there for but to do my will?
…You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen
such as I…We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny p.67-68.
Different from Aslan who really loves and cares for all of his creation, making him to regard them in an equal position with the human beings, The White Witch just
sees others as the tool that she can use to achieve her hunger and greed for power. She is never interested for other desire, unless they can be used for her goal. Therefore, as they
are not useful for her anymore, she is not hesitant to destroy thing. In addition, he also believes in a fundamental freedom which justifies her to do anything she wants, feels,
and thinks without thinking others right. This kind of freedom also makes her to define what is wrong and what is right. In other words, it can be said that what she thinks is
just “I” and “me”. This view can also be revealed from the way how she calls other as
“dog” p.77. She does not have any interest in others’ business, what is in her mind is just using others for her interest although it means she has to humiliate others p.79.
Her own standards on goodness and wrong-doing make her not to realize that what she has previously done is a false thing. As a consequence, she continues her
ambition to rule Digory’s world p.69. As she has done in her previous life, she also
applies violent actions as she notices that the children are not eager to bring her to their world.
It is stated that “Minions Cried the Queen, turning in rage upon Polly and seizing her hair, at the very top of her head where it hurts most”p.71. In addition, the
fact that she was once trapped in Magic due to her action also does not lessen her interest in colonizing other worlds
and people. Therefore, as she arrives in Digory’s world, The Witch makes a riot as the way of conquest p.100-101. This condition
shows the same principle that she justifies the destruction of others as long as she can achieve her goal. This kind of view makes her have no care for others. What she thinks
is just of her own business so that she regards others just as tools she can use. In this case, to use is likely to mean to hurt others.
Her ambition to rule is never lessened so that when she arrives in Narnia she without any hesitation wants to injure Aslan, the creator by flinging the iron bar straight
at his head. However, it does not strike him, then even the White Witch cannot stand before Aslan that she shriek and run away p.116. This story is really important since
the author starts to emphasize the conflict side between vice and virtue. It shows that the Witch may be able to be said to be the rival of Aslan due to his magic capability,
however the author explicitly and clearly states that she cannot compare with Aslan ’s
power which makes everything about Aslan and Narnia like a disaster for her although Aslan has brought much goodness others p.110. Therefore, it can be seen that finally
virtue will always be victorious over vice. Although, she has realized that thing, she never give up to gain her desire as an
ultimate ruler. Therefore, she tries to tempt Digory, with all her tricks , to ignore Aslan’s
request by eating the apple tree of which it is prohibited to eat for his own sake p.175- 176. If her attempt edsuccess then the Land of Narnia will not be safe so that she can
conquer it. However, she fails tempt Digory as he realized that it is just her trick to make him stumble that she sets off northward down the slope of the hill p.175-176.
Once again, the author makes an important point that virtue will always win in the in the end of its conflict with vice.
From those elaborations, it can be seen how the author wants to portray the White Witch as someone who possesses magical power to a supreme level seen through
each detail supporting that imagery. In addition, in a similar way with Aslan, the author also includes special vicious characteristics of the White Witch revealed through her
way of achieving his ambition. As a consequence, the White Witch does not merely portray about a powerful woman, yet if it is analyzed deeply the author wants to use this
image to convey the idea of a vicious supreme power in reality in a visible form. Thus, it can be said that the White Witch is the symbolization of the vicious supreme power.
In making each detail to symbolize the White Witch, the author uses several devices. First is the use of repetition which can be seen from the way the author repeats
the notion of the deplorable word to convey magical power of the Witch. To realize that even after the Witch still has the power after being woken by Digory with the same
disastrous effect, the author is likely to put her supreme power in a significant position. Furthermore, the author also uses some specific emphasis to describe the supreme
power of the Witch which even tends to be hyperbolic seen from the statement like and “as if they were made of silk” and “no heavier than a doll”. These emphasizes show the
author’s intention to portray her supremacy. In addition, those descriptions actually give the image of negative characteristics which suits with her vicious character. At last, it is
also stated that symbol can be recognized by looking at the recurring pattern. In this case, it can be seen that there are also some occurrences where the author puts in an
explicit way the conflict between good and bad power which is represented through Aslan and the White Witch. From this elaboration, it can be seen that the author puts
into an important place on the notion of binary opposition; vice and virtue.
c. The Apple Tree
