Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Resurrection Of Christ Stone Table - 2,516 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

... knew why) and clung to the Lion" (Lewis, p. 179). Jesus too had followers not unlike the children: "A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him" (Luke 23: 27). Once he is in the hands of the Witch, Aslan is subjected to humiliation and ridicule: "'Stop!' said the Witch. 'Let him first be shaved. '... they worked about his face putting on the muzzle... he [was] surrounded by the whole crowd of creatures kicking him, hitting him, spitting on him, jeering at him" (Lewis, pg 180).

This imagery is, once again, remarkably similar to that of the Gospels: "The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, 'Prophesy! Who hit you?' And they said many other insulting things to him" (Luke 22: 63 - 65) (Brennan). Aslan's resurrection involves the same kind of Biblical allusion.

In the Gospel of Luke, the women who had followed Jesus went to his tomb: "Very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered; they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24: 1 - 3). In the same way, after Lucy and Susan take off Aslan's muzzle, they leave the Stone Table where he was executed. In the early morning they return to find the Stone Table broken in two and the resurrected Aslan standing before them (Lewis, p. 184 - 85).

The breaking of the Stone Table is obviously not so similar to the stone in Jesus' tomb as it is to the curtain of the temple being torn (Luke 23: 45). The image is even more allusive to the breaking of the tablets containing the Commandments in the book of Exodus. These latter correlation, however, is probably not so much direct allegory as it is an example of Lewis' command of Biblical imagery as a literary device (Brennan). In the dark of night, at the Stone Table, Aslan, who describes himself as sad and lonely (Lewis, pg 179), gives himself over to humiliation and death at the hands of the White Witch and her minions. He is tied to the Stone Table and killed by the White Witch while Susan and Lucy look on from afar. With Aslan dead, the queen vows to kill the children.

With Aslan dead, all hope seems lost (Vincent). However, the dawn of the next day changes everything. At that moment they heard from behind them a loud noise a great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giants plate... The Stone Table was broken into two pieces by a great crack that ran down it from end to end; and there was no Aslan. Who's done it? cried Susan.

What does it mean? Is it more magic? Yes! said a great voice from behind their backs. It is more magic. They looked round.

There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself. Oh, Aslan! cried both the children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad... But what does it all mean? asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer. It means, said Aslan, that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know.

Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward (Lewis, pg 184). Upon comparing the creation stories in The Magician's Nephew and the book of Genesis, Lewis' technique of making animals a central part of his narrative is readily noticeable.

In Genesis, God creates animals that inhabit land on the fifth day: "God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind. ' And it was so. " (Gen 1: 24 - 25). The interesting choice of words in this verse may well have been the inspiration for Lewis to write his creative description of the creation of animals in Narnia, where the animals are literally produced by the land, out of the ground: "In all directions it [the land] was swelling into humps. They were of very different sizes some no bigger than mole-hills, some as big as wheel-barrows, two the size of cottages. And the humps move and swelled until they burst, and the crumbled earth poured out of them, and from each hump there came out an animal" (Lewis, pg 68 - 69).

Lewis' emphasis on the animals in his creation story is especially apparent with his use of Aslan the lion as a God figure: "The Lion opened his mouth... he was breathing out a long, warm breath; it seemed to sway all the beasts as the wind sways a line of trees. " (Lewis, pg 70). This image of life-giving breath directly correlates to a passage in Genesis: "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. " (Gen 2: 7). Lewis equates the significance of the creation of man in Genesis with the creation of the animals in Narnia, and thereby appeals to a child's natural attraction to animals by making them the central part of the Narnia creation story (Brennan). What the White Witch did not know is that there are two kinds of magic in Narnia: the Deep Magic, and the Deeper Magic. Both have their source in the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea.

Beyond this, there are a number of crucial differences. The Deep Magic exists from creation and is known to all creatures. The Deeper Magic has its source in eternity past and is unique knowledge known only by the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea and Aslan two eternal beings. The Deep Magic represents Gods moral law and its obligations, requirements, and penalties. The Deeper Magic represents Gods redemptive plan that was the subject of the divine counsel of God from eternity past (Vincent). Aslan's resurrection clearly parallels the resurrection of Christ.

Moreover, the Stone Table on which he is sacrificed evokes the stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai and Lewis acknowledged that he had Moses's tablets in mind when he described the Stone Table. The strange symbols and runes carved into this unimaginably ancient artifact seem to be relics of an old Narnia religion, the religion the Witch invokes when she calls upon the Deep Magic. Indeed, the Witch says that the Deep magic is carved into the Stone Table itself. When the Stone Table breaks, the event signifies the end of an era.

Narnia undergoes a transition from an old, unforgiving faith to a new, vibrant, and compassionate one. The same thing can be said to have happened when Christ rose from the dead: God's old covenant with man was replaced with a new covenant. Aslan's suffering and death both renews and transforms the Deep Magic that governs the universe of Narnia (Hourihan). Although Lewis clearly intended Aslan's story to suggest Christ's Passion (the Passion is the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ), the two stories are not exactly parallel.

Lewis repeatedly explained to his readers that he did not simply transplant the Gospel story into a new setting. Instead, he imagined what the life of a redeemer might be like if another world needed redemption. The most important difference between the stories is that Christ died to redeem all humankind, while Aslan dies to save one life. However, even this difference between Aslan's and Christ's stories reinforces the overall Christian message.

In God's eyes, one human life is as significant as all human lives. The story of Aslan thus stands on its own to a certain extent, both reflecting and restating Christian themes (Hourihan). There are other differences between the two stories. Aslan rises the morning after he is killed, whereas Christ lay in the tomb for three days, a highly symbolic number in Christianity. Aslan immediately whirls into action the moment after he rises, speaks to Susan and Lucy, and then storms the Witch's castle.

Christ did not reveal himself to his disciples for a long time. In Narnia, once Aslan rises from the dead, the world returns to normal. The Christian legend explains that human beings must wait to go to heaven to experience such perfection. Jesus' resurrection was not immediately followed by a new social order and the abolishment of evil. Although Lewis refers to the Christian story, he adapts it to fit the fantasy world of Narnia. Thus, Lewis creates a unique variation on an ancient tale and preserves the individuality of the magic kingdom of Narnia (Hourihan).

Because of the Deeper Magic agreed upon by the Father and Son, God created with full awareness of the personal cost to himself. God created knowing that, ultimately, the Son would suffer the full penalty of human sin. That is why the sacred Scriptures speak of the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world (Revelation 13: 8). This truth is alluded to in The Magicians Nephew, the prequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

In the book, Aslan tells the beasts that, before the new, clean world I gave you is seven hours old, a force of evil has already entered it; waked and brought hither by this son of Adam Evil will come of that evil, but it is still a long way off, and I will see to it that the worst falls upon myself (Lewis, pg 80) (Vincent). The battle shows the triumph of good over evil, Christ over Satan, and death over life. We do not need to read too deeply to understand this scene. After all, Lewis is writing first and foremost about Narnia. The Christian allegory is secondary to the main story. The victory of Peter's forces and the murder of the Witch are not important because they stand for the victory of Christianity and the defeat of Satan.

More simply, they are important as a victory of good over bad. Lewis suggests that any battle where good triumphs over evil can be symbolic of Christ's victory over Satan. Although the action of the novel continues through the battle scene, Chapters 16 and 17 comprise the denouement of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The climax of the book really comes when Aslan rises from the dead.

The most noteworthy thing that occurs after the climax is Edmund's sudden transformation. Edmund had moved to the side of good after deserting the witch, but it was an uneasy departure. Even Edmund's talk with Aslan, though it had firmly convinced him of the need to stay on Aslan's side, hadn't been able to remove his lingering sense of guilt and doubt. Now, however, Edmund has fought his own battle and redeemed himself with his own hand. Ultimately, this is as important as Aslan's self-sacrifice to save Edmund. A person cannot be simply carried through life into enlightenment and salvation, but must strive to achieve these goals through his or her own efforts.

Human effort is as important as divine intercession. Edmund realizes that he must prove his worthiness and risks his own life to smash the Witch's wand. When Aslan knights Edmund, it is a sign that Edmund has atoned for his sins and can now look upon the world without fear or shame (Hourihan). Some have criticized Lewis story by arguing that Aslan's work of salvation involves the deception of the White Witch. To this, three things must be said. First, Lewis is writing a fantasy that reflects Christ but is not intended to be a theological treatise.

Second, though elements of substitution ary atonement are present, the larger theme is deliverance from the powers of evil. Aslan provides a ransom for Edmund. Thus, the ancient ransom theory of atonement, which for some church fathers, involves tricking the devil, is reflected in the story. Scot McKnight writes, To be fair, most today who adhere to the ransom theory no longer see Gods tricking of Satan as part of the mix. Instead, they speak of Gods powers being unleashed to liberate humans from sin and suffering and systemic evil. But, one will admit that the story of the early fathers was full of drama.

Release from someones grip is an ageless story. Third, there certainly is a sense in which the evil powers had no way to conceive of what God was up to in Christ. Gods wisdom is simply too much for even the most powerful spiritual beings. Paul writes about this in 1 Corinthians 2: 7 - 8: But we speak Gods wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. In the end, the one thing that certainly comes through is that Aslan gives himself over to the powers of evil for the sake of the sinner, Edmund. There is no other reason for him to do this than divine love.

In this way, we are reminded of what God has done for us all in Christ: For while we were still sinners, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 6 - 8) (Vincent). So Aslan paid the ultimate price for Edmund, just as the White Witch said, You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill... And so that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me.

His blood is my property (Lewis, pg 175 - 180). Aslan instead gave his pure and innocent blood for Edmunds treachery, in this same way Christ came to die for the sins of all mankind. Works Cited Brennan, Matt. "The Lion, the Witch and the Allegory: An Analysis of Selected Narnia Chronicles. " Into the Wardrobe: a C. S. Lewis Web Site. 19 Apr. 2006 < web >.

Hourihan, Kelly. "SparkNotes: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. " SparkNotes. 17 Apr. 2006 < web >. Lewis, C. S. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. Vincent, Rich. "TheoCenTriC: The Deeper Magic. " TheoCenTriC. 17 Apr. 2006 < web >.


Free research essays on topics related to: white witch, resurrection of christ, creation story, christ died, stone table

Research essay sample on Resurrection Of Christ Stone Table

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com