The Magician’s Nephew

by

C. S. Lewis

Songs and Singing Symbol Analysis

Songs and Singing Symbol Icon

In The Magician’s Nephew, songs and singing symbolize the creative force that forges new life out of nothing. When Narnia is founded, Aslan creates life by singing: his wordless, beautiful song summons the stars, the first sunrise, the sprouting of grasses and trees, and even the appearance of animals. While Digory, Polly, the Cabby, and even Strawberry the horse respond with joy to Aslan’s song, others—like frightened Uncle Andrew and the hateful Witch—are repelled by it, suggesting that the attitude of a person’s heart conditions their response to the beauty of creation.

Songs and Singing Quotes in The Magician’s Nephew

The The Magician’s Nephew quotes below all refer to the symbol of Songs and Singing. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
).
Chapter 8 Quotes

Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could possibly count. They were in harmony with it, but far higher up the scale: cold, tingling, silvery voices. The second wonder was that the blackness overhead, all at once, was blazing with stars. They didn’t come out gently one by one, as they do on a summer evening. One moment there had been nothing but darkness; next moment a thousand, thousand points of light leaped out—single stars, constellations, and planets, brighter and bigger than any in our world. There were no clouds. The new stars and the new voices began at exactly the same time. If you had seen and heard it, as Digory did, you would have felt quite certain that it was the stars themselves which were singing, and that it was the First Voice, the deep one, which had made them appear and made them sing.

Related Characters: Digory Kirke, The Lion / Aslan
Related Symbols: Songs and Singing
Page Number: 107
Explanation and Analysis:

But the Witch looked as if, in a way, she understood the music better than any of them. Her mouth was shut, her lips were pressed together, and her fists were clenched. Ever since the song began she had felt that this whole world was filled with a Magic different from hers and stronger. She hated it. She would have smashed that whole world, or all worlds, to pieces, if it would only stop the singing.

Related Characters: Queen Jadis / The Witch, The Lion / Aslan
Related Symbols: Songs and Singing
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

“He thinks great folly, child,” said Aslan. “This world is bursting with life for these few days because the song with which I called it into life still hangs in the air and rumbles in the ground. It will not be so for long. But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either; he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him, he would hear only growlings and roarings. Oh Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good! But I will give him the only gift he is still able to receive.”

Related Characters: The Lion / Aslan (speaker), Polly Plummer, Uncle Andrew Ketterley
Related Symbols: Songs and Singing
Page Number: 185
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Magician’s Nephew LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Magician’s Nephew PDF

Songs and Singing Symbol Timeline in The Magician’s Nephew

The timeline below shows where the symbol Songs and Singing appears in The Magician’s Nephew. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Magic, the Ordinary, and Innate Goodness Theme Icon
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
This time, the darkness lasts for a surprisingly long time. They feel as though they’re standing on something solid, yet it’s as dark... (full context)
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Magic, the Ordinary, and Innate Goodness Theme Icon
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
...such a place. But suddenly the Cabby hushes them all. In the darkness, someone is singing. The song is wordless and beautiful, seeming to come from all directions. Even Strawberry responds... (full context)
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Magic, the Ordinary, and Innate Goodness Theme Icon
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
Suddenly, the singing voice is joined by innumerable harmonizing voices. At the same time, the black sky is... (full context)
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Listening to the Voice’s song, the Witch perceives that this world is filled with a magic that’s different from hers—a... (full context)
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
...they stand is filled with vivid colors. But when they see the Singer of the song, everything else pales in comparison. (full context)
Chapter 9
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
The Lion paces back and forth, singing. This song is “softer and more lilting” than the song that accompanied the emergence of... (full context)
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
...that the emergence of different living things correspond to the varying notes of the Lion’s song; this wondrous discovery takes away her fear. Digory and the Cabby feel nervous about the... (full context)
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Creation, Creator, and the Dignity of Life Theme Icon
As Digory approaches the Lion, he notices that the Lion’s song has changed once again. It sounds wilder, making the hearer “want to rush at other... (full context)
Chapter 10
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Human Selfishness vs. Divine Selflessness  Theme Icon
...Beasts were endowed with speech, Uncle Andrew missed it altogether. This was because the Lion’s song made him so uncomfortable—making him think and feel things he’d rather ignore. So he tried... (full context)
Chapter 15
Creative Magic vs. Destructive Magic Theme Icon
Magic, the Ordinary, and Innate Goodness Theme Icon
...certainly getting better, and within a month, the Ketterley house is transformed. Mabel has begun singing and playing with the children again. Within six weeks, she is quite healed. They also... (full context)