Reconstructing Postcolonial Identity in Narnia through Myth, Imagination, and Secondary World Theory
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34050/els-jish.v9i2.50991Keywords:
Secondary World, Postcolonial Identity, Myth, Imagination, Fantasy LiteratureAbstract
This study examines The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a transformative secondary world that reconstructs postcolonial identity through myth and imagination. While the novel is commonly interpreted as a Christian allegory, this research argues that Narnia also functions as a symbolic postcolonial space where identity, cultural sovereignty, and spiritual autonomy are reclaimed. The study applies Brian Attebery’s theory of secondary worlds alongside postcolonial perspectives from Edward Said, Homi K. Bhabha, and Frantz Fanon. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, the data were collected through close reading and textual analysis of the novel. The findings reveal that Narnia operates as a space of transformation where the Pevensie children reconstruct their identities and reclaim authority after experiencing alienation in the primary world. The study also finds that myth functions as a form of resistance against oppression through the symbolic conflict between Aslan and the White Witch. Furthermore, imagination in the secondary world enables the characters to redefine themselves beyond the limitations of colonial domination. The study concludes that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe represents not only a fantasy narrative but also a postcolonial discourse of liberation, cultural renewal, and identity reconstruction through myth and imagination.
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