As the most prevalent theme in The Magician’s Nephew, temptation plays a key role in the plot and character arcs. In fact, succumbing to temptation sets the entire story in motion. Long before the book begins, Uncle Andrew was tempted to meddle with magic to reach other worlds, creating the rings that later tempt Polly. The ring transports her to the Wood between the Worlds, which begins the domino effect of the rest of the book. Just as all of the events of the Bible flow from Adam and Eve’s expulsion from paradise, the Narnia series would not unfold as it does without these initial “transgressions.” These temptations also set the tone for the rest of the novel, which repeatedly demonstrates that giving in to temptation carries consequences while resisting it brings rewards.

Lewis explores temptation primarily through Digory, who has a basic understanding of how actions warrant consequences when the novel begins. As he tells Uncle Andrew, “I’ve never read a story in which people of that sort weren’t paid out in the end, and I bet you will be. And serve you right” (31). Nevertheless, Digory repeatedly succumbs to temptation, typically because he is curious: He persuades Polly to explore additional pools in the Wood between the Worlds, and he taps the bell that wakes the Witch.