Edmund as Humanity

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is often perceived to be a portrayal of the passion of Christ. Aslan sacrifices himself to save Edmund, the boy who betrayed his siblings for selfish reasons. In this sense, Edmund accurately portrays Judas, who was willing to betray Jesus after witnessing His miracles and knowing that He was truly God. In the same way, Edmund portrays humanity, who even after knowing that Christ died for us still chooses to sin against Him. Edmund did not even truly appreciate Aslan before Aslan decided to give his life for him. How many of us can honestly say that we would die in the place of someone who not only does not love us, but has also betrayed us?
In offering himself as a sacrifice, Aslan shows a God-like love. His actions show the reader an isolated depiction of how God was willing to go through excruciating pain and suffering for the same people who turned away from Him and did not love Him. Even now, with complete knowledge of what God was willing to do for us, we still choose to sin against Him every day. Perhaps by taking a look through Edmund’s eyes we will be able to see how loved we are by a God that we constantly choose to betray. Maybe then we will be able to think twice before we reject Him once again.