Point of View
In The Magician's Nephew, Lewis writes in a third person omniscient perspective or third person limited omniscient. The narrator is not a part of the story, although he does address the reader at several points in the story. This narrator is privy to the thoughts and feelings of Digory and Polly, in particular. The reader is able to especially see the sadness, hope, and temptations of Digory. By knowing Digory's thoughts, one can recognize the motivations behind his actions, and also how he feels about the events in Narnia.
In this story, Digory and Polly are the main characters. Even the narrator mention other characters and show their thoughts, (chapter 9, page 128-129) it’s because it’s related to Digory and Polly. The focus on the thoughts and feelings of Digory and Polly help to center the story on these characters and their adventures. This is important for several reasons. First, the focus on Digory and Polly helps to draw younger readers into the story. By allowing the reader to see their thoughts but by not including their ages or physical descriptions, younger readers can more readily imagine and be a part in the story. So the readers can walk in their shoes and pretend to be one of them.
Theme
The theme of this story is “Creation vs. Destruction”
One of the central contrasts in the novel is between creation and destruction, or beginning and end. This contrast can be seen most effectively through the creation of Narnia and the destruction of Charn.
When Digory and Polly arrive in Charn, they feel that Charn is dead, cold, and empty. There are no people and no other forms of life. The landscape is in ruins. The buildings often don't look very safe, and the place looks like it has been deserted for years. A red sun hangs in the sky, and Digory feels that it is much older than the one in London.