Inciting Event: Using her as a guinea pig in an “experiment,” Uncle Andrew tricks Polly into touching one of his magic rings, sending her to the Wood between the Worlds and horrifying Digory, who has no idea why his friend has vanished. Digory also must touch a ring to go rescue Polly.

First Plot Point: Digory and Polly use the rings to travel from the Wood between the Worlds to a new world, but the world seems to be in ruins. There, Digory awakens Queen Jadis, who recounts how she used a powerful magic spell called the Deplorable Word to destroy all living things in the world except herself upon losing a war for the throne with her sister.

First Pinch Point: Queen Jadis demands that Digory and Polly take her to their world, which she intends to conquer. Alarmed but unable to escape from her, they end up accidentally taking her to the Wood between the Worlds and to their world. She immediately begins wreaking havoc, first in the house and then out on the streets of London. Digory worries that Queen Jadis will frighten his ailing mother to death.

Midpoint: Digory has been waiting for Queen Jadis and Uncle Andrew to come back to the house. He plans to use the rings to transport Queen Jadis back to her world by touching her and the ring at the same time, but this will be more difficult than he thought. Queen Jadis returns to the house riding a horse-drawn hansom cab like a chariot and followed by a mob of police and amused Londoners. The scene soon becomes violent. Digory decides to bide the danger and make a grab for Queen Jadis’s heel as she rides a horse and assaults policemen; he has committed to taking charge of the situation. He succeeds, with the help of Polly. It is also at this point in the story that Digory first has the idea of traveling to other worlds to find a cure for his mother, which becomes his main story goal.

Second Pinch Point: Back in the Wood between the Worlds, Digory and Polly realize that they have brought along not only Queen Jadis but also Uncle Andrew, the cabby (Frank), and his horse. The whole gang travels to an empty world and witnesses Aslan’s creation of Narnia. This is a pinch point because Digory and Polly must figure out how to proceed in this unexpected situation while avoiding letting Queen Jadis or Uncle Andrew get hold of the rings.

Third Plot Point: Digory learns that Aslan is upset with him for carelessly bringing Queen Jadis, a “force of evil,” into the new world of Narnia. To atone for this mistake, Digory agrees to go on a quest to obtain a magical apple from a faraway garden and bring it back to Aslan. The apple will be used to grow a tree that will protect Narnia from Queen Jadis. Digory, Polly, and the newly winged cab horse Fledge set off on the journey.

Climax: Digory enters the garden and takes an apple for Aslan. He considers taking one for himself but decides against it. As he is about to leave, he is shocked to see Queen Jadis also in the garden. She has just eaten one of the apples and tries to tempt Digory to eat one, too.

Climactic Moment: Digory is able to resist Queen Jadis’s suggestion that he eat an apple and become immortal as she has just done. However, when she points out that he could use the fruit to cure his mother, Digory becomes extremely conflicted. Should he keep his promise to Aslan, or should he abandon the quest and cure his mother? It is not until Queen Jadis recommends that he leave Polly behind to go back to his mother in London that he realizes that she has a hidden agenda and stands up to her. Digory, Polly, and Fledge escape.

Resolution: Using the fruit from the garden, Digory and Aslan plant a tree whose smell will repel Queen Jadis from Narnia for many years to come. Meanwhile, the now-immortal Queen Jadis has fled to the Wild Lands of the North, where she will live on while building up her magic. Aslan gives Digory an apple that will cure his mother. Back in his own world, Digory cures his mother and enjoys a happy home life again.

(Submitted by Kristin Necaise.)