James Patterson's book “Witch & Wizard” is about two teen wizards, Whisteria and Whitford Allgood. Whisty and Whit are brother and sister living in a dictatorship-like society called the New Order (N.O.). In the N.O. any disobedience or ideas of magic will be punished. Also, anyone under the age of eighteen will be evaluated and corrected if they do not comply with the N.O.'s ideas. The dictator of this new society is referred to as The One Who Is The One. The One is supposed to be an all powerful leader, who has powers far greater than Whit and Whisty. The story begins when Whisty and her family are being captured by the N.O.'s Special Forces. This book is a great recommendation to those who like Gothic literature and dark depressing events …show more content…
One of the settings takes place in a mental hospital converted into a prison. The mental hospital is described as dark, gloomy, and dank. The cell Whit and Whisty are being condemned to can be compared to a futuristic dungeon. The text states, “I brandished my drumstick as if it were actually a magic wand. To my complete and utter astonishment, we heard a real live crack of electricity, and actual sparks flew out of the end of the stick. The TW gave a startled cry, and then there was a boom like a jet had just broken the sound barrier. When the smoke cleared, Whit and I were standing there, looking at … well, an honest mistake. But a very bad mistake all the same. I COULD HAVE SWORN I said pumpkin. Didn’t I say pumpkin? Um I think I Just turned the Tattling Weasel into a lion” (127-128). The text explains the book features Gothic literature as a primary theme; there are many other examples of magical events in “Witch and Wizard”. If you have a fetish for Gothic literature, this is a book for you. Even if you do not have a fetish for Gothic literature, this book will make you develop …show more content…
Later in the book Whisty and Whit learn of their powers and train to rise up against the N.O and The One Who Is The One. The text states, “Let’s review: 1. I, everyday ordinary Wisty am a witch. Washboard-tummy Whit is a wizard. We don’t exactly know how to control our powers. 2. Whit and I were sentenced to death by an insidious individual named The One Who Is The One. 3. And my parents are wanted for treason. And we still have no idea where they are, or whether they are still alive. 4. We were tortured in a magic- dampening prison. So possibly we’re more powerful than we even know. 5. A dead girl- who just happens to be the true love of my brother’s young life- showed up mysteriously and rescued us from prison. 6. I turned Byron Swain into a weasel. That, I’m very proud of. 7. The world is actually plural, not singular. Between the Shadowland, Freeland, Overworld, and Underworld, it’s hard not to lose count. 8. And one of those worlds is being run by a bunch of kids … from the manager’s desk in a semidemolished department store. It isn’t paradise, but at least it’s a place where freedom still reigns. 9. I am asked to help orchestrate a prison raid that might save kids from being vaporized” (193-194). The text explains that even though the two teen wizards have gone
Gothic literature, such as The Night Circus, “The Devil and Tom Walker”, “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, and “Masque of the Red Death”, are known for incorporating gothic elements such as the supernatural, death, and fascination with the past.
The novel The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, is a story that takes place in South Africa, and is narrated by a young English boy by the name of Peekay. The story follows his life, including both negative and positive events that shape who he is. Through his negative experiences with inequality and prejudice against others, Peekay develops his moral code that everyone should be treated equally.
Written in 1818, the latter stages of the Gothic literature movement, at face value this novel embodies all the key characteristics of the Gothic genre. It features the supernatural, ghosts and an atmosphere of horror and mystery. However a closer reading of the novel presents a multifaceted tale that explores
Various authors develop their stories using gothic themes and characterizations of this type to lay the foundation for their desired reader response. Although Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Peter Taylor’s “Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time” are two completely different narratives, both of these stories share a commonality of gothic text representations. The stories take slightly different paths, with Poe’s signifying traditional gothic literature and Taylor approaching his story in a more contemporary manner.
Cashdan, Sheldon. The Witch Must Die: The Hidden Meaning of Fairy Tales. New York: Basic Books, 1999.
story has a division between romance and death. When analyzing a gothic novella, the reader
Key Elements of Gothic Literature Jasmine Giles People enjoy reading gothic literature due to its heart rate exciting nature. Without having to engage with any real danger, it is common for the reader to feel anxiety and impaitence when reading gothic fiction. In order for the reader to feel these emotions, the author uses certain elements, such as a gloomy setting and old-fashioned dialoge. In the stories “The Black Cat” and “The Tell Tale Heart”, by elgar allen poe, and “The Landlady”, by Roland Dahl, there are many similarites that remanticize the idea of horror and mystery. Some elements, however, bring out the disbolical horror of gothic literature: the setting, characterization, and the motif of suspense.
Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.
Gillian Flynn and Edgar Allen Poe apply gothic literature of psychological issues and violence throughout their gothic literature in, Sharp Objects, The Black Cat, and The Raven to illustrate a dreary storyline.
Punter David, ‘The Literature of Terror’, in A History of Gothic Fictions from 1765 to the Present Day, The Modern Gothic. Harlow, eds. (UK: Pearson Education, 1996)
The witch is both vulnerable and a powerful figure. The resulting tension between power and powerlessness as a response to laws created by those in power, rather institutionalised power: men, can be seen as expressed through such binary metaphors as that of physical strength and beauty versus weakness and ugliness, kn...
Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Norton Critical ed. 3rd ed. Ed. William M. Sale, Jr., and Richard J. Dunn. New York: W. W. Norton, 1990.
Harry Potter is an orphaned boy whose parents were attacked and killed by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. The boy survived the horrible slaying, which left him with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He lives with his disagreeable uncle and aunt and unpleasantly selfish cousin during summer months. The boy attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he learns about potions, flying on a broomstick, and fighting off the evil Lord Voldemort.
...me situations or events in the book and Harry Potter is an excellent source. On top of all the parallels between real life events and situations from the book, Harry Potter is fascinating and truly beautiful literature. Ms. Rowling’s is a refreshing, clever and very imaginative author. Her intelligent writing causes the reader to wonder and look maybe from underlying amounts of detail and distinctive use of words and phrases. Harry Potter tickles the imagination and steps out of the bounds of normal children’s literature. Not only does it stir some intellectual thinking but at the same time entertains the reader in a fun and unique way. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone sets new rules in children’s literature; it is truly a masterpiece full of so much imagination and fantasy.
Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Norton Critical ed. 3rd ed. Ed. William M. Sale, Jr., and Richard J. Dunn. New York: W. W. Norton, 1990.