Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet: Explication de texte
Witch and Wizard was a novel by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet having 312 pages and classified as fictional novel. This mysterious and adventurous novel was slightly similar to the novel of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling because of the use and presence of witches and wizard. This was a fictional novel due to the use and existence of magic, supernatural powers and the occurrence of alternate dimension— the shadowland, which in real life, it is not visible and felt by human. The setting of the story was in U.S. The time period of the story was 21st century but the ambiance, looks, and aura was 17th century that accounts to dystopian future caused by new totalitarian government— in which a ruler is an absolute dictator. The places were like black and white and lifeless because of the absence of visual arts and music in its environment yet in this period, it has modern technology like having social media.
This book was mysterious, full of adventure, magical, and slightly violent and scary because of the antagonist’s role. The main characters, Whitford “Whit” and Wisteria “Wisty” Allgood, started their journey when they were accused as witch and wizard and arrested by the new political party, called the New Order because of Byron Swain’s accusation. During the arrest, their parents, Benjamin and Eliza Allgood, gave them one item of worthless book and a drumstick before them being vanished like a bubble. They later discovered that Whit was a wizard and Wisty was a witch and same as their parents. The leader of the New Order, The One Who Is The One also appeared during the arrest which revealed that he somehow knows their parents. The siblings are then taken to prison in a psychiatric hospital and they found out that it was being occupied with children like them, and are grilled by Byron, The One Who Judges—Judge Ezekiel Unger, his sister—the Matron, and the Visitor. They, at the moment, are put on a trial and are sentenced to execution when they turned eighteen.
Wisty and Whit fully discovered the capability of their magic and super powers when they were being caged in the hospital. They were freed by Whit’s girlfriend named Celia who had mysteriously disappeared, then returned, notifying the siblings that she was a Half-light spirit that live in Shadowland because she was killed by the New Order. Feffer, a hellhound from the psychiatric hospital joined the siblings. Celia told them how to enter and exit in the Shadowland and introduces them to Sasha, a sixteen-year-old boy, who helped them to exit and go to Freeland— a store called Garfunkel’s which a place for persecuted children which was ruled by Janine. The first plan of the siblings was to find their parents and they need to find them and rescue them in case they were imprisoned too. The search for their parents turned in rescuing children from the New Order Reformatory. Their mission became successful with the help of the assemblage. The Resistance, together with Whit and Wisty, they visited the City of Progress, where they quickly discovered that magic is inhospitably mistreated. Upon searching for their parents, they discovered the power of their magical abilities and are being told that they were the Liberators spoken of in a prophecy about the end of the New Order. Thus, they planned to dismantle the regime and Byron, who was turned Wisty into weasel, insisted that he wanted to go with them since he has changed and felt sorry for his wrong doings, Wisty was not convinced, but Whit allowed him to come along with them.
When they were starting on their next mission, they passed across their demolished house and with some magic words they cracked they saw their missing parents in a holographic image. They transformed Whit’s book into spell book and Wisty’s drumstick into magic wand. Eliza turned Byron into human again and instructed him to look after them. Their mission in finding their parents were successful even though they did not know where they were but at least they knew they’re safe.
Witch and wizard demonstrates and focus on sociological, structuralist, Marxist, psychological, archetypal, moralist, and feminist fictional topics.
In sociological context, the setting of the story was in the US in the 21st century but the era and mood of the environment was 17th century. It happened because the totalitarian government called New Order— which is so absurd that it was posted in the walls and streets as N.O., banned the use of art and music in the environment which appears to be black and white. This government also banned many literary pieces like books and scriptures making people to be uninformed about the reality that’s why people with books hide these and save the existing books they have. There was also no music and it happened that there was an underground club, which was illegal, for the people to gather around and listen to their favorite music, bands and musicians. The use of magic was also prohibited that’s why people with super power abilities tend to hide it and blend with the normal people. People who discovered that they have magic were being violated and even vaporized by The One Who Is The One. Children and teens were also not exempted with these doings. Once the government found out that they have magic, they will be prosecuted and discarded in a maximum prison wherein they can’t use their powers there until they rich legal age to be prosecuted and later vaporized. Because of this instance, children who have the chance to escape turned out to be rebel against the society called the Resistance. They are the one who save children who are like them in the Freeland. As we can analyze, it clearly defines the dystopian culture of its society.
This literary piece depicts, structurally, the reality of the happenings in the society. People who seek powers try to suppress the weak ones based on their freedom and capacity of living like The One Who Is The One did in the government, he wanted to be the most powerful by wiping out all the threats that blocks his way—killing people who are like him, witch and wizard. On the other hand, like in the real world, there were also individuals who fight for what’s right even the real justice was falling, the keep on fighting back until they get the justice they want. People help each other up and they even motivate people not to give up on problems. Also, it will not be lost the importance of family in the society similar to the Allgood’s search for their parents but this time, it ends up finding new family for them.
Even though it is not written directly on the texts, this literary piece shows that capitalism will be ultimately taken place by the collectivism in a classless society. This is where people with magic and people without magic should live with peace and harmony. That the government should not punish and eradicate witches and wizards. Government shouldn’t own the literary pieces around the vicinity and burn the copies of the citizens. That people will be free from who they wanted to be and what they wanted to do like listening and doing music and making arts and literary pieces.
Witch and Wizard also expresses psychological situations in the story. For a children or teens like Wisty and Whit, it is hard to see people who were being tortured and punished by the government itself. It is quite traumatizing. Also, the government created facilities, where collected children who have magical powers are being kept in mental hospital— the New Order Reformatory, where they were being tortured physically and emotionally and are being suppressed to use their powers. Whit experienced interacting to a Half-light which was his late girlfriend when the time that he was confused and problematized because they were being caged in the reformatory. Also, Whit and Wisty became motivated in fighting The One Who Is The One when they discovered that they were in the prophecy to takedown the New Order regime.
Archetypal, Whit and Wisty’s surname were Allgood which significantly highlights that they were the protagonists in the story. The New Order regime which is so absurd that its acronym was N.O. which represents that this government opposes the goodness in the society, that this government will be a nightmare for those who are oblique to their objectives. Freeland was a place where bombing and chaos occurs in the story. This is where the N.O. soldiers were ordered to fight for those Freelanders—the Resistance, who oppose the regime. Resistance was a group of children who survived in chaotic experience brought by the N.O. which represents those people who disapprove the actions of the government. Drumstick and book which were given to the siblings by their parents represents the art, literature, and music that we have that later these can be used as powers to fight and save yourself—like these tools turned into magic wand and spell book.
In moralist’s point of view, this literary piece displays violence and hate based on the happenings like the situations that occurred in the suspected people who have magical powers and also the government itself that shows its greed to powers. Technically, you can read in the book some profane words like crap, butt, hell, sucks, dang, and WTH which are somehow inappropriate for the kids to read this book and also the violence that are happening like children being tortured, occurrence of frightening Lost souls, vaporizing of human beings by The One Who Is The One. On the positive side, there are values that can be reaped in the story like being independent, fighting for what’s right, saving lives, and loving and caring for families.
In feministic point of view, even female children and teens were not safe from the governments punishment. There were also being punished same as what men are treated. For example, Wisty were being punched on the stomach by Byron after being grilled by him. She was also tortured physically and emotionally when she was in the reformatory. Also, they were being brainwashed by the reformatory. On the other hand, there were also positive things that happened with the female characters in the story. Jamila, a shaman in Garfunkel’s gave ways for the witches and wizards to discover their true selves and powers. Celia, even she was killed by the New order, she made herself to be faithful of Whit even she’s fighting for herself from being Half-light. Janine, she showed that even she’s a girl, she can handle the Resistance as the leader of it.
The reader's last reflection about Witch and Wizard, it is catchy and captivating due to the type of story it had. It is easy to understand and it is relatable between the characters and the reader because they were both teenagers. He can understand the character's inner thoughts. Technically, it is not hard to understand the book because the use of words was not complex and you can understand the thought of each main characters because there were two voices in the book which were Whit’s and Wisty’s side. The events in the story were properly arranged. The weak part of it was each chapter were too short to elaborate the happenings of the story and you can’t easily remember the scenes because it just flew away, no focus because it prepares it flow with the other significant event coming in each chapter. The end of the story was slightly suspenseful and it seems there will be another book. The message of the book tells the importance of having a complete family, finding and exploring your inner self, helping others, being independent, believing on yourself, and fighting for what is right no matter what might happen. It is like you are a hero and you need to save the world. The reader wanted to recommend this book, especially to the teenagers because this book tells something about learning yourself and embracing yourself as a teenager. It is like a guide to your inner self by reading this exciting, full of adventure, and fascinating novel.
