It's like, there is an undercurrent here of showing that no, these scary, powerful ladies aren't really scary at all! See! No power! Woo Hoo!
You know, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this. That is to say, I know what you're trying to say here, but I didn't see the book this way. The Wicked Witch of the West, as we have her in the original book (and that's the only one I've read), was a symbol of pure, unadulterated evil. She was also a cartoon, somewhat like Maguire's Wizard. Someone who alternately terrified/delighted me, and I'm sure countless other kids as well, as a child. The Wicked Witch of the West worked *because* she was so mysterious and Evil McEvil. Like Sauron, if you please. To portray such a character as the tragic heroine of a book requires some up, close and personal portrayal, which automatically takes away the mystery from the character. As is the same with Glinda, and Nessarose (I know there's a book about Glinda out there, but that Glinda isn't our Glinda). They aren't scary because they *can't* be scary and sympathetic at the same time. But are they really *powerless*? I don't think so. What is power, exactly? Maguire comes back to this question again and again, as jaybee65 points out. I'm not sure if it has much to do with the gender of the hero and the villain.
That's not very coherent is it? Sorry. I just came back home from a very tiresome train journey.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2006-07-21 08:38 am (UTC)You know, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this. That is to say, I know what you're trying to say here, but I didn't see the book this way. The Wicked Witch of the West, as we have her in the original book (and that's the only one I've read), was a symbol of pure, unadulterated evil. She was also a cartoon, somewhat like Maguire's Wizard. Someone who alternately terrified/delighted me, and I'm sure countless other kids as well, as a child. The Wicked Witch of the West worked *because* she was so mysterious and Evil McEvil. Like Sauron, if you please. To portray such a character as the tragic heroine of a book requires some up, close and personal portrayal, which automatically takes away the mystery from the character. As is the same with Glinda, and Nessarose (I know there's a book about Glinda out there, but that Glinda isn't our Glinda). They aren't scary because they *can't* be scary and sympathetic at the same time. But are they really *powerless*? I don't think so. What is power, exactly? Maguire comes back to this question again and again, as
That's not very coherent is it? Sorry. I just came back home from a very tiresome train journey.