In the book The Secret Garden, Magic is a central theme. It can be represented in many ways and I believe that too. I believe Magic is nature, positive thinking, spiritual beliefs/magic, and healing. One magic is the magic of nature. Mother Earth working its miracles and helping plants grow is considered Magic. Several quotes from the book exemplify this point: “‘I shall stop being queer,’ he said, ‘ if I go every day to the garden. There is Magic in there - good Magic, you know Mary. I am sure there is.’', “Everything is made out of Magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people.”, “‘Tha’s doin’ Magic thysel’,’ he said. ‘It’s same Magic as made these ‘ere work out o’ th’ earth,’ and he touched with his thick boot a clump of crocuses in the grass” and “They always called it Magic and indeed it seemed like it in the months that followed - the wonderful months - the radiant months - the amazing ones. Oh! the things which happened in that garden!” as examples.
The magic of spiritual power in this story is represented by Mrs. Craven’s ghost guiding Mary and Dickon to help Colin get well in her garden and her spirit living on in Colin, taking care of him as all mothers do when they are alive. The main quote that proves that strengthens this point is from Dickon: “‘Mrs. Craven was a very lovely young lady’, he had gone on rather hesitatingly. ‘An’ mother she thinks maybe she’s about Misselthwaite many a time lookin’ after Mester Colin, same as all mothers do when they’re took out o’ th’ world. They have to come back, tha’ sees. Happen she’s been in the garden an’ happen it was her set us to work, an’ told us to bring him here.’” The Magic of positive thinking helped Colin too, allowing him to stand up. It helped him try. Before, he thought morbid thoughts about death and how he was going to die no matter what. Now, when Colin was in the garden, he thought positively and believed in himself, allowing him to stand up. He thought and was determined to prove that he would live, and that also contributed to helping Colin stand. Mary’s support and positive thinking helped too, with her saying (quote from the book): “‘He can do it! He can do it! He can do it! He can!’”
The Magic of healing helped Colin strengthen. For example, Dickon told Colin and Mary about Bob Haworth’s exercises to help Colin get stronger: ‘“He’s friendly same as I said an’ he stood up an’ showed me good-natured like, an’ I imitated what he did till I knowed it by heart.’” The Magic of nature merged with the Magic of healing and positive thinking helped Colin stand up, as he says in his lecture: ‘“The Magic in this garden has made me stand up and know I am going to live to be a man. I am going to make the scientific experiment of trying to get some and put it in myself and make it push and draw me and make me strong.’” Looking at these types of Magic, I have reached the conclusion that the central theme of Magic is about things found within and around you that inspire you. The Magic of nature, healing, positive thinking, and spiritual power in Colin, Mary, and Dickon and around them truly shine throughout this novel. You might even find yourself filled to the brim with Magic! Magic is an inner and outer beauty everyone possesses and a gift for the greater good.
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