60 pages • 2 hours read
Edward Eager, N. M. Bodecker, Alice HoffmanHalf Magic
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1954A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: Edward Eager and Magical Realism
Edward Eager, born in 1911 in Toledo, Ohio, attended Harvard University, but never received his diploma. While an undergraduate, he wrote the play Pudding Full of Plums, which was such a success. Afterward, he decided to leave school to pursue writing. From then on, he worked mostly as a playwright and lyricist for musicals, television, and radio. He was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. While his plays and lyrics are mostly forgotten today, his children’s literature continues to be widely read.
In 1951, Eager struggled to find good books to read with his son, Fritz. So, drawing on inspiration from his favorite childhood author, E. Nesbit, he began writing Half Magic. Published in 1954, the book became the first in a series of seven novels. He paid homage to Nesbit by mentioning her books in Chapter 1 and by borrowing her narrative framework: Children in a quiet town discover an item that grants wishes.
Although Eager’s classic tale is considered fantasy, it really has roots in magical realism. While fantasy often has a mythical setting and is rife with supernatural beings, magical realism infuses magic into the ordinary, everyday world. Half Magic follows four siblings in Toledo, Ohio, who make wishes on a magic coin. Although they are transported to the Sahara Desert and King Arthur’s Court, it is implied that these are journeys of imagination. Most of their adventures take place in their town, rendering this tale more magical realism than fantasy. Eager’s style and writing have influenced present-day authors like American author Alice Hoffman, who penned the adult novel Practical Magic.
Historical Context: Orientalism in the 1920s
Although written in the 1950s, Half Magic is set in the 1920s and reflects the cultural biases of that time. This is reflected in the novel’s use of Orientalism, which is the racially stereotyped representation of Asian peoples and cultures shaped by Western bias. These representations from the 1920s often generalize Asian cultures (i.e., Middle East, North Africa, and Asia) as exotic, undeveloped, barbaric, and dangerous. Ultimately, these stereotypes patronize and sexualize Eastern cultures while elevating the Western world as more sophisticated and civilized.
This Orientalist attitude is reflected in the children’s first impression of Achmed, an Arab man they encounter in the Sahara. When he first appears, Achmed is described negatively: “The ragged Arab’s expression was crafty, and definitely unattractive. As he came to a stop before them he smiled, which made him look more unpleasant than ever” (45). Judging him on his appearance as unattractive, sly, and potentially dangerous reflects the racist lens of Orientalism. However, Eager pushes against this view when Mark considers the motives behind Achmed’s desire for the charm. Mark notes that throughout history, Achmed’s people have suffered injustices, and if Achmed’s circumstances were different, he would not need the charm. As a result, Mark wishes for the man to have wealth and a family. Once Achmed receives this, he stops asking for the charm and gives a prayer of thanks. This abrupt shift in both Mark’s thinking and Achmed’s behavior suggests that Eager is in part critiquing the prevailing views of the 1920s, though the scene still ends with Mark becoming the white savior of the grateful Arab man.
Literary Context: Arthurian Legend
King Arthur is a legendary British ruler depicted in medieval literature. It is not known whether he is a real historical figure or where his story originated. Some believe he was a Welsh leader who fought the Saxons in the 9th century, but this is based on unconfirmed sources (“King Arthur.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Jan. 2024).
In the legend, King Arthur is a kind and fair leader, the epitome of good fighting against evil. Guided by the wizard Merlin, Arthur united Britain against invaders and established the Knights of the Round Table. This group protected the kingdom, periodically going on quests to preserve peace and uphold chivalry (bravery, honor, courtesy, justice, and support of the weak). Launcelot was the most revered of these knights, and the children encounter him in Half Magic.
The enchantress Morgan le Fay plays various roles in Arthurian legend. Some narratives cast her as Merlin’s student while others cast her as Arthur’s sister. In most texts she is the king’s enemy, though in some, she heals Arthur’s wounds. It is the evil Morgan le Fay that the children meet in Half Magic.
One of the knights who kidnaps Launcelot in Half Magic is the green knight, which may be a reference to the titular character in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the 14th-century text, the colorful chevalier arrives at a feast and challenges any knight to strike him with his axe. Sir Gawain volunteers and cuts off the Green Knight’s head. Holding his head, the knight reveals that Morgan le Fay sent him to challenge the king. Similarly, the green knight in Half Magic is one of le Fay’s minions employed to kidnap Launcelot. The allusion to Gawain’s story suggests that Eager was familiar with various texts of Arthurian legend.
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