Half Magic

Choose three literary devices that feature in Half Magic and discuss how they enrich and shape the narrative. Provide textual evidence to support your argument.

Miss Bick is a minor character, yet she is a constant throughout the narrative. How does her presence reinforce one or more themes from the story? Use evidence from the novel to support your thinking.

If Half Magic were written today, what changes might be made? What would remain the same? Why? Use evidence from the novel to support your thinking.

Mr. Smith quotes a line in Through the Looking Glass about believing in “six impossible things before breakfast.” Why is this quotation important and how does it show Mr. Smith as a symbolic bridge between childhood and adulthood? How do the plot and themes of Through the Looking Glass relate to Half Magic?

A foil is defined as a character who directly contrasts another character. Which characters in Half Magic could be considered foils to each other? Why? Use evidence from the novel to support your thinking.

The children could have chosen any era to visit, but they opted to venture to Camelot during the reign of King Arthur. Why is this a fitting destination for the siblings? Consider characterization, theme, and symbolism in your response. Use evidence from the novel to support your thinking.

In your interpretation, did the magical events of the novel really happen, or were the children simply playing games of make-believe in their own back yard? Does the novel’s meaning or message change based on how you interpret these events? Provide evidence from the text to support your response.

Foreshadowing is a literary device that hints about what might happen later in the story. What elements of foreshadowing exist in the text? Explain how and why these moments hint about future elements of the story. Use evidence from the text to support your thinking.