Half Magic

“When you have magic powers and know it, it can be a fine feeling, like a pleasant tingling inside. But in order to enjoy that tingling, you have to know just how much magic you have and what the rules are for using it. And Jane didn’t have any idea how much she had or how to use it, and this made her unhappy.”

As realization dawns on Jane that she did something magical earlier that day, instead of feeling unbridled excitement, an unsettled and discontented feeling accompanies that joy. The reason for this is the need for rules and structure. Even something wonderful is not so pleasant if it represents the unknown. Jane’s lack of knowledge about the magic and how to use it makes her shy away from the possibilities it presents.

“Oh, there’s never only one explanation […] It depends on which one you want to believe! I believe in believing in six impossible things before breakfast, myself. Not that I usually get the chance. The trouble with life is that not enough impossible things happen for us to believe in, don’t you agree?”

When Alison claims that there is only one explanation for her sudden appearance in the road, Mr. Smith responds with a quotation from Through the Looking Glass. In a similar scenario, Alice argues with the Queen that one can’t believe in the impossible, and the Queen responds, “sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast” (Carroll, Lewis. Through the looking glass and what Alice found there, London: MacMillan, 1935, p.101). Mr. Smith’s belief in magic sets him apart from most practical-minded adults. This scene foreshadows that Mr. Smith will play a larger role in the narrative and make a connection with the children.