The Magic Misfits

“So he pumped his legs and clutched his satchel and strained through the murk to see which line of cars was chug-chug-chugging down the tracks and out of the yard.”

The train symbolizes a form of escape and a means to seek new adventures and positive changes in life. A common motif in the oft-employed runaway scenario, the train is Carter’s only practical means of escaping his abusive guardian and traumatic lifestyle. In this moment of heightened stress and urgency, the onomatopoetic inclusion of the train sound highlights Carter’s intense fear that he will miss his opportunity to hop aboard and change his fortunes for the better.

“The colorful train reminded Carter of the first magic trick he’d ever seen: a gentle hand coming close to his face and pulling a red silk handkerchief from his ear, which was tied to a yellow one, which was tied to a blue one, which was tied to a green one, and so on, and so on, and on and on. It was one of the few memories Carter had of his own father.”

Just as the handkerchiefs flowed continuously, the memories now flood Carter’s mind. With the emotion-laden emphasis on the “gentle hand” in Carter’s memory, the author indirectly emphasizes the fact that Uncle Sly has been anything but gentle in his treatment of the boy. This brief glimpse into a more loving past that is now forever lost provides a crucial understanding of Carter’s hidden psychological scars. Additionally, his father’s obvious fondness for the sheer joy of magic tricks stands as a reasonable explanation for Carter’s own passion for the art, and this appreciation for magic has permeated his entire perception, as he even sees the sunrise as a cosmic magic trick in and of itself.