The Magician's Elephant

“That is surely the truth, at least for now. But perhaps you have not noticed: the truth is forever changing. […] Wait awhile. […] You will see.”

The fortuneteller’s comment initially puzzles Peter, who until now has not questioned the truth. Over the course of the novel, Peter learns that the truth is not always what it seems. As he grows in maturity, Peter learns that he, through belief and action, can effect change in the world.

“Where she was, was not where she should be. Where she was, was not where she belonged.”

The elephant pithily expresses the novel’s emphasis on the importance of belonging. The place where one is known and loved and feels connected is where one belongs. The elephant is one of several characters who must discover or return to where they truly belong.

“And so, no matter what words he may have spoken to the star that occasionally appeared above him, the magician could summon no true regret for what he had done.”

The magician, unhappy with his life, is thrilled that he spectacularly conjured the elephant. Though ordered to send the elephant home, he does not truly want to, and his attempt fails. It takes the loneliness of prison to make the magician realize what he wants in life: human connection, rather than fame and self-satisfaction.