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Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death.
One of the main themes in The Puppets of Spelhorst involves the magic of stories. In keeping with its broader emphasis on imagination, beauty, and wonder, the novel celebrates the act of storytelling, suggesting that it has the power to transform teller and listener alike.
Indeed, the novel frames stories as central to the characters’ quest for meaning. Each of the puppets begins the book with vague dreams and a desire to find purpose in their existence. However, it is storytelling that the puppets were made for, though they don’t realize it at first. When Spelhorst asks to buy the girl puppet on her own, he is told, “The puppets must be purchased together or not at all […] for they are in a story” (11). After a series of adventures, the puppets are reunited and used to tell the story of Spelhorst. To their surprise, the puppets find that there is joy and power in working together to tell stories and impact audiences. Moreover, storytelling represents the ultimate fulfillment of their individual dreams. The wolf, for example, finally feels as ferocious as she says, and her shadow instills fear into the Plus, gain access to 8,750+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
By Kate DiCamillo