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4.1 Magic Law

Decent Essays

4.1.1.3. Sophie enters Howl’s Moving Castle and makes a bargain with Howl’s fire demon, Calcifer
The spell attached on Sophie has brought her to experience another magical event. On her journey, Sophie sees Wizard Howl’s castle moves toward her. Sophie takes this chance to stop the castle so that she can speak to Wizard Howl. However, Howl is not in the castle at the moment. She only meets with Howl’s apprentice, Michael, and his fire demon, Calcifer. Her meeting with Howl’s magical creature has enlightens her. While looking at her, Calcifer can see that Sophie holds two spells on her. The fire demon then makes a deal: he will remove the spells on her if she can break the contract between it and Howl. Her current condition makes her agree with …show more content…

Magic Law
The magic law found in this magical event is consistency. The logical construction of the secondary world is shown through the consistency of the magic’s power. Nikolajeva (1988) and Watts (2006) claim it is important to maintain the consistency of the secondary world. In order to make the story logical and comprehensible, the magic should work as it is instructed.
Excerpt 4.11. … It was definitely the fire that spoke. Sophie saw its purple mouth move as the words came. Its voice was nearly as cracked as her own, full of the spitting and whining of burning wood. … “What are you?” “A fire demon,” answered the purple mouth. There was more whine than spit to its voice as it said, “I’m bound to this hearth by contract. I can’t move from this spot.” Then its voice became brisk and crackling. “And what are you?” it asked, “I can see you’re under a spell.” This roused Sophie from her dreamlike state, “You see!” she exclaimed. “Can you take the spell off?” Sophie. “It’s a strong spell,” it said at length. “It feels like one of the Witch of the Waste’s to me.” “It is,” said Sophie. “But it seems more than that,” crackled the demon. “I detect two layers. And of course you won’t be able to tell anyone about it unless they know already.” It gazed at Sophie a moment longer. “I shall have to study it,” it said. (pp.

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