WEEK FIVE: Witches

Witches!

Witches hold an interesting place in the world of literary archetypes. They are one of the few character types that are gender specific in reference to women. A witch is a powerful woman with abilities normal people do not possess. They cast fear into those who get in their way. They represent an difference towards normal lifestyles and they embrace their femininity proudly while in opposition to masculinity. It is an archetype of empowerment.

For the week, I read Aunt Maria by Diana Wynne Jones. The story is about a “normal” old woman, helpless and innocent as perceived, who lives in a town with other witches. The story starts pretty normally but escalates as the truth of the matters come to light.

Jones presents us with a witch but it’s not a witch that we are more typically expected to see. Her witch stands as the protagonist of the story, rather than some kind of evil being out to make lives so much worse. I think the classic trope of using a witch to display malicious intent is a fun one at best, but there’s so much to play with that I think it’s great to see it being explored further through this novel. We are given a witch that wants to be seen as quiet and frail but underneath that exterior lies a woman of great power. In terms of gender representation, I think Jones represents a woman of reality, guised underneath the witch persona.