As a child, I can remember sitting on my bed and staring at the knick-knacks on my dresser, attempting to will them to move with my mind. I would stare at the glass dolls or "Girls Rule!" picture frames, trying to get them to float, or even shift a fraction of an inch. I was totally and completely convinced that if I concentrated hard enough, I'd be able to succeed. I had seen Bedknobs and Broomsticks enough times to know how things worked.
I was also constantly obsessing over Disney's Halloweentown, and Hocus Pocus. I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a countless number of times, flinging open closets and the door to my family's eerie guest room (that literally no one has ever stayed in). I was consumed by magic and finding the ~~other~~. I'm still not completely sure that these realms do not exist.
A few weekends ago, I spent time at a local, eccentric bookstore—The Book Loft. As I walked through the rooms, running my right hand
along the shelf tops, a book on Wiccans caught my eye. Curious, and recently
enlightened by an early American Literature class that I took last Spring Semester, I
casually flipped through the first couple of pages with great interest. The author explained that
witches are connected with nature, and that Wiccans only cast spells for
positive energy. She also wrote that she and her husband were occasionally
approached by Satan worshipers or individuals that wished to cast spells to
harm or possess others, but that Wiccans firmly do not associate or condone any
sort of Devil-worshiping or dark magic. The witches in older readings (such as Cotton Mather's accounts) were seen as
satanic and malevolent by a society that feared what varied from their
Christian, normative lifestyle, simply for being different.
We are now in a society that
honors a practicing Wiccan religion, and weaves witch figures into our pop
culture through works such as Harry
Potter, Wicked, and American Horror Story: Coven. So, have witches really
changed? Probably not. Instead, I believe that we have turned
Puritan witches into Elphaba and Hermoine. To be a powerful, magic woman is totally sexy and seemingly forbidden. And that's cool.
I have previously mentioned my incredible Buffy fandom, which is perhaps out of control. But I honestly cannot help but to drool over Dark Willow when she becomes "the big bad" of Season Six. Sweet Willow sheds her sweaters and maxi skirts for an all black outfit, dark hair, and a vein-y face that somehow, totally works.
As far as supernatural story-lines go, obviously vampires were recently (or still perhaps are?) in their prime. But the witches in mass media movement is so much different. These characters are not only witches, but women, showing that girls can be strong and take charge. Jessica Lange in AHS Season Three is a total bad-ass. Hermoine Granger was the brains of the operation throughout the whole Harry Potter series. The underlying empowerment is stronger than we realize, and completely effective, especially for those of us that are completely swept away with worlds of mysticism.
12 years later, and I'm still trying to move things with my mind. I'm also currently contemplating a super hot witch costume for Halloween, although also in the running is a gypsy, Inara from Firefly, or Shilo from Repo! The Genetic Opera. Obviously, I have some decisions to make.
But maybe I'll just give Halloweentown another go,
Jordan
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