5: Witches

Aunt Maria and the Power of Women

I read this Aunt Maria or Black Maria whatever you want to call it a while ago after reading Howl’s Moving Castle and I was not as super impressed. The beginning and middle of the book were decent I was pretty hooked. It had some gripping stuff within its pages and Aunt Maria is one of the most hateful and hate-able villains you could have the pleasure of reading and the main characters are pretty self-determined. It’s got some stuff that pulls at the heart strings like the mother forgetting her own son but from what I remember the ending felt rushed, and what happens to Aunt Maria doesn't really resolve anything it was very unsatisfying. That being said I do enjoy Diana Wynne Jones writing style and I managed to finish all opinions aside. It wasn’t horrible I just wouldn’t really recommend it Howl’s Moving Castle was better.  As far as the question goes Aunt Maria or Black Maria is definitely not a stereotypical witch she follows an archetype built by past tales and stories, a witch guideline to put into simple terms. She’s not your green, pointy nosed, and broom riding, potion making witch but she is a witch. What do the characters say about the way our culture models women with power? In class we discussed about the Alpha female and how important of a role she plays in modern narratives, how we perceive gender roles. The witch is the perfect candidate good or evil witches are always feared whether that is through misinterpretation or through blatant evil agendas within a general analysis the Witch is an Alpha Female not till recent iterations did we ever really see male witches. In Aunt Maria the women under Aunt Maria’s rod of iron, rule the town, the men are brainless zombies and the only children are locked away. What does that say about the way our culture models women with power? We fear them just as we fear witches or maybe the rule of a mother. We fear the Alpha Woman but that’s not a bad thing, right? Well not for me at least. On a lighter note all these things are also explored in of my favorite Miyazaki films Kiki’s Delivery Service “witch” I’m really glad we watched in class.