A Snicker of Magic

The power that words carry is a theme emphasized through many facets of A Snicker of Magic’s plot. Powerful words contribute to crucial moments and relationships as the story unfolds, and the importance of words is stressed through Felicity’s interactions with the people of Midnight Gulch.

The idea that words are powerful is spelled out through Felicity’s interactions with many of the townspeople. Miss Lawson stresses in Chapter 3 that “your words are pure magic, after all. Your words are necessary enchantments” (23). Later, Oliver Weatherly tells the story of meeting Stone Weatherly, whose parting words to Oliver were “Your words matter more than you know” (92). Oliver takes this advice to heart, saying “the only words that mattered” to Eldee Mae by professing his love for her (93). Oliver and Eldee Mae end up marrying and creating the Beedle persona for anonymous acts of kindness. Oliver’s love confession illustrates the way words have the power to form and mend relationships.

This idea comes up again when Florentine tells her story about her relationship with Waylon. Waylon encouraged Florentine to be “brave enough to say what I felt” (153), so Florentine spoke her first words in years to tell Waylon she loved him. Waylon’s encouragement was so powerful that Florentine, who was ashamed of her speech, broke her silence to confess her love to him, demonstrating the power of Waylon’s words. Rosie Walker also stresses the power of words when she pulls Felicity aside in Chapter 16. She advises that “if it hurts too much to say [your words], then you sing them, or whisper them, or write them into a story. But don’t waste them. Your words matter more than you know” (181-82). Rosie’s advice helps Felicity in the Duel, when Felicity realizes it is easier for her to speak to a crowd when Boone plays his banjo along with her.

Aside from the stories from the past, several characters use words to create bonds, express love, and repair relationships during the events of the book. In Chapter 4, Felicity expresses that she would “give away every word [she’d] ever collected to have a friend” (30). This wish comes true in Chapter 5, when she passes her blue book to Jonah, despite having “never let anybody touch that book before” (39). The symbolic passing of her words to Jonah represents the beginning of Felicity’s friendship with him. Their friendship is only strengthened by words later, in Chapter 8, when Felicity tells Jonah that she sees the word splendiferous on him. Jonah writes the word on Felicity’s hand, asking her to keep it safe for him. This moment of passing words back and forth shows the way Felicity and Jonah are building their friendship through their quirks. Felicity stresses the importance of words to Jonah later in the book, when Jonah tells Felicity about his deployed father. Jonah says, “when I talk to him on the phone, I tell him I love him. That’s all” (210). Jonah laments that he hasn’t given his father anything to keep with him while he’s deployed, but Felicity assures him that Jonah’s words are everything.

She takes this point a step further when she sends her dove tattoo to Jonah’s father, along with the words “Love you” and “That’s all” and “That’s everything” (214). Day Grissom also illustrates the power of words when he finally manages to speak to Cleo in Chapter 23. After serenading Cleo with a song he’s written for her, Day announces, “I came to tell you […] that I’m sorry” (255). Cleo is moved but says he needed to say that “twenty years ago” (255). Day agrees and continues to express his love for her, how he wishes he had married her, and how he still wants to marry her. Day’s bravery in reaching out to apologize to Cleo leads to the mending of their relationship, showing how words have the power to bring people together.

Felicity uses this idea during the climax of the book, when she speaks about the Brothers Threadbare at the Duel. Felicity believes the brothers “should have said the words that mattered most of all” adding that “their words were more powerful than any magic trick they ever did” (282). Felicity explains that Isabella Thistle’s curse could have been broken if the brothers “would have said ‘Sorry for what I did to you’ [and] ‘I love you’” (282). Felicity’s newfound understanding of the conflict between the Weatherly brothers, as well as the way she frames her presentation, emphasizes the way words have the power to create and mend connections between people.