A magician, also known as an archmage,
mage, magus, magic-user, spellcaster, enchanter/enchantress,
sorcerer/sorceress, warlock, witch, or wizard, is someone who uses or
practices magic derived from supernatural, occult, or arcane sources.
It is a form of acting in which
the artist presents one reality to the audience member, hiding another
reality—actions that only they are aware of.
Magic tricks often rely on
psychology, misdirection, and sleight of hand. Magicians create illusions
by manipulating the audience's perception and focusing their attention away
from the secret moves or techniques used to perform the trick.
When a magician pulls off an
impossible trick, it challenges our perception of reality, creating a sense of
wonder and amazement. This cognitive dissonance is both perplexing and
delightful, compelling us to suspend disbelief and enjoy the spectacle.
Magic is so appealing that it thwarts our logic and understanding of the world around us. We're constantly looking for answers and rational explanations, so when something defies our perception and knowledge, it evokes a sense of surprise and wonder.
Magic captivates us because it
sparks a sense of wonder and amazement. It can make us feel like anything is
possible, just like when we were kids.
Magic reignites that childlike
sense of wonder which reminds us of those more innocent and carefree times.
It's the same feeling you get from watching the reactions on children's faces
as they encounter something they don't understand.
Related to this is the short story
"The Conjurer's Revenge" by Stephen Leacock. It takes place in a
setting where a conjurer is humiliated by a rival magician in front of a crowd.
The conjurer then seeks revenge by using his powers to disrupt the rival's performance.
The story uses irony and satire to achieve humor.
The story is based on the theme
that we should not belittle anybody's skill or professional knowledge. A
skilled conjuror earned his living by showing magic tricks to the audience. He
was a talented man.
The audience was thrilled,
amazed, and curious to see the conjurer performing his trick.
The conjurer was a skilled
magician. He was so talented that he could even get a fishbowl from an empty
cloth. He could do difficult tricks like extracting eggs from a hat, the addition
of rings, and many more. The conjurer was also a person who could think on his
feet.
The name "Quick Man" in
the story promotes the idea that a magician or a "conjurer"
needs to have hands quicker than the eye. However, this man feels that he can
pick up on the Conjurer's tricks and that he is literally "quicker"
than the magician.
In the first part of the story, the
conjurer amuses the audience with his tricks and at the same time the quick man
interrupts and distracts them by often saying “He had it up his sleeves”
After a while, the conjurer asked gold
watch, hankie, collar, and glasses from the quick man. He smashed all
these things with the quick man's permission in the name of the latest Japanese
tricks. This perplexed the quick man. Finally, the conjuror declared the show
to be over.
The conjurer's revenge was
complete after he destroyed the belongings of the Quick Man. The conjurer had
succeeded in fooling the Quick Man with his permission. Thus the conjurer
took his revenge.
The conjurer took revenge on the
Quick Man by making him lose his speed and agility. He cast a spell that
slowed down the Quick Man, making him unable to move quickly anymore. It was a
clever way for the conjurer to get back at him.
Read the story here
The sensation of amazement that magic inspires lights up people's lives and makes them feel happy, therefore magic can be a means to maintain hope. By giving up belief in reality and entering the world of magic, magic is a means of escaping the traumatic truth of life.
(This blog post is a part of Blog chatter's Half marathon:https://www.theblogchatter.com/campaign-registrations/blogchatter-half-marathon-2024)
( Prompt: A story about a magician whose tricks always go hilariously wrong)
This post takes me back to my childhood which were days of innocence and wonder. It was always a treat to watch a magic show.
ReplyDeleteReally.
DeleteI love magic. But i can't imagine wicked magicians. I do want to read that story you mention here.
ReplyDeleteok. thanks for stopping by
DeleteSo interesting to read about the book. I liked how you have first explained what a magician is. Will read this story soon. I've already downloaded it from the link you put here. Thanks for sharing about it
ReplyDeleteHappy to know that you have downloaded it to read.
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