Making Connections

"Also, the drugs they use to control my pain and mood sometimes makes me see things. I guess. I'm still not entirely convinced that I was hallucinating the night the floor of my hospital room transformed into a carpet of writhing snakes."...(Chapter one page 4 of Mocking Jay)

A text-to-world connection I am able to make from this passage is with the pain medication that the doctors are using on Katniss to numb her, it is helpful but there are some obvious nasty side-effects. I connect these drugs to the ones used to calm patients in extreme pain today they may not have as extreme side-effects but most of them do knock you out and numb the senses and brain for short or extended periods of time. This is a fairly obvious connection that most may overlook but to me it makes the text all the more real and terrifying to relate to... I love it.

Main Character

"Gwyn took her into his hand. 'There,' he said. "I didn't mean it!' She was part of the magic and he would never reject her. He could hardly feel her, but the coolness of her silvery body soothed his tingling fingers." Jenny Nimmo, The Snow Spider Trilogy; The chestnut Soldier page#13

I believe this direct quotation represents the main character Gwyn well because this passage directly relates to his love and yet loathing of the very magic he was born with that on his 11th birthday his Nain helped reveal to him through 5 gifts (see part one of the Trilogy). He threw each gift into the wind as directed, one that came back to him was his now beloved spider companion Arianwen (not mentioned by name in above passage). This is Gywn to me though, a strong boy, that wants desperately to get rid of something inside him, yet impossibly wants to keep what it has brought.
I predict from the past two parts of this trilogy and from what I have read so far into part three that Gywn will help rid the Lloyds of a danger his magic is telling him is near. But I also believe something will try to attack and break down his magic, a small little thing with a demon in it.



I chose this song video to represent my character because I feel that Hedwig's Theme is very so much tied to the magic that runs even deeper than just through the literature part of Harry Potter it is a very emotional attachment as well to the series, I feel this is also very much the case with The Snow spider Trilogy the magic running through it held also by a strong emotion in the magic that is placed deeper than just in words.

Summary and Review

The Witches of Willowmere by Alison Baird

Claire is enchanted by Willowmere, the property she passes everyday on her bus ride home, she's never seen it up close but when the chance arises to question Dr. Myra on the accusations of being a witch she finds herself in the house's very front yard. Drawn to the picture of one of Dr. Myra's ancestors Claire soon discovers her past life... as a hunted and killed witch.



The Witches of Willowmere is an enchanting book of magic and past-selves that takes the reader on a perilous journey through discovering who you are, and whats been haunting you in your dreams. Alison Baird weaves a tale of magnificent proportions that take any reader, young or old, male or female, on a captivating journey through young Claire's other-self discovery.