Incantation
By: Alice Hoffman
Presented By: Jennifer O’Donnell, Kathryn McEachern, Lindsay Spring,
Hillary Dailey, Jenna Ferrara, Amelia Nichols, and Jennifer Barrett La Forte
Incantation: Ritual recitation of verbal charms or spells to produce a magic effect
“You cannot argue reasonably with evil.”
A Summary of Incantation
Protagonist: Estrella de Madrigal
Setting: Encaleflora, Spain in 1500
Problem: It’s the time of the Spanish Inquisition. During this time
many Jews were put on trial, burned, or imprisoned. Many Jews
converted to Christianity to avoid persecution before the Inquisition
began. Catalina, Estrella’s best friend, tells officials that Estrella’s family
is Jewish and they only appear as Christian to the outside world.
“I wished that we lived in another time, another country.” ~ Estrella
A Book Trailer…
Author:
Alice Hoffman
A is for…
Abra - Estrella’s mother. Abra is not afraid of anything or
anyone, she speaks many languages and is very intelligent. Abra heals
others with herbs, spices and chanting. She has cards that are said to
predict the future, studies meteorology, astrology, and healing with
natural remedies.
B is for…
Burning Day - The novel begins with a burning day; a day
that all Jewish books; medical, magic or other would be burned.
Towards the end of the novel we learn that Estrella’s own family,
mother and brother, would be burned because they were Jewish.
C is for…
Catalina - Estrella’s best friend. Estrella and Catalina were best
friends since they were babies. Estrella has a crush on Catalina’s soonto-be fiancé, Andres. This causes a kink in their relationship; Catalina
becomes increasingly jealous of Estrella’s relationship with Andres and
after witnessing them kiss, Catalina turns in Estrella’s family to officials
because they are Jewish.
D is for…
Dini - Estrella’s pig. Other families killed a pig every spring to
make chorizo sausages, but not her family. They did not eat pork, so
Dini was growing fat and strong. Dini often slept in Catalina’s room; in
her bed.
E is for…
Encaleflora - The name of the tiny village in Aragon, Spain
that Estrella lives in with her family. This town had been her families
home for more than 500 years. The town is named after the lime
flower.
F is for…
Friendship - Catalina and Estrella were the best of friend’s
but that all changes after a spat of jealously between the two girls.
Estrella believes that Catalina pretended to be her friend, and now
appears differently than the person she had always known. Catalina’s
lies about Estrella’s family had rewritten everything; their history, their
friendship, and now Estrella’s fate.
Best friends – now enemies
All because of a kiss between Estrella and Catalina’s fiancé
G is for…
Green Wood - When Estrella reaches the Plaza, she sees
her brother tied to a green wood post as well as her mother. Because
her brother was studying to be a priest, his crime was seen as the worst
so officials stripped him of his clothes, shaved his head, beat him with
leather strips, and broke his bones one at a time.
H is for…
Hidden Jews - There is a list of ways to tell who was a
hidden Jew.
1. They wear clean clothes on Saturday.
2. They light candles on Friday night.
3. They fast twice a year.
4. They tell stories of Queen Esther.
5. They do not eat pork.
6. They name their children after those in the Old Testament.
I is for…
Intolerance - Estrella’s family is reported to the court by
Catalina, Estrella’s best friend. The court’s intolerance of practicing
Judaism causes Estrella’s family to be torn apart.
Catalina tells the judge…
1.
No one in Estrella’s family eats chorizo (sausage made from pork)
2. Their pigs were their pets, instead of food (Dini)
3.
Estrella’s grandmother was once referred to as Sarah, a name from
the Old Testament
J is for…
Jealousy - We learn towards the end of the story that
Catalina’s jealousy of her fiancé and best friend, Estrella, causes her to
report Estrella’s family to officials because of unusual things she’s
witnessed; the grandfather’s secret life, people coming and going at all
sorts of hours of the night, Estrella not blessing herself the way Catalina
does, etc.
“She did it as though turning us in to the court was the simplest thing,
a households chore, a recitation of daily prayer.” ~ Estrella
K is for…
Kabbalah - Estrella’s mother ties a piece of red yarn around
her arm; under her clothing, for luck. This piece of yarn is a symbol for
Kabbalah.
L is for…
Lies - Estrella lies 3 times to her best friend Catalina…
1. Estrella tells Catalina that she is not staring at Catalina’s fiancé;
Andres lovingly.
2. Estrella tells Catalina that she has a stomach ache and she can not
come over for dinner; really Estrella wants to avoid dinner because they
are eating sausage and Estrella can not eat any because she is Jewish.
3. Estrella tells Catalina that her beloved pearls look beautiful on
Catalina. Really Estrella is mad that Catalina is wearing them; she only
says this because Estrella knows that it would make Catalina happy.
M is for…
Marrano - literally means “pig.” This was a name that people
who practiced Judaism secretly, were given, like Estrella’s neighbors, the
Arrias family.
N is for…
Nothing - At the end of the novel Estrella’s family is left
with nothing. Their house was taken, Estrella’s grandfather, mother,
and brother were murdered, their material possessions were collected
by soldiers. All that’s left is Estrella, her grandmother, and Andres.
O is for…
Oppression - means the exercise of authority or power in a
burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. This word describes the way
Estrella’s family was treated by officials after being found out that they
were Jewish.
P is for…
Prejudiced - Others were prejudiced against the Jews. The
Jews lived behind gates in a section that others called “Juderia.” At
night this gate was locked; like you would locked a caged animal. The
children that lived there had no shoes. They were defined by red circles
on their coats. By law they could not own land, marry outside their
faith, or eat a meal with a Christian.
Q is for…
Quiet - Estrella’s family had to keep quiet about being Jews. In
fact, Estrella was raised to think that they were something different;
Christian. Estrella’s real name; Esther, was used only at very special
occasions and in private; like when Estrella received the pearl necklace
from her grandmother. (Esther is a name from the Old Testament; a
name that would identify her as a Jew.)
“This kind of knowing you can never tell to anyone. If you want us to
survive, you cannot trust a soul.” ~ Estrella’s grandmother
R is for…
Ring - On the day of Estrella’s grandfather’s arrest, soldiers came
and took what they needed for a trial; candlesticks, silver, letters,
Estrella’s jewelry box with her pearls inside, but Abra, Estrella’s mother,
had luckily thought to hide her emerald ring in her shoe. The soldiers
took nearly everything and destroyed her house.
S is for…
Spanish Inquisition - lasted from 1481 until well into
the 18th century. It was established by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II
of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic
orthodoxy in their kingdoms. It was a time when Jews were victimized
by Christians.
“It’s a bad time to be in the world.” ~ Abra (Estrella’s mother)
T is for…
Town Square - Many events occurred in the Plaza or
town square: burning of books, burning of Marranos, riots ensued and
decrees posted of how to tell who was a “hidden Jew.” There was a well
in the center of the plaza. The water pulled up was said to come from
heaven. It was sweet and clear.
U is for…
Undisclosed - Estrella’s family had to remain undisclosed
about their Judaism. Estrella’s grandmother tried to keep the family’s
secret belief in Judaism undisclosed information, but realizes that
Estrella needs to know the truth. In the end, Estrella vows that she will
not forget her family.
Forgetting them was the real evil. ~ Estrella
V is for…
Victimized - The Arrias family, Estrella’s neighbors, were
turned in to officials by Catalina’s family. They were put on trial
because they were Jews who were only pretending to be Christian.
Many rumors were beginning to spread. One rumor was that Senora
Arrias killed small children, and that was the reason that her sunflowers
grew so well; because she sprinkled the blood on the ground.
It was the time when anything could happen. It was the time when a
single word could turn your world upside down. ~ Estrella
W is for…
Witchcraft - Catalina, was so upset that Andres is in love
with Estrella and not her, that she tells officials that Estrella’s family
practices witchcraft. In effect, this lie turns officials to look at Estrella’s
family and their beliefs. This is what begins the evil for Estrella’s family.
Ester’s mother was accused of practicing witchcraft and her grandfather
of being a sorcerer.
X is for…
Xenophobia - Xenophobia is an irrational or deep rooted
fear of or apathy towards foreigners or people of other cultures. This
was a major factor in the establishment of The Spanish Inquisition.
Y is for…
Yearning – Estrella yearns to see her mother and brother
after they are imprisoned. She knows their fate and wants to make it
easier for them. Estrella goes to see a doctor who gives her two tablets
made from white powder. Estrella brings these tablets to her mother to
take so that she could end her life herself, instead of being burned.
Z is for…
Zohar - the most powerful book, studied by Estrella’s
grandfather. He is a prominent leader in their community; although he
remains very secretive about what he does in his study late at night. He
is a teacher and a surgeon. He opens up to Estrella and allows her to
enter his study. He even begins to teach her Hebrew.
I thought I knew the world.
I thought I knew myself.
I thought I knew my dearest friend.
But I knew nothing at all.
~ Estrella de Madrigal, Spain 1500
Final Thoughts…
The book certainly deals with some very serious, heavy issues,
however there is a message of hope at the end.