Le Cirque des Rêves

Book Analysis: The Night Circus By: Erin Morgenstern Ordinary World: Celia is sent to her father, Prospero the Enchanter, when she is six years old after her mother commits suicide. Together they travel the world while Prospero entertains crowds with real magic, staged as illusions. The Call: Celia's call comes when her father sends for Alexander. Together A. H. and Prospero decide to have another game. Celia is enthralled in their conversation, but has no idea what they are talking about. After they are finished, but before A. H. leaves, A. H. gives Celia a ring and it slowly shrinks until it is through her skin and on her bone. The Refusal: The refusal happens throughout most of the book, but the big refusal comes when Celia and Marco find the outcome of the game. Only one can survive. The Mentor: Prospero and Alexander are the mentors to Celia and Marco. Prospero mentors Celia, through somewhat inhumane ways. Crushing her bones and making her mend her own hand, slicing all of her fingers open until she can heal them all at the same time, and making her pose as a fortune teller. Alexander prefers to mentor Marco through studies of magicians and books. The Threshold: The threshold is crossed when the circus is created. Marco is an assistant to the creator and Celia auditions as an illusionist. The Night Circus is created and so the game begins. Tests, allies, enemies: Isobel is Marcos lover who specialises in the Tarot card. She joins the circus in order to help him keep an eye on Celia and help him in his journey. Celia's ally is Mr. Barris, the circus engineer. Together they create a carousel, where the animals breathe and move in a pattern out of a circle. Marco knows who Celia is, but Celia has no idea who she is up against. Prospero is a shadow of a ghost still telling Celia what to do, and Alexander only visits Marco when he is summoned. The Approach: The approach happens on a rainy day, after the circus has been cancelled due to bad wheather. Celia enters a coffee shop and sees Isobel. Celia asks if she can accompany Isobel. Isobel says that she is waiting for someone but doubts that he will show. Celia asks if Isobel would read her fortune and Celias fortune is fortold. After a little while Celia leaves and walks out into the rain. Celia soon realizes that she is completely dry and hears a voice calling her name. It is Marco, and Marco asks for his umbrella back. Celia laughs as she recognizes him as her opponent. Archtypes: Hero: Celia, in the end she saves them both from death and puts them in the 'ghost' realm of her father. They are together and in the circus. The Mentor: Alexander, Prospero, Isobel, Heir Theisen. Alexander and Isobel help guide Marco in the direction that he must take. Prospero helps Celia become what she is, but Heir Thiesen helps comfort and support Celia. Herold: Tsukiko, warns them of the danger and tries to help Celia. Shapeshifter: The shape shifter would be Prospero because he acts like he wants Celia to win, but really he just wants to prove to Alexander that his methods of teaching do work, and that he can creat a winner. The Shadow: Isobel because once she finds out that Marco loves Celia she stops helping and the game becomes unbalanced.