The Rules of Magic

Drawing on at least two characters’ experiences and personalities, examine Hoffman’s presentation of the key challenges of being an Owens and to what extent these challenges can be overcome.

Why is learning to be oneself such an important lesson of the novel? How do Vincent’s, Frances’s, and Jet’s experiences in this respect differ from the expectations set out in their upbringing?

How would you describe the outside world’s attitude to the Owenses? Is this consistent or variable? To what extent is it altered by the different settings presented in the novel?

How would you describe the novel’s attitude to romantic love? Which factors influence the characters’ attitudes to loving and being loved?

How does being in New York in the 1960s impact the Owenses’ experiences of being part of a marginalized group? To what extent does the climate of increased social permissiveness influence their personal predicaments?

Discuss the symbolism and significance of the Owenses’ ancestral homestead in Massachusetts. What does this place represent for generations of Owenses growing up? How does the real-life history of the Salem witch trials factor in?

Do a close analysis of the character of Vincent. What special challenges of being a male witch does Hoffman show?

How is the Owenses’ way of life an affront to patriarchy, both historically and in the time of the novel? Examine how Hoffman explores the idea of being a witch as a feminist gesture.