The Magic explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Imagination and Storytelling

  Sara's 'Magic' transforms a shabby attic into a banquet hall, demonstrating the power of pretense to overcome hardship.

• Kindness and Empathy

  Sara shares her meager resources and includes Becky in the feast, showing compassion despite her own hunger.

• Injustice and Cruelty

  Becky is falsely accused of stealing by the cook; Sara is denied dinner and forced to eat dry bread.

Characters to notice

• Sara Crewe

  Uses her imagination to create a magical feast from old trunk items; shows empathy and kindness to Becky.

• Becky

  Falsely accused of stealing by the cook; invited by Sara to join the feast; struggles to pretend but is uplifted.

• Ermengarde St. John

  Visits Sara in the attic; learns of Sara's hunger; brings a box of food from her aunt to share.

• Melchisedec

  Appears in the attic seeking supper; sniffs around Ermengarde; Sara notes he has no crumbs.

• Miss Minchin

  Scolds Sara for being out late and accuses her of lying; dismisses her without dinner.

• Ram Dass

  Seen closing shutters at the house next door; Sara catches a glimpse of the room.

Key passages

• “These are the plates," she said. "They are golden plates. These are the richly embroidered napkins. Nuns worked them in convents in Spain.”

  Sara pretends that the handkerchiefs are golden plates and embroidered napkins made by Spanish nuns.

  Illustrates Sara's imaginative transformation of ordinary objects.

• “I was a-'pretendin',' miss," she answered a little sheepishly; "I was tryin' to see it like you do. I almost did," with a hopeful grin. "But it takes a lot o' stren'th.”

  Becky admits she was trying to pretend like Sara, but found it required great effort.

  Shows Becky's attempt to engage in imaginative play and the difficulty of adopting Sara's mindset.

• “The wicked, cruel thing!" she burst forth. "The cook takes things herself and then says Becky steals them. She doesn't ! She doesn't ! She's so hungry sometimes that she eats crusts out of the ash barrel!”

  Sara angrily defends Becky, accusing the cook of stealing and blaming Becky instead, noting Becky's extreme hunger.

  Highlights Sara's sense of justice and empathy for Becky's plight.

• “Yes," she said in a new passionate way. "Yes, I am. I'm so hungry now that I could almost eat you . And it makes it worse to hear poor Becky. She's hungrier than I am.”

  Sara admits to Ermengarde that she is extremely hungry, and that Becky's suffering makes it even harder.

  Reveals Sara's vulnerability and her concern for others despite her own hardship.