The Ritualization of Violence in <em>The Magic Toyshop</em>

<p>This dissertation will explore the way Philip treats puppets and masks as pseudo-sacred objects in order to maintain control in Angela Carter’s work <em>The Magic Toyshop</em>. To show the implications of the pseudo-sacred, I will use <em>Violence and the Sacred</em> by Rene Girard that examines the way primitive cultures are able to maintain order through particular religious beliefs and collective violence against a scapegoat. My critical reading of the text will look closely at how Philip uses the pseudo-sacred to build up the community. When the pseudo-sacred is finally called into question the community is threatened. Although Philip attempts to deflect blame onto the scapegoat Melanie, he fails as there is no social buy-in, leading to the destruction of the community. While the house is burned down destroying the puppets and masks, presumably along with Philip, the pseudo-sacred still has the chance of being perpetuated through Finn’s own obsession with power and control.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year

2016

Author dc:creator

• Chalfant, Victor

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kevin O'Brien
• Justine Van Meter
• Joanna Levin

• violence
• pseudo-sacred
• Rene Girard
• Angela Carter
• The Magic Toyshop
• English Language and Literature
• Literature in English, British Isles

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/english_theses/1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.chapman.edu:english_theses-1000