In The Ropemaker, magic isn't about pulling a rabbit out of a hat or getting sliced in half. Nope—it literally saves and ends lives in this book. Magic is what protects the Valley, it's what causes Tilja to go on her journey, and it's what makes Tilja find her new self. Without magic, things would be a lot less interesting—and maybe a lot less dangerous too.
Most of the main characters in The Ropemaker are magicians (with the Emperor are a glaring exception). Faheel holds the fate of the Valley (and Tilja and her family and friends) in his magical hands; Ropey uses magic to save Tilja and her friends (after a botched transformation into a unicorn); and Moonfist creeps around the Empire using his power for evil. Taken all together, Dickinson casts one serious spell on his readers.
Questions About The Supernatural
- How does magic act as a positive or negative force in this novel? Can it be both at the same time? Is it bad or good by itself?
- How does Tilja's relationship with magic develop over the course of the novel?
- How does Tilja's discovery of her own power mirror her growth as a character?
Chew on This
Magic is the most important power anyone can wield in The Ropemaker.
Because there's so much magic, the most important power anyone can weird in The Ropemaker isn't magic at all—it's integrity.