Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, HarperTrophy, 1986.
ISBN: 978-0064410342
Plot Summary
Sophie’s always known that her life would be boring. After all, everyone knows that the third daughter always seeks her fortune successfully while the second lives a comfortable life. But the first daughter is always the most unlucky of the three. With this in mind Sophie resigns herself to a life selling hats in her family’s hat shop. But her plans turn upside down when the evil Witch of the Waste curses her into becoming an old woman. Suddenly, Sophie must go out into the world in search of something or someone to break her spell. On her journey she strikes a bargain with Calcifer the fire demon who works for the wicked Wizard Howl. If she can find a way to lift Calcifer’s curse he will find a way to break hers. But her task will not be easy as she deals with a spoilt wizard, a young apprentice, and a living scarecrow. Will Sophie be able to find a way to lift her curse as well as Calcifer’s or will she remain an old lady forever?
Critical Evaluation
Although not as famous as Jones’ Chrestomanci books, Howl’s Moving Castle is well-known to readers. It was a runner-up in the 1986 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards and became an ALA Notable book. Additionally, renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki turned the book into an anime that grossed a total $231.7 million and was a runner-up for Best Animated Feature at the 2006 Academy Awards. Howl’s Moving Castle is a delightful story filled with charm, wit, and humor. Jones’ characters are brilliantly conceived and make up the best part of the book. Sophie is a girl everyone can relate to—initially downtrodden only to later discover her unique talents and skills. Sophie struggles with insecurities that plague most of us, specifically her fear that she will never amount to anything. “[I]t is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three,” Jones writes, “Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes” (p. 1). Poor Sophie, in a world filled with wicked witches, enchanted scarecrows, and seven-league boots, truly believes that she is bound to come to nothing. Her strong-minded sisters worry for her lack of self-respect: “Lettie kept saying she didn’t know what would happen to you when we weren’t around to give you some self-respect,” Sophie’s sister Martha chided, “She was right to be worried” (p. 22). Despite being the most clever of the three in school and having a knack at creating wonderful, lucrative hats, Sophie allows herself to be taken advantage of by her stepmother. Instead of recognizing her talents, she focuses on her birth order and her plain looks. Sophie’s predicament is not unlike that of many girls today. With a world so focused on external beauty, often girls’ talents and wit are dismissed. Perhaps this is why readers find it so easy to root for Sophie when she is finally forced to abandon her cocooned existence as she searches for something to break her curse.
Of note is the fact that Sophie’s physical metamorphosis mirrors her increased self-esteem. Sophie reflects that “[i]t was odd. As a girl, [she]…would have shriveled with embarrassment at the way she was behaving. As an old woman, she did not mind what she did or said. She found that a great relief” (p. 64). Sophie, as an elderly woman, finally finds the ability to escape her preconceived notions of what her life should be like in order to live the life she wants. Her transformation allows her to find her voice and appreciate her contributions. Of course, Sophie isn’t the only character that experiences a transformation. In fact, at some points it seems that most characters are familiar with physical change of some sort. The poor dog-man spends most of his life as a dog and only with great difficulty can he temporarily become a man. The scarecrow that stalks Sophie is alive and clearly under a transformative spell. Lettie and Martha become each other for a time and even the Witch of the Waste and Howl can change their forms at will. In fact, if it weren’t for the various curses and threats upon people’s lives, Howl’s Moving Castle could quickly evolve into a Shakespearian comedy. Of course, most of the characters transformations do more than simply further the plot; they enact inner change. Lettie and Martha’s honey spell make them realize just what they want out of life while the dog-man clearly sees how much he, as a potential suitor, is enamored by Lettie. Both the various transformations of Howl and the Witch of the Waste show the depths of their vanity and provide readers with a clear understanding of how close Howl is to becoming another Witch of the Waste.
However, while Jones’ characters are clearly well-crafted and endearing, her plot leaves something to be desired. Parts of the plot are muddled, confusing, and uneven. For example, even after numerous readings, it is difficult to understand most everything related to both Sophie’s and Howl’s curses including the inner workings, the parameters, and their fulfillment. While readers learn how Howl and Calcifer entered into their curse the definition of the curse is left vague. Even at the end of novel, readers are left to wonder how the curse was even broken. Howl’s curse left by the Witch of the Waste is equally vague. Readers learn that certain terms must be fulfilled in order for it to work just as they understand the implications of the curse. However, readers are left to wonder at the witch’s ability to place the curse in the first place. Howl’s old teacher, Mrs. Pentstemmon describes him as her “last pupil and by far my best…[with] twice the imagination and twice the abilities [of the royal wizard]” (p. 179). Even Lettie’s instructor praises Howl, hoping that Lettie, who is as clever as the Witch of the Waste, would make a match with Howl (p. 124-25). With praise such as this it is a wonder that the Witch could ever create a curse powerful enough to stump Howl. As for Sophie’s curse, it is unclear how it is broken although readers can make several guesses by gathering various facts throughout the novel. In fact, readers are left with multiple questions by the end of Howl’s Moving Castle. For example, how did Howl become a wizard in the first place and how did he discover Ingary? Are there multiple worlds that co-exist in Sophie’s world? What is the extent of the Hatter family’s magical abilities? How did the Witch of the Waste turn wicked? Sadly, these and other questions are not resolved in Jones’ sequels, Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways (which are, incidentally, not nearly as satisfying reads as Howl’s Moving Castle).
While, Howl’s Moving Castle is a well-known, successful novel of Jones’ its delightful, whimsical sensibilities and strong characters cannot make up for its many plot holes. I only wish that Jones had had time to rework the novel in later years but sadly that never will be.
Reader’s Annotation
After being cursed by the Witch of the Waste, Sophie must find a way to break her curse, free a fire demon, and find a way to reform the caddish wizard Howl.
About the Author
Perhaps one of the most respected and well-known writers of children’s fantasy literature, Diana Wynne Jones authored over thirty novels for young adults and children. She also wrote six short story collections, contributed to multiple anthologies, and penned various novellas and a picture book. Jones won various awards such as the Guardian award, Mythopoeic Children’s Fantasy award, and the Carnegie Commendation.
Jones’ journey to become a world famous author was not an easy one. Born in 1934, Jones clearly remembers her father packing up the car and telling her that war was on the horizon. As a result, Jones and her little sister, Isobel, moved to Wales to live with her no-nonsense grandparents. This move would produce tragic results for Jones’ relationship with her mother. As she explains:
“After what seemed a long time, my mother arrived with our new sister, Ursula. She was outraged to find Isobel calling Aunt Muriel Mummy. I remember trying to soothe her by explaining that Isobel was in no way deceived: she was just obliging our aunt. Unfortunately the voice I explained in had acquired a strong Welsh accent, which angered my mother further…Looking back, I see that my relationship with my mother never recovered from this”.
As World War II progressed and Jones and her family moved multiple times, her relationship with her parents, particularly her mother, became even poorer. When Jones told her family that she wanted to become an author her mother said “You haven’t got it in you,” while her father laughed at her. Later Jones wrote that her father “had a patriarch’s view of girls: they were not really meant to do anything. Though he never said so, I think it was a disappointment to him to have three daughters. My mother, as always, was more outspoken. She said if it were not for the war, she would have more children – boys”. Her parents would later neglect Jones and her two siblings by having them live in a separate ramshackle cottage where mold inhabited the walls and the children contracted juvenile rheumatism.
Despite her parents’ neglect Jones excelled in her school work and later attended St. Anne’s College in Oxford. Before her Oxford years she met the man who would later become her husband, John Burrow. Soon after marriage Jones had a son and would go on to have two more. When reading to her children and seeing the books they consumed she realized that that she too wanted to contribute to children’s literature. She would go on to become a prolific and highly recognized children’s author. Sadly, Diana Wynne Jones died on March 26, 2011 after battling a long bout with lung cancer. She was seventy-six years old.
Information gleaned from
Diana Wynne Jones (2011, June 16). Retrieved June 21, 2011 from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Wynne_Jones#Bibliography
Jones, D.W. (n.d.) Diana Wynne Jones. Retrieved from http://www.leemac.freeserve.co.uk/autobiog.htm
Literature Resource Center (2011, April 29). Diana Wynne Jones. Contemporary Authors Online.
Genre
Coming of Age, Fantasy, Romance,
Tags
Stereotypes, fire demon, magic, witch, wizard, romance, transformation, Wales
Curriculum Ties
This book would be ideal when discussing identity, courage, and archetypes in literature.
Booktalk Ideas
--If you could have magical powers what sort of things would you choose to do?
--If you were a character in a fairy tale who would you be?
--Initially dress up as an older woman and tell Sophie’s tale. At the end transform into a young woman.
Reading Level/Interest Age
Reading Level: 8th grade
Interest Level: 6th-10th grade (11-16 yrs)
Reading level is according to Scholastic Book Wizard (http://bookwizard.scholastic.com)
Challenge Issues
This book contains several witches and wizards. Librarians could explain to challengers how the witchcraft depicted in this novel differs from actual witchcraft.
Favorite Quotes/Scenes
“‘It’s not fair!’” Lettie would shout. ‘”Why should Martha have the best of it just because she was born the youngest? I shall marry a prince, so there!’” To which Martha always retorted that she would end up disgustingly rich without having to marry anybody (p. 2).
Favorite scene: When Sophie cleans house for the first time. I could read and re-read this scene for the rest of my life.
Why Was This Included?
I usually list Howl’s Moving Castle as my favorite book although it is so difficult to choose just one! I’m not entirely sure why this novel resonates with me but it has since the first time I read it and the many times afterwards. Diana Wynne Jones will always hold a special place in my heart as her Chrestomanci books helped me rediscover the world of young adult fantasy novels and I am quite saddened by her death.
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