48 pages • 1 hour read
Mary Pope OsborneChristmas In Camelot
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1995A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Water of Memory and Imagination
The magical water that Jack and Annie retrieve from the Otherworld represents memory and imagination (as Osborne overtly indicates in its name). The narrator describes the Water of Memory and Imagination as “clear and shimmering” (75) with a taste that is “sweet, bitter, and spicy, all at the same time” (80). The water plays a key role in establishing the story’s genre and advancing the plot. As Morgan explains, both memory and imagination are needed to restore Camelot because legends combine a germ of truth with elements of fiction. Osborne modeled the Water of Memory and Imagination after a 6th-century poem in which King Arthur and his knights journey to a mystical realm in search of “a magical cauldron of poetry and inspiration” (114). Similar to the poem, Osborne’s dual protagonists must face many perils and trials to reach the cauldron. The Water of Memory and Imagination propels the plot by providing Jack and Annie’s with a concrete goal on their own Arthurian quest.
In addition, the symbol advances the theme of The Significance of Hope and Imagination, as the water offers the children hope that they can save their friend Morgan Le Fay and Arthur’s kingdom from despair and destruction. Drinking the water unleashes the power of the siblings’ imaginations, giving them the courage and creativity to battle dragons in the story’s climax. At the end of the story, simply recalling the magical water’s unique taste inspires Jack to write down “the whole story—his story of their Christmas in Camelot” (111). The water demonstrates the importance of imagination by saving Camelot from the curse and by helping Jack join the long tradition of writers who keep the legendary kingdom alive.
The Dove and the Stag
Merlin’s animal transformations serve as motifs of The Magic of Christmas and its Values, advancing the story’s plot while underscoring its themes. The dove and the stag are “as white as new-fallen snow” (39). Osborne signals the link through her use of the color white and the reference to snow, both things closely associated with Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere. Enhancing their connection to the theme, the bird and the deer exhibit magical properties, including the ability to understand human speech. The stag also possesses supernatural speed that allows him to race across the wintry land of Camelot “like a white comet” (42). The two animals are guises Merlin the magician assumes in his efforts to restore the magic of Christmas to Camelot. The dove promotes togetherness by leading the children to the magic tree house, which takes them to Morgan and the rest of their friends in Camelot. The stag demonstrates generosity by carrying the siblings to and from the Otherworld. Both of Merlin’s animal forms play an important part in restoring the kingdom’s joy.
Color Symbolism
Throughout her narrative, Osborne uses colors to symbolize joy and gloom. In Chapter 2, color symbolism helps to establish the transformation of Camelot under the influence of the curse. Jack and Annie arrive to find “a huge, dark castle loom[ing] against the gray sky” (9). The dreary colors help to convey the curse’s dire impact and to establish a foreboding tone in the scene. Similarly, the drabness of the knights’ “brown tunics” and Queen Guinevere’s “plain gray robe” reflect the cheerlessness of the Christmas dinner in King Arthur’s great hall (17). These subdued colors add to the impact of the Christmas Knight’s arrival. His boldly hued attire matches his audacious entrance: “The knight was dressed all in red—from his shining helmet to the long cloak on his back. His horse was dressed all in green—from the armor that covered his head to the cloth that hung from his saddle” (25). The knight’s striking attire earns him the name, the Christmas Knight, and the bright color symbolism foreshadows his wise plan to restore the holiday’s joy.
Osborne also uses color to accentuate the contrast between the cursed Camelot and the mystical Otherworld. For example, the dazzling colors of the winged dancers emphasize their otherworldly joy: “The dancers and musicians were smiling and laughing. They wore blue coats and green coats, white gowns and yellow gowns. They wore sparkling red slippers and hats with colored feathers” (55). The fairies subvert the story’s color symbolism because attempting to join their endless bliss is perilous to mortals. In addition, bright colors surround the Water of Memory and Imagination, which alone can restore Camelot’s joy: “The fire blazed with leaping purple flames. Over the flames hung a gleaming golden cauldron” (74). These bright hues reflect the vibrancy needed to bring Arthur’s kingdom back to life. Near the end of the story, the spilled water forms a “golden cloud” (97), and its colorful appearance heralds the success of the quest and the restoration of Camelot.
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