The Symbolism Of Lise In Groag's The Magic Fire

Throughout the play, The Magic Fire always surrounds them, much like a curtain. Groag uses the fire to symbolize how the family shields themselves from the reality of the world they now live in. They moved from one part of the world to hide from cruelty, to end up in another part, where cruelty is still present, they can just hide from it now. They hide in the pleasures, such as art, and attending opera, and novels. They use these forms of art to hide from what is happening outside their very window. Just as she says, the magic fire will protect you in the story they tell Lise, the fire is how they ‘protect’ themselves from the horrors of the outside world. Groag uses the younger Lise and the older Lise to show the differences between the world inside

Everytime she was told to do something she would say hell, and everyone would then scream watch your mouth, which was a small laugh I enjoyed. She was a bit morbid at times, but I think that is how most children are because they have not yet learned to filter what they say yet. For instance, when she just randomly asked what a skin flap was, and everyone was beating around the bush, because they did not want to have to explain what everything really was to a child. Or when she wanted to to the story of ghosts before bed. I also enjoyed when she was on the bus and the man tried to rip her chain off, and she bit the man. She bite him so hard that she drew blood and tasted it in her mouth. I like that she was a feisty little girl. Also the fact that she carries a headless doll. I do not know is she ripped off the head after hearing and enjoying the ghosts stories, but most little girls would cry at the fact of their doll not having a head. She rather enjoyed it. It makes me wonder if the doll was a representation of something bigger than just a doll in a red dress. The younger Lise was the most enjoyable character in this