Why Do Witches Burn? - A blog about witches, magic, and much more

      For this blog post, I wanted to review all the witches we have talked about in our popular media presentations and decide which one would come out on top if we locked all of them in a confined space together. A little odd, I know, but I was inspired by talk on social media about which Big 12 mascot would win in a fight, so here we are. Here are the rules. I can only choose witches that were in our popular media presentations. My rankings are based off what powers they have shown in the films or tv shows, which as it turns out, really narrows down who the most powerful witches are. These are my opinions and I haven't seen all the movies or tv shows in their entirety, so these are definitely up for debate. This post will cover who I think are the top 3. Let's get started. 3. Coming in at third on my list is The White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005).  The White Witch, played by Tilda Swinton, from The Chronicles of Narnia: Th

      At the start of the academic year, I moved into my first apartment. Something I promised myself I would do was learn to cook. I don't mean putting mac and cheese in the microwave or putting a frozen pizza in the oven. I mean actually buying ingredients and following recipes to prepare a main course and maybe a few sides from time to time. I would say that about 10 months later, I have been somewhat successful, but not really where I want to be.     I learned that cooking is hard for a variety of reasons. It takes time to plan out a meal, purchase ingredients, cook the courses, and serve them. It is a lot of work for about 15-20 minutes of eating, and when you work nights, it seems like a better option just to hit a drive thru on the way home. Something else I learned is that cooking is like magic. I remember taking a class a few years ago in the history department here called "History of Food in America" with Dr. Rebecca Sharpless (the sweetest woman on the planet).

      Throughout the semester, our class has taken a look at a variety of depictions of witches in popular media. However, our discussions have mostly been limited to television shows and movies. Perhaps one of the most popular digital mediums for my generation is video games. Technology has developed far past the pixelated graphics of pong, and even past the basic geometric character models of the early 2000s. Now, video games tell emotional stories, graphics are more realistic than ever, and gameplay immerses players into an entirely different world separate from reality. There are video games that cover every genre imaginable, and video game characters represent people from all walks of life. This includes witches.     Witches have been in video games for years, and as you might have guessed, they often play the role of the villain. In the Gameboy Advance game  Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga   (2003) , a witch named Cackletta steals Princess Peach's voice and it is up to Mario,

  Something that comes to my mind the more we talk about the role of children in the Salem witch trials is how much kids today say they see or hear things while they are playing, or maybe things that scare them at night. The mind and imagination of a child can often be an adventurous representation of the way the child is adapting to or learning about the world around them.       Many times the scary creaks of the house or the shadows on the wall manifest themselves in a child's mind that makes them think of ghosts or monsters are just a normal part of growth for a child. I'll be honest in saying that I still never look behind me after turning all the lights off in my house or apartment. People see things in the dark that can have detrimental effects on their psyche. It is common for kids to have 'imaginary friends' that they talk to to provide them with comfort. If parents try to say that their friend isn't real, the child often erupts into a strong defense of thei

     I watched the very first episode of Salem , and I must say, I was both surprised and fascinated by what I saw. I thought the episode did a good job setting the scene and establishing the main characters. I did find it interesting that Mary Sibley and John Alden were at the center of attention since I haven't read as much about these people as I have about those people that were the accusers and accused. However, I was happy that I recognized characters like Cotton Mather, Tituba, and Giles Corey. Right away, I realized that this show wasn't going to simply rely on rumors, mystery, and fairytale to create the hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. Instead, the show established early on that witchcraft would be a real thing, and depictions of Satan, the dead, familiars, and the connection between them all would drive the early depictions of witches in the show. A few things I liked was how Cotton Mather was written as an educated and knowledgeable character, but it app

      The practices of witchcraft are alive and well on social media platforms. Below are some examples of present-day witches on social media. 1.  Wicca on Instagram     This post on Instagram was found under #witchesofinstagram. User moonmysticgoddess agrees with the idea that Wicca is not devil worship and has nothing to do with the Christian idea of the devil, but instead is the worship of nature. 2.  Types of Witches     "WitchTok" has a pretty big following on the emerging social media app TikTok. This video shows different types of witches, their practices, and some books and accompanying items associated with that type of witch. 3.  Speaking to the Dead     This TikTok user believes she has a gift to communicate with the dead. In this video, she recounts an occasion in which she mediated a conversation between an owner and their deceased dog.     There is plenty more out there, and not just on Instagram and TikTok. You could fall into a rabbit hole and scroll for hour