Practical Magic

Part 2 deepens the relationships between the Owens women and introduces the interpersonal conflicts that become central to each character’s journey. The second part of the book also dives deeper into the theme of Convention Versus Independence as the Owens women wrestle with their respective places in society and in their family. At the onset, Sally is presented as hardworking, dependable, and responsible to the point of suffocating her daughters—she displays the sort of “helicopter parenting” that she herself was denied in her youth. Having previously needed to take on a maternal role toward Gillian, Sally learns to measure her self-worth through the way she cares for others. Now in a position of safety and security after finally obtaining the conventional life she craves, she can exercise that care for her loved ones at a greater level.

Sally’s pursuit of convention and normalcy contrasts with the more unconventional, independence-seeking Owens women. It is immediately clear that teenaged Antonia has much in common with the teenaged Gillian; however, Antonia has manifested cruelty that wasn’t present in Gillian due to Antonia’s acceptance in society. While the stigma against the Owenses forced Gillian to seek validation and community within her own family, Antonia can fully embrace herself in the wider world. The dynamic between her and Kylie in the early scenes of Part 2 illustrates the potential relationship Gillian and Sally could have had under different circumstances. This suggests that although Sally’s departure from her home gave her the conventional life she wanted, it also had unintended repercussions.

As Gillian approaches Sally’s new home, Sally perceives several signs of a malignant presence and an oncoming change, including a ring around the moon. This device elevates the magical realism aspect of the novel and suggests that Sally hasn’t fully left her magical childhood behind. The true source of the omens, however, is open to interpretation. The implication is that these omens are foreshadowing Gillian’s appearance, her disruption of Sally’s life, and the later, more significant threat presented by Jimmy’s ghost. However, these omens may also be manifestations of Sally’s own fears—that through her connection to her sister, she can feel the distance between them shrinking. In response, her unconscious mind reacts by upsetting her surroundings. The omens may also be simple portents of change, suggesting that from that moment onward, nothing will be the same.

Upon her arrival, Gillian is immediately presented in juxtaposition to Sally: “Gillian has cut her blond hair shorter than ever; she smells like sugar and heat. She’s got sand in the ridges of her red boots and a little green snake tattooed on her wrist” (67). These red boots will play a role later in an explosive argument between Gillian and Sally. The narration contrasts the sisters’ lifestyles and choices, further emphasizing the disruptive nature of Gillian’s appearance in Sally’s life. By focusing on this contrast, the novel lays a foundation for the change each woman undergoes later as they become more similar and discover new layers of themselves.

This section also introduces Jimmy, first through Gillian’s reminiscence of her time with him and then through the sisters’ examination of his body. The novel never depicts Jimmy as an active, living character. Instead, the narrative unveils information about him through various streams of exposition. Gillian and later Gary both explore their memories of him; in Part 2, Sally creates a mental profile of him—mean and dangerous—through his outfit and facial expression as she examines his body. These narrative choices give Jimmy a mythical quality, making him a more intimidating antagonist than if he had been present in the narrative himself.

This section also presents a major coming-of-age rite through Kylie’s 13th birthday, a threshold number that carries her from childhood into her teenage years. Notably, thresholds have particular significance in mythical and magical traditions, being a physical or figurative place that’s “in between.” Kylie is in between childhood and adulthood, giving her unique insight into both worlds. She herself becomes a sort of threshold between one world and another as she grows more sensitive to the inner battles of others, and, at the end of Part 2, is able to perceive Jimmy’s spiritual form. On her birthday, Kylie undergoes a physical transformation via Gillian’s makeover—another traditional magical motif. This becomes a targeted point of contention that ruptures her family, as well as the start of her internal change. She begins to feel more comfortable in her own body and with her own self-image, transcending the feeling of being forever in her older sister’s shadow.

Finally, after exploring the life that Sally has created, the narrative takes a closer look at Gillian’s internal struggle. After a teenagerhood of empowerment and invincibility, Gillian has become eroded by love: “In Sally’s opinion, Gillian really is fragile, that’s the awful part. Or at least she thinks she is, and that’s pretty much the same damn thing” (93-94). Through her memories, the reader sees how Gillian learned to adapt to being in a relationship that was both physically and psychologically abusive, justifying Jimmy’s actions and questioning her own perception. Even after his death, his abuse continues to reverberate through the way she sees the world and herself. This manifests as her own internal monster to overcome as she grows throughout the story.