“And you know, sir, if you’ll excuse me saying it, there ISN’T a wholesale shop, not for Genuine Magic goods, sir. I don’t know if you noticed our inscription – the Genuine Magic shop.” He drew a business card from his cheek and handed it to me. “Genuine,” he said, with his finger on the word, and added, “There is absolutely no deception, sir.”
Adults and children coexist in society and they have different perspectives. Children are small, so they are unable to see what is high above themselves beyond the barrier. They refer to as being innocent since what they see is fairy tales and fantasies; the world flows with the storyline of a didactic novel. On the other hand, grown-ups face with the reality, observing the crude truth of how the unbending society operates. Their world is over-flowed with endless doubting, evilness and jealousy. This dichotomy is implicitly depicted in H.G. Wells’ short story “The Magic Shop.” Whereas Gip looks at the magic shop through innocent eyes and perceives everything in amazement as the magic unfolds, the father is cynical about the magic.
The story begins with the father and his son Gip entering a magic shop in Regent Street. Gip’s father asks the shop-man to show tricks. However, as the tricks become overwhelming, the father percieves that the shop-man is making fun of them. The trick intensifies and the father notices a little red demon by his coat-sleeve, which turns out to be a mere twisted india-rubber. Shocked by the distortion and folly, the father feels that he has to protect his son from confronting malicious tricks. As the final trick of making Gip disappear was executed, the father chases the shop-man and returns to reality, realizing that there was no such magic shop.
Humans mature as time flies and we believe that adults deserve to be respected. However, is this true when reflecting all kinds of corruption and frauds adults are deliberately making? Living in a world full of controversial issues and people being selfish is depressing. Yes, we are aiming to create a peaceful world but why does humanity plant another rotten seed along with their potential blooming flowers?
As I grow up and face reality, I want to reverse time and become like Gip where everything was fascinating. Life was optimistic back then and even trivial things brought me huge joy. Since the world was novel, everything was like a trick. The playground was like a large amusement park. My town and school was enormous as well. Everything was simple and was genuine magic. Unfortunately, after becoming an adult, the identical places and tokens seem worthless. Everyone starts to realize the little demon each possess in order to survive. The magic trick shatters down, leaving only the trace of mere diminishing glitters of remnants. Doubting, misunderstanding, feeling fooled prevails which leaves us to become pessimistic.
Nevertheless, we have to admit that every human being goes through this process. Perhaps it is indispensable to be aware of the surrounding to go along with the flow. We are irrational and the world is not as fascinating as the way Gip imagined it to be. Every word is just a mere trick that is ornamented to make it seem genuine and proper. As a junior, I am starting to feel that there are more tricks that I have to confront when I graduate and this makes me uneasy. Entering the place beyond school will bring about more doubting and cautiousness.
When I pass by the elementary school and see children walking on the crossroads with their twinkling eyes and innocent laughter, their atmosphere of pure childhood filled with curiosity and fascination floats around air. Although it is impossible, I eagerly want to reverse the clock. I need more time before entering the “genuine” magic shop. Let me take a deep breath and reminiscent my inner-Gip for the last time.