46 pages • 1 hour read
Cassie BeasleyCircus Mirandus
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Mystery and Magic
Mystery and magic is introduced as a pivotal theme in the novel’s exposition when Ephraim pens a mysterious letter to the Lightbender, requesting his miracle. The atmosphere of mystery and intrigue is heightened by the magical awakening of a messenger, driven by Ephraim’s summons: “[A]t that moment, thousands of miles away in the tent of the Man Who Bends Light, a messenger woke up” (10-11). Throughout the novel, mystery and magic are irrevocably intertwined, as the novel’s mysteries concern the magical world of Circus Mirandus and the Lightbender.
The music of drums and trumpets is introduced as a recurring motif that signals the proximity of magic. Both Ephraim and his grandson, Micah, follow this music towards the wonder of the circus, which is epitomized in the strange and marvelous menagerie containing “a miniature hippopotamus,” “bright blue bats,” “a two-headed camel,” birds that transform into mice, and an invisible tiger (230-31). Furthermore, the Lightbender’s amazing show transports the children to a variety of incredible landscapes, including snowy arctic tundras, warm Amazonian rainforests, deserts, and star-filled skies.
The magical nature of the circus is further established in the manner of its relocation, which is not limited by the laws of science or practicality. The circus and its performers are described as being “stirred up” when they arrive in Peal from being “dropped onto a new continent so unexpectedly” (189). In its ability to jump around the world at a moment’s notice, the circus is established as a place ruled by magic and imagination. This is further illustrated in the presence of children from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities: “Ephraim often noticed children wearing strange clothes or speaking with unfamiliar accents at the circus” (108). The circus emerges not merely as a physical entity but as a magical realm where the boundaries of time and space are dissolved, thus firmly placing the story in the genre of magical realism.
Mystery is sustained through the course of the novel in that Ephraim’s miracle is not revealed until the closing chapter. Hints at Micah’s connection to the magical world of the circus are present in the fact that he is recognized by performers and animals, including Geoffrey, the Strongman, and the fish donated by Ephraim, which “[flips] his tail [at Micah] in a way that might have been recognition” (232). These hints allude to the fulfillment of Ephraim’s wished-for miracle: that Micah will move to the circus, where he will learn to use his magic and live a happy life with the Lightbender and the other performers.
The Importance of Loving Family and Friends
While Micah is the novel’s primary protagonist, he is supported on his journey by Ephraim, Jenny, and the Lightbender. Micah’s character arc suggests that having loving friends and family is vitally important for facing challenges and enduring dark times.
Ephraim is a loving and supportive caregiver to Micah after Micah loses his parents. Ephraim has a childlike disposition, prioritizing Micah’s joy and happiness above all else. This is epitomized in the night they spend together before Ephraim dies: They see two movies in a row because they have so much candy and pop, play mini-golf, and then sit in Micah’s treehouse. These activities are unexpectedly child-like given Ephraim’s advanced age. Furthermore, Ephraim doesn’t admonish Micah when he flies the inflated gorilla into the circus, pointing out that “once in a while, it’s good to be ridiculous and amazing” (364). Micah’s loving relationship with his fun-loving grandfather shapes him into an open-minded, trusting, and brave person, which allows him to embrace the mystery and wonder of Circus Mirandus when it arrives in his life.
As Ephraim’s health declines, Micah finds a trustworthy and loyal friend in Jenny. Jenny kindly offers to finish their project when she understands how upset Micah is about his grandfather’s illness and supports Micah in his goal to save Ephraim’s life with the Lightbender’s miracle, despite her obvious skepticism about the plan. Jenny quickly becomes an important ally for Micah. She sneaks out numerous times to see Micah and to escort him to the circus, which is especially significant given Jenny’s preference for rule-following. Furthermore, she goes with Micah to Ephraim’s funeral and vows to call him and write to him in Arizona. All of these instances characterize Jenny as a kind and loyal friend.
The Lightbender takes the place of Ephraim as a kind and supportive caregiver. Ephraim helps to establish this relationship with his miracle, which asks the Lightbender to raise Micah in Circus Mirandus. Ephraim dies holding the hands of both Micah and the Lightbender, symbolically illustrating the metaphorical “passing of the torch” from Ephraim to the Lightbender at this moment. This is further illustrated when the Lightbender organizes for Micah to stay with Jenny’s family in the days after Ephraim’s death. Furthermore, the Lightbender’s care and growing love for Micah is illustrated in his firm grip on him as they ride Big Jean: “He [is] holding Micah close, as if he [is] afraid he might lose track of him if he let[s] go” (400). A long and happy life for Micah, under the Lightbender’s care, is alluded to at the novel’s conclusion.
Imagination Versus Rigidity
Circus Mirandus is a symbol of imagination. It requires those in attendance to suspend their disbelief or skepticism about impossible magic and embrace wondrous and inconceivable sights, such as blue bats, invisible tigers, flying performers, and journeys to incredible landscapes with the Lightbender. Both Ephraim and his grandson, Micah, hear the summoning drums and trumpets of the circus and experience its wonder as they are characters who are intentionally playful and creative. This is illustrated in their dress, like green coats and neckties, as well as their hobbies, including playing mini-golf, building the treehouse, playing cards, and talking about the circus.
Characters who are rigid in their thinking and deny the possibility of magic do not get to experience its wonder. Initially, Jenny, whose understanding of the world is ruled by intellectualism and science, cannot hear the drums and the trumpets—a recurring motif that tells of the presence of the magical circus. Jenny’s preoccupation with logic is illustrated when she tries to work out why Micah can see something that she can’t: “There must be a logical explanation for this. Cameras! […] I’ve heard of this. They can make things appear invisible using lots of tiny cameras and screens to reflect a different image’” (214). To see the circus, Micah instructs her to say, “It’s a magic circus” (216). When it doesn’t work, Micah urges her to say it “like you mean it” (216), and, when Jenny does so, she can see and hear the circus. This reveals that Jenny needs to commit to a belief in the possibility of magic in order to experience it. Jenny is further convinced when they see the Lightbender’s incredible show; she realizes that Circus Mirandus exists apart from the world of logical sense, which forces her to open her mind to different realities and ways of thinking.
On the other hand, Gertrudis remains set in her rigid thinking; she cannot accept the possibility of magic, having been taught to disbelieve it as a child. Micah urges her to follow the trumpets and drums, but she continues to insist that magic is not real, saying, “I don’t want to cling to infantile fantasies” (391). By depicting Gertrudis’s bitterness in opposition to Ephraim’s playfulness and generosity, Beasley suggests the importance of remaining playful and open to magic throughout life rather than becoming skeptical and rigid.
