Happy Hunting, Witches!

Semester Recap: The final blog to satisfy the final essay requirement.

By: Liliana Ogden

This blog will review the five things that I enjoyed the most/found the most relevant from this course (Spellbound: Witches, Witchcraft, and Witch Hunts).

#1: Modern Media Presentations

As a movie fanatic, I loved the class's modern media presentation. Although I have watched many of the shows/movies presented, there was still a handful that I have yet to watch, such as Into the Woods. Now, my "must-watch" shows/movies list has expanded. However, the modern media presentation also helped me ensure that a few movies would never make my "must-watch" list, like The Witch. I won't lie. I hate scary movies. So, the few presentations about suspenseful and horror witch movies had me panicking. But, regardless of my feelings toward horror movies, I did enjoy the modern media presentations the most.

I also enjoyed learning about how Hollywood chooses to stereotype witches: "Ditzy," "Hyper-Sexualized," "Evil," etc. In particular, I also noticed how when witch/magic-themed movies were first released and popular- they typically were more light-hearted. Whereas, now, I feel as if witch/magic-themed movies lean towards a darker backstory and plot. I wonder if the plot of witch movies will switch back to being more light-hearted as society continues to face hard times.

#2: Salem Witch Trials

As a lover of history, magic, and economics, anyone could piece together that I would inevitably love learning about the Salem Witch Trials. In extremely generic terms, economics is the study of human behavior and why people make certain choices with limited access to resources. Therefore, studying the Salem With Trails includes similar topics as above. In addition, many often wonder, "how and why such a tragedy would occur?" Although I am still finalizing my theories, my ultimate case rests on the combination of being bored, mass hysteria, and how the townspeople chose to rationalize events they couldn't explain.

#3: Class Activities

Another aspect of the course I enjoyed was all of the class activities. Sitting in the same room for about three hours can be extremely difficult- especially with ADHD. However, all of the class activities helped me stay engaged with the course material and related the readings to the course and the current day's discussion. I also love food and gifts, so the treats that the winners got were extra motivating.

#4: History

Frankly, before this course, I was not well aware of how magic and witches fit into most societies- especially throughout history. This course, however, did just that. Throughout the entire semester, I remember being extremely fascinated with how different communities and cultures interacted with the idea of witches and magic. While some made magic an enemy, others chose to embrace it and make it a vital part of their culture. Furthermore, some view magic as a form of religion, so I also enjoyed seeing how different religions reacted to and chose to handle those who practiced magic. Specifically, understanding the complicated ties between Christianity and the Puritans with magic and witch craft.

#5: The Students

However, this class most definitely wouldn't have been so enjoyable without the students. I particularly enjoyed the thought-provoking ideas and questions each student would bring to class. I also loved learning about everyone's fascination with witchcraft and magic. The student's love for the course could also be clearly seen during their modern media presentations and final presentation videos. Students were allowed and encouraged to follow their curiosities and creativity throughout the course. Therefore, I believe the freedom of the course allowed the students to have fun and learn exciting material in a unique and non-traditional learning environment.