Final Reflection + Video

Going into this semester, I expected to learn in depth about the Salem Witch Trials, in more of a history-class context than an overall approach to witchcraft and its roots. However, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the origins of witchcraft and mystical practices in many cultures, the portrayal of witches and witchcraft in modern media, and the causes behind the mass hysteria that brought on the Salem witch trials and similar persecutions. Below are some of the five biggest takeaways that I will carry with me after the semester ends. 

 

1.      Witchcraft occurred long before the Salem witch trials. Learning about the ancient roots of witchcraft in the first text, A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult was eye-opening because it went into detail regarding mystical and occult practices that long predated Colonial America and Salem, which is what I typically associate with witchcraft. It was remarkable to read about practices from so many cultures, like the Mayans, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, and more. I was also surprised at the similarity of practices and beliefs across these cultures, such as burial rites and symbols, especially given the lack of communication during that time. I think this speaks to the innate human tendency to believe, whether it be in religion, mystical witchcraft practices, or another power. 

2.     Othering has been around for a long time, and it still exists today. Though I had an idea of othering before this class, I hadn’t spent much time thinking about how it impacted history and life today. Putting a name to a concept we see so often really helped me to better identify it and examples of othering in the past. In Salem, we often saw examples of othering based on religion, gender, and socioeconomic status. We still see these today, but have also become quicker to “other” different cultures and citizens from other countries, as we become more aware of the cross-cultural differences thanks to globalization and the internet. Of course, race also plays a big factor today as our society becomes more diverse. 

3.     Media presentations of witchcraft do not tell the full story. Though I love movies like Hocus Pocus, Bewitched, and The Witches of Eastwick, they are just that—a movie.  Of course, it is impossible to comprehensively learn about a subject by watching a couple of movies, but I enjoyed watching the media presentations in class with an added context and knowledge of witchcraft from the texts and discussions. Still, many of these films focused on the lighter aspects of witchcraft, such as potions, spells, and broomsticks, while othering and other social factors played a smaller role. 

4.     The prevalence and impact of witchcraft today. Though I knew going in about the large role of witchcraft in film and media, I was surprised to learn about the practitioners of Wicca and witchcraft today.  It was especially interesting to learn about witchcraft TikTok, and the rituals, recipes, and spells that exist on the app. I also enjoyed learning about the emoji spells depicted in A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult. It was also fascinating to learn about the efforts of modern-day witches to fight for social justice, through efforts in support of feminism and the LGBTQ+ community. 

5.     The importance of thinking critically and asking questions. This is something that I honed in this class, but also learned more broadly in my Honors’ college experience and time at TCU overall. I don’t think that many of the people responsible for the hysteria and death at the witch trials in Salem exhibited critical thinking, and to me it seems that they didn’t ask many questions before playing the blame game and pointing fingers at the neighbors they disliked.  In today’s society, where we can find information to support just about any view point on a given topic, and often hear people blaming others en masse for any given issue, it is as important as ever to think critically about these accusations, about our own beliefs, and why we hold them. Without doing so, I fear that we could easily fall into another Salem witch trial situation where people of a certain group are blamed and persecuted for things that they have no control over. 

 

Overall, I learned so much this semester about the impact of belief, the origins, portrayal of, and modern day practice of witchcraft, the prevalence of othering, and the importance of critical thinking.  I know that I will carry these lessons with me beyond my time at TCU.