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A New Contest!
Monday, September 17, 2007
That's right, the old one is over and now it's time for a new one, because I still have a lot of posters. This contest is not about predicting; it's about the book itself, and it's open to those who have already read Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician.
So. Those of you who have read it know that the 3 of Hearts is a card which occurs again and again in Henry's life. Conceivably the author could have chosen any card to recur: why the 3 of Hearts? This sounds like an essay question, but it's not. Just guess. Come on. What do you think? Post your answers here.
I'll let a little time pass before I confirm or deny. Good luck!
Labels: contest
posted by Daniel Wallace at 7:08 PM
8 Comments:
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My perception was that the three hearts represented the three people he loved who he lost during his life, his mother, his sister Hannah and Marianne, his love.
I agree with thomas that the three hearts represented the three people he loved the most and lost during his life which were Hannah his sister, his mother, and Marianne, but since this prediction is already taken I will make another one. The three hearts could represent the three things that he wanted the most in life but never received which were wealth, love, and happiness.
I have been thinking and have come up with another prediction about what the three hearts could mean that has nothing to do with the book. The three hearts could refer to the other three books you have wrote, which are Big Fish, Ray in Reverse, and The Watermelon King.
My first prediction was that it also had to do with the women in his life, but that is already taken. So I think it might actually have to do with Henry himself. The three of hearts can also be about his skin color. Henry first starts off as a white man then turns black and after his manager dies he can't reproduce the potion to stay black and when he returns to his normal color it's not his normal white skin anymore it's a gray color. I could be way off on this but it's one of the two things I have thought up.
I am going to scratch my prior post and say that I found the answer. The answer (even though in the book) was also in a review posted by Jim Gilbert, which was posted on Daniels blog under the headline "Kind Words" and was posted on 8-28-07. The blog accompanied a newspaper article of this review.
http://www.danielwallace.org/blog/uploaded_images/mobile-769708.jpg
In the third column there is a paragraph that states "Henry ultimately defines himself by his losses: his signature card trick involves the Three of Hearts - one heart each for his departed mother, his vanished sister, and his unattainable Marianne."
Now granted this is another person's review but I think I am definitely going to stick with my first prediction and say that it had to do with the women in his life :)
I believe that the three of hearts is about the three times he spoke with Mr. Sebastian. When they met, when he was younger, When he met him again, choosing who he wanted to live, and when he killed him. Now I now people are saying what about when Henry saw his image move farther and farther away in the snow? But he never spoke with Mr. Sebastian, he just say him.
Wonderful. I accept all answers! Please send me yr addresses (daniel@danielwallace.org) and off yr posters will go.
And thus ends this second contest. I can't think of another right now, but if anyone has an idea, let me know.
DW
I believe the 3 of Hearts is representative of the Holy Trinity. Although this, nor your other books have an obvious religious theme, the feelings of hope and blind belief mirror my own beliefs.