The magical water that Jack and Annie retrieve from the Otherworld represents memory and imagination (as Osborne overtly indicates in its name). The narrator describes the Water of Memory and Imagination as “clear and shimmering” (75) with a taste that is “sweet, bitter, and spicy, all at the same time” (80). The water plays a key role in establishing the story’s genre and advancing the plot. As Morgan explains, both memory and imagination are needed to restore Camelot because legends combine a germ of truth with elements of fiction. Osborne modeled the Water of Memory and Imagination after a 6th-century poem in which King Arthur and his knights journey to a mystical realm in search of “a magical cauldron of poetry and inspiration” (114). Similar to the poem, Osborne’s dual protagonists must face many perils and trials to reach the cauldron. The Water of Memory and Imagination propels the plot by providing Jack and Annie’s with a concrete goal on their own Arthurian quest.

In addition, the symbol advances the theme of The Significance of Hope and Imagination, as the water offers the children hope that they can save their friend

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now