Kiana Dehmand

Jamison
9th Honors Lit
10/25/15

Night Circus Literary Analysis: Question 4

In Night Circus pages, 48-50 and 52-53, Morgenstern reveals in text the trials of abuse Marco
and Celia have to go through by their trainers to be prepared for this challenge they are bound
to. Because of this relationship between the two pairs, Morgenstern describes them (the parents)
as harsh, strict, and unloving, yet the reason behind this is because of this whole competition so
that they can learn the hard way and be the best they can. For Celia, it is more physical and
verbal abuse than it is for Marco, multiple things have happened where her father results to
putting unbearable pain on her to learn like for example when he brought down a heavy, glass,
paperweight on her wrist hard enough to break the bones so that she can heal it herself and tells
her And for Christs sake stop crying (50). When she was younger, her father held her against
her will, cutting open her finger tips one by one and when she is done healing them, he gives her
a few seconds to recover and contains to do the whole painful process again(34). While she gets
physical abuse she receives some mental abuse from her father too like when he pressured her to
save the dove, yet when she didnt, he killed the dove anyway leaving her scarred once again at
her young age. The next day she tells her father, You couldve saved the bird.(31), knowing
that he could but he didnt because he wanted for her to learn the harsh way. As for Marco, his
trainer purposely separates him from the outside world and makes sure that he has no physical

contact with anyone at a young age, leaving him depressed and lonely. The man in the grey suit
(Mr. A.H.) let him go out of his shelter at age 19 (36), yet before that, Marco was neglected by
him to the highest level where his father figure didnt even touch him, Regardless of the
circumstances. (35). He also has no care to his feelings, disagreement, and name, insisting him
to apply for a position as a strangers assistant (52). These actions reveal that the selfish parents
will do anything for the kids to be the best magician that thy possibly can be, regardless of the
mental, verbal and physical pain that they make them go through.