Summer of Fear

Climax

In the climax, Rachel's boyfriend falls for Julia and leaves Rachel. Rachel becomes angry and confronts Julia about it, who says Rachel and her boyfriend were only friends. Rachel cannot take the fact that Julia is stealing her boyfriend, her best friend, and her room. Rachel becomes upset and confronts Julia, telling her that she's a witch. Julia doesn't justify against the claims, and in fact, agrees with her, but tells Rachel she cannot do anything about the things she does. Rachel checks out books about witches to learn more information, but Rachel accidentally gives out the information of her only ally to Julia just as things were going to plan. Julia then sends Rachel's ally to the hospital. Rachel takes newly learned information from her new books, and uses it against Julia, making Rachel's mother, a photographer take a picture of her (knowing that witches don't show up in photographs.) She finds Julia in the dark room, while her mother is gone driving, destroying the film before it would be developed. Julia reveals that she's not a witch, but a grown woman named Sarah and reveals that she killed Julia and her family to take Julia's identity. Sarah tells Rachel that her mother is going to die according to Sarah's plan. She also tells her she will then marry Rachel's father.

Textual Evidence

""He wasn't yours," Julia said in a reasonable way. "People don't own other people. You told me yourself the first day I was here that you weren't going steady. I didn't break anything up. Mike says you were just good friends, that you've always been like a little sister to him." " (Duncan, 97).

-This shows that Julia is manipulating people that Rachel used to hang out with. Mike would've definitely said differently about their relationship because they had been dating for awhile. Even Rachel's boyfriend is enchanted by Julia.

"No, I haven't seen you actually do them, but I've seen the things that prove to me that you have done them." "... I saw the wax figures you made of Trickle and the matches you used to melt it...I know, for example, why Trickle attacked you and why you felt you had to kill him." (Duncan, 116).

-This proves the things Julia saw to us and herself. She also seems to be very confident in what she says and doesn't have a problem confronting Julia.

""So?" Julia said. "What will that prove? Only that you are so determined to turn them against me that you spattered a picture with paint in order to pretend I did it. Your parents are so naive they wouldn't recognize witchcraft if they had waved it in their faces."(Duncan, 117).

-This shows that Julia really doesn't care about what Rachel does because Rachel cannot say or do anything to justify against Rachel. Everyone is on Julia's side and she can't change that.

""A lot you know! Professor Jarvis used to be the head of the sociology department at the University! My parents like and respect him, and they'll believe what he tells them."" (Duncan, 117).

This shows Rachel revealing her only ally to Julia. This is another reason why Julia doesn't find her a threat; she can easily give out information herself this way.

"When they emerged a few moments later there was a blanket-covered form on the stretcher, and as they came opposite, I could see a familiar shock of snowy hair protruding from beneath one end of the blanket." (Duncan, 129).

This indirectly tells us that Professor Jarvis is on a stretcher, going onto the ambulance.

""My name is Sarah Blane," the girl I knew as Julia said quietly." (Duncan, 188).

Julia/Sarah directly reveals her identity to Rachel as she is so sure that her plan is going to work, so there's nothing Rachel can do.

"What do you think I was doing last night in my room with the road map? Your mother's car will leave the road at one particular spot. There is no way you can prevent it. In fact, It may have already occurred." (Duncan, 194.)

This shows that Sarah is extremely confident in this plan. She knows this will work so she might as well tell Rachel because it's too late for her to do anything anyways.

"I will marry a man who is older and working at a good job, a man who has money and a place in the town, who can give me a nice home, my own car, all the things I need.." (Duncan, 192). "I have foud him already. This is my home." (Duncan, 192).

This indirectly tells us Sarah's motive for wanting to kill Rachel's mother and take over." She implies that she is trying to marry Rachel's father.

Connection

The climax, where she is trying to speak about her views on Julia and no one believes her, reminds me of a lot of plots in different books, movies and tv shows. In many shows, movies, and books, there are characters who try to prove the villain wrong, but end up not being taken seriously. For example, in the Rugrats, the babies can only speak to each other, because the adults do not understand their babbling. Angelica is the only one who can speak to the adults because she is older than them; a toddler. She uses this to her advantage, always tricking, pulling pranks, making fun of the babies, and blaming them for things. This adults believe Angelica and think the babies did such things, for the adults think they are not capable of knowing what they're doing is wrong, and they are just babies, so they cannot justify anything. In the story, Julia uses her powers to her advantage by making things go her way. You could say she pulls "pranks" but not just for fun. Pranks that work to her own advantage. Another thing she does is manipulate people with her spells to fall in love with her. Angelica also does that with her cute, fake voice and sweet and innocent actions. The parents immediately fall in love with her because they believe she's just a cute toddler. Everyone believes Julia is just a sweet young girl. The final example is, Rachel is incapable of even defending herself. Everything is going as planned and everyone is under Julia's spell so she really can't say anything to anyone but her ally, Proffesor Jarvis, who is in the hospital because of Julia's doings. This relates to the Rugrats because the babies are incapable of speaking to the adults about the things Angelica does. They are under her spell and they just cannot speak.

Textual Evidence for Connection

""So?" Julia said. "What will that prove? Only that you are so determined to turn them against me that you spattered a picture with paint in order to pretend I did it. Your parents are so naive they wouldn't recognize witchcraft if they had waved it in their faces."(Duncan, 117). This shows that Julia has control in the situation. She also has a lot of confidence, knowing that her plan will work and that Rachel has no chance trying to defend herself against Julia. She knows what she's doing and she doesn't think Rachel is much of a threat to her because she cannot do much.

"Her parents are dead... but to Julia herself, it doesn't matter! We think she's so brave--she just doesn't care!" (Duncan, 81).

This shows that all of them, but Julia who realizes this, are enchanted by Julia. They can see her not caring as her being strong and brave.