Hocus-pocus, abracadabra, are words all have heard as children when they were amazed by the tricks of the man in the black tuxedo. These words form part of simpler times in life, where before adulthood, fairytales are real and magicians can actually do the impossible. Most people believe that tricks are all there is to magic. The reality of magic and witchcraft is not a question for them, but rather unquestionable fakery. Magic tricks are designed to please such a crowd, which inevitably forms a majority at most gatherings. Children especially, are popular audiences for magic tricks since they are the most avid believers. Adults may see the trickery of the trap doors and smoke screens, but children marvel at the magic. They have no need to question the tricks because they believe what they see is true and that is the real magic. Magic tricks can be of many varieties, but they all involve hoodwinking audiences with the dexterity of the hand. Magicians performing card tricks take in to account the tendency of the individual to ignore their actions when picking the card. Elaborate tricks use many gimmicks to divert attention from the main-stage to complete tricks such as beautiful assistants and fireworks. Mirrors and partitions placed at strategic locations make disappearances and conjuring tricks work. The catch-a-bullet-in-the-mouth or the William Tell tricks are some of the most common, projecting to the public the bravado of the live targets. Most times however, the gun is never discharged, only fired to produce a bang and the bullet is found where it had always been in the 'fearless' magician's mouth. The arrows, though released are reeled back and a fake one simultaneously pops out over the targets head. With the appearance of magicians such as David Blain, it has become harder for people to accept the televised magic as a simple amalgamation of tricks. After all, no one is supposed to fool all the people, all the time and so such magic must be real. The ability to control matter with the mind and perform magic without the use of trickery is rare. In fact its existence has never been documented or proved. But then again, it has not been disproved either. |
