Bewitched Chapter 15 Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
While eating dinner, Selene overhears other witches discussing a murdered coven member named Kate, whose body was found on coven property. The gossip includes gruesome details and speculation about the killer. Selene fears that Memnon, who threatened her the previous night, may be responsible. After dinner, she confesses to Sybil that Memnon found her in the woods and believes she is his wife. Sybil offers support and warns her to be careful. Later, in wards class, guest speaker Mistress Gestalt lectures on amulets and offers an apprenticeship for the best amulet. She stops Selene after class, revealing she knows about Selene’s rare magic that consumes memories. Gestalt cryptically warns that Selene is being circled by vultures, that her power is locked away, and that villains are coming for her. Selene is left unsettled.
Key Events
- The dinner table discussion reveals that a witch named Kate was murdered, her eyes gouged out and heart removed, found on coven property.
- Selene learns Kate lived down the hall from her.
- After dinner, Selene confesses to Sybil that Memnon found her in the woods the previous night and threatened her.
- Sybil offers to curse Memnon and advises Selene to be careful.
- In wards class, Mistress Gestalt (a hag) teaches about amulets, including unconventional ones like dental crowns and pacemakers.
- Gestalt announces an apprenticeship with her company, the Witch’s Mark, for the best amulet.
- Gestalt calls Selene aside, identifies her as an incantatrix immemorata whose magic devours memories, and says she doesn’t believe Selene was born that way.
- Gestalt warns that vultures circle Selene, that her power is locked away, and that villains are coming for her.
- Gestalt urges Selene to make an amulet to protect herself against harm.
Character Development
Selene Bowers – Continues to wrestle with guilt and fear after Memnon’s appearance. She immediately connects Kate’s murder to the ancient evil she released, showing her growing sense of responsibility. Her confession to Sybil reveals vulnerability and trust. Gestalt’s cryptic words unsettle her, hinting that there is more to her magic and past than she knows.
Sybil – Emerges as a fiercely loyal friend. She threatens to curse Memnon and insists Selene be careful. Her reaction underscores the danger Selene is in, while also providing emotional support.
Mistress Gestalt – A new supporting character who embodies the archetype of the wise (and spooky) elder witch. She knows Selene’s rare magical condition and hints at a hidden origin. Her warning about “villains coming” and “power locked away” deepens the mystery around Selene’s past and abilities. Gestalt represents a potential mentor or guide.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Memory and identity – Selene’s magic consumes her memories, and Gestalt suggests this wasn’t innate but perhaps imposed or locked. The chapter reinforces that Selene’s missing memories are central to understanding who she is and what she can do.
Protection and vulnerability – The lecture on amulets and Gestalt’s command to “protect yourself against harm” underscore Selene’s precarious position. The murder of Kate highlights the physical danger within the coven’s grounds. The motif of amulets as both mundane and magical protection connects to Selene’s need to safeguard herself from Memnon and other threats.
Elder witches as seers – Gestalt, a hag with no pupils (a blind seer), speaks with prophetic authority. The theme that elder witches grow more powerful and perceptive with age recurs, reinforcing the coven’s hierarchy and the wisdom of its oldest members.
Guilt and coincidence – Selene struggles with the possibility that Memnon killed Kate. The chapter explores how trauma and fear can make coincidences feel like causation, though the narrative leaves room for doubt.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 15 escalates the external conflict by introducing a murder that Selene believes is linked to Memnon. It deepens the mystery of Selene’s past through Gestalt’s revelations, suggesting her memory-consuming magic is not natural but perhaps a curse or lock. The chapter also establishes Gestalt as a potential ally (or at least a source of crucial information) and reinforces the theme that Selene needs to unlock her power to survive. The apprenticeship offer foreshadows a possible career path and gives Selene a concrete magical project—creating an amulet—that may become plot-relevant. Finally, the warning “the villains are coming for you” raises the stakes for the rest of the novel.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Selene suspect Memnon killed Kate?
Selene draws a direct timeline: Memnon found her in the woods the night before, and the next day a witch is dead on coven property. She fears that releasing him caused him to prey on young witches, making her responsible. The text does not confirm his guilt, but Selene’s fear feels justified given his threatening behavior.
2. What does Mistress Gestalt reveal about Selene’s magic, and why is it significant?
Gestalt names Selene’s magic incantatrix immemorata (the unmentioned witch whose magic devours her memories) and states she does not believe Selene was born that way. This suggests Selene’s memory loss is not natural but perhaps a lock or curse placed on her power. The comment implies there is a key to unlock her full potential, tying directly to the novel’s central mystery.
3. How does the lecture on amulets connect to Selene’s situation?
Amulets are presented as subtle, versatile protection devices that can be hidden in everyday objects. Gestalt specifically tells Selene to make an amulet to protect herself against harm, likely from Memnon and other threats. The need for protection is urgent given the murder and the looming villains Gestalt warns about. The lecture also introduces a practical magical skill Selene can develop.