Garth Nix. The Ragwitch. 1990

Julia picks up a rag doll in rubbish, is taken over by the evil spirit within it, who uses her body to regenerate herself as The Ragwitch, the former banished evil queen. She goes back into her own world, Julia is imprisoned in her mind, to be tormented before becoming totally absorbed. Her brother Paul sees this, follows them through the portal, and starts an adventure trying to rescue Julia. He has Narnia like adventures in this parallel world, whilst Julia inhabits a different world inside the Ragwitch exploring her memories and evil designs as she sets about destroying her world which had previously defeated and banished her into the rag doll.

Inside the Ragwitch is Anhyvar the girl she used to be, a girl who communed with evil forces to better her world. She is imprisoned in an ice restrainer, as evil took her over. Julia finds Anhyvar with Mirran her former lover, also imprisoned in the Ragwitch mind. This little group, with Lyssa, the spirit of the rowan tree, are heroes, heroic resisters of evil forces who attach the Ragwitch from within.

Paul is the hero in the outside world. He is instructed to draw strength from nature, the elemental forces earth, air, fire and water and goes on a quest to meet the personifications of these. He receives from them a token which can help him draw on their powers. At key moments he wins wisdom by planting caggages and picking potatoes. The Ragwitch knows that these elemental forces are her biggest enenmy and pursues Paul relentlessly.

The story is one in which evil is a power which can be destroyed. Julia avoids being overcome by it by holding positive images in her head, of happy moments. The Ragwitch holds her power by bullying, usually making threats she is able to carry out. Her power is maintained by the creatures who through fear support her, and those who are brainwashed to go along with her wishes. These are described as The Glazed.

As an allegory of life, evil is shown as a pervasive temptation that once given into can take over one’s life. However, inside every one is a core of goodness, a paralysed Anhyvar, which can be reactivated to overcome evil with good. We need to recognize evil as actions which harm or destroy others, and become heroic resisters, openly challenging these actions despite the threats against us.