The Season of the Witch

Contest entries that were submitted for a chance to win

The winner in October 2008 was

G. K. Sinclair
in Austrailia

IN GASTON LEROUX'S NOVEL, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, CHRISTINE REMOVES THE PHANTOM'S MASK. WHY DOES ERIK TELL CHRISTINE HE CANNOT LET HER GO ONCE SHE HAS SEEN HIS FACE?

Jo-Boston, MA

In the Phantom's desperate measures to keep his sweet Christine to him, with him and by him, always, he again begins to twist his mind to secure his and her departure through the stage flooring with a show of his magic. In one blink of the Phantom's abysmal eyes he had maneuvered their downward departure to his creature comforts below the magnificent Opera de Garnier. His security, his life, his comfort; his angel would not reside with him whether she became in agreement or not of his darkest act yet. When Christine Daae tore the Phantom's mask off his face, her intention was to see the man, the angel, her angel of music, to see the beautiful face behind the angelic voice. His voice equal to an angel's breath. Why wouldn't she see his beauty, his love, in the face behind the mask? Her tender act of wanting led her into complete conflict with her angel. The Phantom's temper ruled by his aggressive hostile side, and his understanding ruled by his intellect and wisdom conflicted too often when the Phantom's wishes did not come to be. In removing Erik's security where no one could see his physical appearance, where he did not have to explain, he became the vulnerable face that he wished no one to see. His voice, his music and his singing were his contributions of beauty...not his face, never his face. He could not understand, could never understand that anyone could accept this defect of Erik’s. Christine's simple act of love to see her Phantom resulted in the despising of her touch, the rejection of her feelings, and her longing to see her angel. How could he permit her to see her ‘angel’? Angels are creatures of beauty, with love in their eyes. Although Erik could not see the love in his own eyes, it was unmistakably always seen and felt by those who loved him.
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Aaron Devreux

Dear Sir,
It’s been several years since I was brought to live at the De Chagny estate and I’m almost fifteen years old now. My father, having found it respectable that I learn the tricks of being a De Chagny, has taught me precisely what that means-that to be a De chagny, is to be a D’angelus. They told me their story from beginning to end, and I’m glad to say that I’m proud I came from such roots. My personal opinion about why my father demanded my mother not unmask him was for the reason of any other man in his position-he wished not to be vulnerable. As a gentleman, it is impolite to lose confidence and composure in front of a lady, and he did not wish to commit such an offense. But moreover, he did not wish to lose her, it was fear, self loathing, and love for my mother that spurned him from allowing her to take his protection. He pitied her for having to look at his countenance, but failed to trust her to look upon it with her own measure of composure-I believe that he has that trust now, and the trust of many, many others.
Sincerely with respect,
Michael De Chagny
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Bronwyn

It happened in an instant...one moment of time. Love uncovered hate. Light exposed darkness. Beauty unveiled disfigurement. Trust unmasked deception. For him, the ghastly reality of his very existence gave way to a hope-filled dream. . . for her, the sudden reality of that moment became her darkest nightmare. . . but for love. Intertwined were two worlds. Distant yet consumed. Love & passion, fear & hate. . . hope & purity, desolation & despair. Isolation. . . they were there, in that moment, in his world. It was his domain, yet she had come. . . he had brought her. His angel of music. . . her unseen tutor. Her trust & curiosity had unveiled the hideous truth of what had been heard, yet remained unseen. . . .that voice, which had sung songs in her head. Everything she had known. . . everything she had heard, was suddenly tainted by a world she had never known. All his dreams, his hopes . . . everything he had forseen was suddenly taken away. . . his world crashed, a world he would never know. . .He could not let her go back. . .not now.
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G. Sinclair's winning entry

For an eternity, they stared at each other. Angel and demon. Heaven and hell. Until he roared in anger and clutched at his face in desperation. She fell, though the feeling was more than purely physical. He rose above her, the oncoming storm dark and despairing, fear rippling through her as she braced for the impact of his lightning rage. She'd stared into hell. Seen the depths of the place where she was certain no mortal should ever enter. She pitied him. He'd stared into heaven. Seen the light that shone above his hellish prison and become entranced with it. He didn't want her pity. He sought her love. The mask was the barrier. It reflected her idealized heaven, seeming to encase her Angel of Music in the beauty she dreamt of. In truth, it encapsulated him in his own darkness, peering out of the shadows cast on his face at the heaven he aspired for. But now she had ripped away the barricade, removing his last defenses. He never intended to reveal his face, but to think of him always as her angel, when the reality was that she was his. The ruse could continue no longer. They had seen each other as they truly were. Angel for demon. Demon for angel. There was no turning back now. He had tasted heaven and it wasn't enough. She had seen hell and it was too much. He knew this. Which was why he said the only words that made sense.
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Samantha W.

My belief is that the Phantom was simply very scared of losing the love of his life. I think in that moment, all he could do was fathom those simple, almost childish words because he wanted to remain immortalized in the girl's eyes. But now that he was a demon to her, he assumed that she would run. I think the Phantom saw himself as a bit of Dorian Gray type of character. Once his face was seen, he was no longer the idol of passion and love but only a deteriorated man who no longer had the will to live. The magic was gone. And since he only knew how to enchant or to terrify, once the spell was broken, all that was left to do was to threaten Christine. Though, I suppose it is more of a punishment at that point. Christine is his immortality in a sense.
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GD Michelle

I believe that Erik tells Christine he cannot let her go once she has seen his face because he has revealed a huge physical and emotional part of himself to her. The physical part is not as significant as the emotional but none the less has been enough to be hidden from Christine (and everyone) until then. Erik's need to hide his deformity behind the mask (I believe) was fueled by the fear of rejection, pity and the fear of repulsion from Christine. Until then Erik couldn't bring himself to reveal all of himself to her. Unlike his beautiful music and talents which he has never been ashamed to show Christine, Erik does not feel the same about his face. He has become comfortable and trusting enough in his love for her or is at least willing to take the next step of showing her all of himself. Once his deformity has been seen by Christine, Erik says he cannot let her go because now she has seen Erik truly in every sense. The physical part is her seeing his deformity and the emotional part of Erik is revealed because Christine now can see the pain (and love) Erik has carried inside for years. This pain and love has been coveted inside himself and shared with no one until now. He has nothing left to hide. It is almost as if he has given himself completely to her and now cannot ever let her go, physically and emotionally. The mask once used as a crutch to hide Erik's deformity and pain (and love) in his heart is cast aside and now Christine is what Erik needs to take it's place in his heart and by his side.
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Emhie P.

I believe the reason why Erik (the phantom) won't let Christine go because of the fact that it has been his tradition and trademark. If you have seen his face then it will be your demise. Also I believe Christine really loves Erik, in her heart she knew she can't escape the fact about the phantom. She can't deny it. Also I can't think of a reason why Raoul would get jealous, it just shows on her eyes, I guess. And Erik knew where he really stands.
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Kathryn

In Gaston Leroux's novel, The Phantom of the Opera, Christine removes Eriks mask and is told that he cannot let her go. I believe that Erik tells Christine that he cannot let her go because he means it in more than one way. Erik is completely and utterly taken by this young woman and knows that once she see's his face, his deformity, the memory of him will never leave her mind. In Leroux's novel, it describes him as a corpse even though Erik was very much alive. There are images of others who stick with people for the rest of the lives whether they like it or not. I believe he tells her that he cannot let her go because he will always be in her mind due to the way he looks. Also, he could mean that physically he could never let her go because he loved her so much. Their love is binding and overwhelmingly powerful, it chains them to one another for better or worse. Erik believes himself to be a monster and knows that because of his deformities, his face and features are mind holding. Christine cannot rid herself of his presence even if she wanted to. Trauma turned into love and formed a bind that would not let either Erik or Christine go.
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M.W. / Delaware

Imagine that you've worked diligently and in secret, to entice and cajole a woman. You've conjured a lie, portrayed yourself as an Angel of Music sent to further her singing career. After months of trying to gain her graces, you're no further than when you began and to make matters worse, another suitor has appeared. In desperation you drug her and carry her into the caverns. Once you get her there, you're so excited to show her your house and play music for her, that you let down your guard and forget to watch your back. She sneaks up behind you and...horror...pulls off your mask, the only thing keeping your damaged face from shocking her into retreat! You rant and throw a fit. You've never allowed anyone who's seen your face to live! That's the reason you killed Joseph Buquet and cluttered the hidden passageways with quite a number of bodies. You're so angry, you drag her by her hair, screaming, "Feast your eyes and glut your soul on my cursed ugliness!" But now you become perplexed. How can you kill this woman whose every motion makes your heart race? You relent (of course you knew you would) and let her return to the upper world, but only under the condition that she vows to return. Your inner motivation, even though you cannot admit it outloud, is that you thirst for her like nothing you've ever endured. You're fixed on keeping her close. Dead or alive - Christine will be yours!
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Rachel M. Fontanez / Springfield, MA.

The Phantom is man who has killed in self-defense, and who has been deprived of a life filled with love, kindness, care and innocence. So when life takes him to the opera house he falls in love with an innocent girl named Christine. For ten years he tutors her and makes her a great opera singer just waiting for the moment when he can finally take her away and show his undying love for her. When that moment comes the Phantom takes Christine to the caverns and tries to make her see the real him. Unfortunately she removes his mask and the Phantom tells her that he cannot let her go. He tells her this because he wants her to love him the way he loves her. He wants her to look past his deformity and be able to see the man that yearns for her every hour, every minute, and every second of everyday!
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Meagan / VA
Christine was an innocent newcomer brought into the chorus. The Phantom wasn't even interested until he learned she was an orphan. He stole down the passages of the theater to spy her sleeping. But she wasn't in her bed! 'Where can she be, he wondered, "a child needs rest." His sharp ears heard the crying - soft mournful tears that were enough to soak a small pillow. Sliding down to the base of the concealed screen, he spotted her, a pitiful imp beneath her bed, sobbing in secret. "How alike are we two," he marveled. He'd hidden for years in the dark holes of the theater, crying his pain for no one but himself. Long months dragged into years, he watched in secret, until the day he spied her on the center stage, at midnight, her arms extended in song. Her voice had promise. It wasn't particularly grand, but it held a degree of passion. He could help her voice and perhaps strike a friendship in the bargain. Through the walls of her dressing room he identified himself as The Angel of Music, a seer who inspires artists to rise to heights of greatness. He offered to teach and encourage her music. In an exuberant lapse of caution he revealed himself, stepped out into the light safely hidden behind the mask. In curiosity and boldness she yanked it off and sealed her fate. For now she'd seen the alien being from the planet Demantoid, the straggling navigator accidentally left behind.

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