There are many different ways to describe the mysticism that permeates Willow Springs in Mama Day by Gloria Naylor. Most people would call it magic, but each character would describe it differently. Mama Day would call it seeing. Dr. Buzzard would call it voodoo. Cocoa would say it's Mama Day's touch. George would call that nonsense. Most residents of Willow Springs would simply call him 18 and 23. Regardless of the label, he is undeniably present and powerful throughout the novel. This magic is only slightly more prevalent than the presence of strong mother figures. Although very few biological mothers exist in Naylor's novel, each character has a mother figure who plays a major role in their upbringing. Additionally, the maternal figures in each character's life affect how they perceive the mysterious phenomena surrounding Willow Springs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Sapphira Wade is the epicenter of everything in Naylor's novel; the most important of which are her place as a universal mother figure as well as the source of all magic and mysticism. Sapphira is not only the beginning of Willow Springs but also the predecessor of the Days. Because she provided freedom and shelter for her children, she is worshiped as a god by the current residents of Willow Springs. George directly comments on this fact when he says, “she was the great, great, great Mother – as if you were listing the attributes of a goddess” (218). Not only is it revered for its location, but it is also still present on the island. Through nature, Saphira touches the lives of her descendants. During the hurricane, people prayed “to be spared from what could only be the work of the Woman.” And she has no name” (251). This is further proof of her divine status among the people of Willow Springs and also shows how she uses nature to exert her power. After Mama Day's pleas for George's protection, "a breeze came out of nowhere...stayed at [his] back" (300). Obviously, this is another example of Saphira's natural maternal presence. Even though this specific instance did not end happily, Saphira continually shows her power and mercy throughout the novel with these instances of magical interference. More importantly, Saphira appears to be the direct source of Mama Day's powers. As he searches for answers to Cocoa's dilemma, power is described as "[flooding] like fine streams of hot, liquid sugar to fill the spaces" (283). As Mama Day is Saphira's oldest living descendant, it stands to reason that she would possess the same powers as Saphira. The entire plot of the novel is rooted in the power of Mama Day and the mysterious, maternal presence of Saphira. Miranda plays the second most important mother figure in the novel. Following the death of her mother, Miranda was forced to grow up quickly to care for her family, which ultimately allowed her to see the magic of Willow Springs. She admits that her family called her “Little Mom” and that “there was no time to be young” because she had to do “cooking, cleaning, mending, gardening” for her family (88 ). When Miranda's mother lost her peace, she lost her ability to be a mother to her other children. Since Miranda didn't have a mother in her life, she had to be the mother to everyone in her family. She was even considered to "have a gift", which seems to come from the original mother, Saphira (262). This gift of motherhood wasalso accompanied by the ability to see and control the supernatural aspects of life in Willow Springs. Although Miranda believes in these supernatural events, she does not believe they are magical. She believes that “the only magic is what she believes” (96). According to Mama Day, the mysticism that takes place at Willow Springs is not voodoo or magic, but simply seeing what is already in front of her. By paying attention to nature and animals, it is possible to learn everything about the island. She may attribute this special affinity to the gift Saphira passed down to her while serving as a mother figure to her family. Instead of recognizing her gift as magical, she simply states that "she could conceal a small dose of nothing but maternal spirit with a lot of sleight of hand" (97). By believing his gift to be magical, he will have magical effects on the recipient, not through magic of his own creation. Rather than magic, Mama Day would claim that she has eyesight which allows her to use the inherent power of nature. Cocoa was raised by her grandmother and Mama Day, which left her in a complex position to believe in the powers of her hometown. Cocoa comments: “It seemed like I couldn't do anything wrong with her, whereas with Mama Day I couldn't do anything right. I guess, in a funny way, together they made the perfect mother” (58). Like most of the characters in the novel, Cocoa does not have a biological mother. But the mix of Abigail's motherly kindness and Miranda's stern advice is the perfect combination for a surrogate mother figure. Although Cocoa doesn't want to acknowledge the mysterious events happening in Willow Springs, she knows it exists and that Mama Day is the source. She experienced “one of those days that mother said there would be…” when she realized that “the air is more than fresh, it makes the senses come alive” (102). Miranda had a similar feeling discovering nature at Willow Springs. This shows how Cocoa puts herself in Mama Day's shoes. She inherits Mama Day's sight which is transmitted from Saphira. Mama Day admits this when she recognizes that "it's more than my blood that runs through her and more hands that can claim her than these" (294). This beautiful line demonstrates everything Mama Day feels about Cocoa. Since Cocoa is Miranda's only blood relative besides Abigail, she is expected to carry on the legacy of the Days. Miranda also knows that the special bond she has with Willow Springs extends to her great-niece. Mama Day believes that “the rest will be in the hands of the little girl – once she learns to listen” (307). Due to her mixed upbringing, Cocoa is not willing to listen to her sight as Mama Day would like. Her grandmother, Abigail, has a dislike for the other place and its power while Mama Day is the source of the power. Although she does not openly oppose Miranda's actions, she never directly acknowledges the power her sister wields until it is necessary to save Cocoa. This creates a complex and difficult situation for cocoa. She wants to please both of her mother figures but can't help but realize the supernatural aspects of being a Day woman, as she begins to inherit powers herself. It is obvious to any reader that Mrs. Jackson had a huge impact not only on George's childhood but also on his behavior later in life. Since George grew up in an orphanage, structure and practicality were a big part of his life. Evidence of this surfaces in his adult life as his wife comments: "A place for everything and everything in its place." I suppose a lot of that comes from growing up in an institution” (145). This obsessive nature.