A Child Believes

"We both felt deep down some tug, some old wish to believe again in something that was once close to our hearts." (pg 67)

Norfolk, to me, seems to have the same concept as Santa Clause does to many children. Norfolk was a comfort, something that made the children happy and gave them something to believe in. There's no solid fact in it, but being able to believe is a good feeling. Especially once the students didn't believe in Norfolk anymore, they wanted to believe in it. I, personally, would give anything to believe in Santa once more. I find it highly ironic that when Kathy did find a copy of the tape, it was in Norfolk. It's almost like a movie, when adults don't believe in Santa Clause anymore, yet there's an unexplained gift under the tree with EXACTLY what they want. Yes, this is a fictional book like those are fictional movies. I think, however, that Kathy finding the tape in Norfolk is the author's special tribute to the imagination of every child.

"Your Honor, a lot of people believe in Mr. Kringle. Including millions of children. If you rule against him, you won't destroy anyone's belief but you will destroy the man they believe in. Mr. Kringle is not concerned for himself, if he was he wouldn't be here. He is in this regrettable positon because he is willing to sacrifice himself for children. To create in their minds a world far better than the one we've made for them. If this is, as Mr. Collins suggests, a masquerade then Mr. Kringle is eager to forfeit his freedom to preserve that masquerade. To subject himself to prosecution to protect the children's right to believe. If this court finds that Mr. Kringle is not who he says he is, that there is no Santa, I ask the court to judge which is worse: A lie that draws a smile or a truth that draws a tear." (Miracle of 34th Street)