49 pages • 1 hour read
Gordon KormanThe Hypnotists
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Genre Context: Middle Grade Science Fiction and the Coming-of-Age Genre
The Hypnotists is a middle grade novel that combines elements of science fiction and coming-of-age narratives. The science fiction elements of this novel come from the central premise that hypnosis is possible and exists in the modern world. Science fiction is “a genre of speculative fiction that imagines elements that don’t exist in the real world,” often using technological or scientific advancement to generate or reveal this imaginative element (“What Is Science Fiction Writing? Definition and Characteristics of Science Fiction Literature.” MasterClass, 21 Sep 2021). The Sentia Institute functions like a scientific research facility, investigating the apparent reality of mind control within a realistic context. The supernatural element coincides with real history, offering recontextualizations of certain historical figures and events. Korman uses the school environment to concentrate characters with supernatural abilities together and allow them to explore and learn about their powers. Like many well-known science fiction narratives ranging from Star Wars to Dune, there is a major villain, an increasing sense of danger and excitement, and a climactic battle where the hero and villain use their powers against each other.
Korman combines these genres with the traditional coming-of-age genre, which features an adolescent protagonist having a formative or transformational experience. Jax undergoes substantial personal changes to his identity as he learns about his powers and crosses a threshold into a new world, gaining new responsibility, perspective, and independence. Jax learns to question authority and begins to establish his moral independence from the adults in his life.
Genre Context: Subverting the Concept of the “Chosen One”
In The Hypnotists, Gordon Korman subverts the idea of the “chosen one,” a trope that frequently appears in speculative fiction and middle grade stories. Inspired by the familiar hero’s journey, as well as references from history, mythology, and religious text, the idea of the chosen one emphasizes the individual ability to enact global change. Characters frequently discover a hereditary birthright that confers special powers on them or a prophesied role that sets them up to save the world from overwhelming forces of evil. Often these stories feature clear-cut morality with the hero representing good and the villain representing evil. Famous examples include Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and The Hunger Games.
In this novel, Jax’s extraordinary hypnotic powers immediately single him out as special and position him as a “chosen one” within the context of this world. Characters frequently mention that he could be “the one” and that his abilities will change the world. As he gains notoriety, his status as the chosen one becomes increasingly evident within his community of hypnotists.
Korman further solidifies Jax’s chosen one status by connecting his specialness to his bloodline on both sides. His family’s history and class influence his unique abilities, making him not only exceptionally skilled in hypnosis but also a member of an influential and storied family. Korman recasts Jax’s hypnotic skills as a privileged birthright, connecting an otherwise down-to-earth young person to a line of elite, high-society individuals with wealth and power. As a result, Jax straddles multiple worlds, allowing him to serve as a representative of multiple groups of people to whom he is connected by life experience.
After establishing the chosen one’s special power and hereditary elite status, many chosen one stories go on to show how this character will save the world from evil and destruction. In a subversion of the traditional path of the chosen one, Korman has Jax supply the primary danger in the novel. The post-hypnotic suggestion video that circulates through New York is a direct result of Jax's actions and abilities, for which he feels responsible and guilty even though Dr. Mako coerced him into doing it. Rather than merely confront a villain who represents pure evil, Jax must confront his complicity in the harm and the danger that inherently accompanies his power.
Challenging the traditional notion of a singular “chosen one” hero, Korman creates a complex and communal portrayal of heroism, one that emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, accountability, and trust with a broader community. Korman investigates how great power contains great danger within it, and he shows that true heroism comes from his characters learning to exercise restraint.
Authorial Context: Gordan Korman
Gordon Korman is a widely known middle grade writer who has published more than 100 novels. Born in Montreal and raised near Toronto, Korman’s writing career began “virtually by accident” when he wrote a manuscript as part of a seventh-grade writing assignment. He submitted the manuscript to Scholastic Canada and received an offer to publish his first novel at the age of 14 (“About Gordon Korman.” Gordon Korman).
His books have sold over 30 million copies and reached a global audience, with translations available in more than 30 languages. Korman’s writing style focuses on humor, with most of his early novels following adolescent experiences. In 2001, he made the jump from humor to action and adventure novels, introducing more imagination and suspense and dialing back the focus on humor. When asked why he prefers writing for middle graders, Korman describes that this demographic has just reached the age where they can formulate their own opinions (“Gordon Korman.” Scholastic Canada). Many of Korman’s novels are part of longer series, including his Slacker series (Slacker, Level 13), and his Mastermind series (Masterminds, Criminal Destiny, Payback).
The Hypnotists fits into Korman’s larger oeuvre by focusing on a middle grade story while also weaving in elements of action and adventure. Korman’s signature humorous writing style still makes its way into the book through Jax’s dynamic with his best friend, Tommy, and the jokes they use to banter and bond. The novel also reflects Korman’s interest in telling stories about kids learning to formulate their own opinions, as Jax’s adventures in hypnotism help him construct his moral framework and resist authority.
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