Rachel True’s The Craft Character Is The Coven’s Most Interesting – GameSpot

A cult classic and horror favorite, The job remains to this day a legendary work of wizarding cinema. Who could forget the hypnotic powers of Nancy Downs (Fairouza Balk), the natural gifts of Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney), or the hundreds of dead sharks washed up on the shore after their summoning ritual? However, there is a missed opportunity in the case of Rochelle (played by Rachel True), the quiet third of the girls’ clan. Rochelle’s character arc has the potential to go deeper than The job originally depicted. Despite the fact that she ends up getting entangled in the Sarah and Nancy stories, Rochelle’s potential as a major character strongly exists throughout the film. Due to her racial identity, narrative conflicts, and connection to witchcraft, Rochelle could easily have been a strong and representative character on The job. And even a worthy rival of Sarah and Nancy.

She’s a catholic black witch

Rochelle is one of the few students of color to attend St. Benedict Catholic School, if not the only one. Because of this, she is openly harassed by her classmate, Laura Lizzie (Christine Taylor), who makes untold comments about her textured hair and skin. To take control of her situation and regain a sense of power, Rochelle turns to witchcraft, and understandably. While the film feeds into these incidents as part of its interest in the occult, The job doesn’t quite take the opportunity to emphasize the cultural connection between Catholicism, witchcraft and Rochelle’s racial identity.

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As a black and specifically African-American woman, Rochelle inherits a deep connection to how witchcraft and Christianity intersect. When enslaved Africans were forced into the Americas, many continued to follow their traditional spiritual beliefs. However, these systems were deemed immoral by the church, so they hid their practice behind the guise of Christianity. In the case of Catholicism, for example, many traditional African spirits were associated with saints. A merger took place between the two religions, creating a new practice known as Voodoo/Hoodoo, which is often associated with witchcraft. So culturally speaking, The job was fortunate enough to cultivate in Rochelle a liberating discovery of not just witchcraft but ancestral magic (quite similar to Sarah’s realization that her mother was a witch). Imagine the power she could wield as a witch and major character. Have you ever heard of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau? Exactly!

His struggles are more than just the high school experience

Each girl is a misfit in her own right, an outcast in a world that doesn’t know how to deal with its trauma. While Nancy, Sarah and Bonnie (neve campbell) grappling with very real and heartbreaking circumstances, Rochelle is both a victim of the system and the mindset specifically geared towards its demise. Laura’s racist remarks aren’t just the words of a bigoted, popular white girl. They are echoes of a much more sinister and present evil. Although she ends up getting revenge on Laura via a bad hair spell, it’s not just a revenge spell she casts. It’s the act of rebellion against Rochelle’s years of abuse – and the centuries of atrocities that those before her – have faced because of the color of their skin. The conflict Rochelle fights in the film goes beyond an ordinary subplot. While racism within the school system is often normalized, it is far from the typical high school experience.

She shows significant character development

To further underscore why Rochelle is such a compelling character, take a look at her reaction when she finds Laura bald, scabbed, and sobbing on the locker room floor. It’s a climactic moment in the film when the girls begin to realize the consequences of their actions. Yes, The job ensures that what is emitted into the universe is made treble, even if only in guilt. But what is lost in this scene is the recognition of the humanity of this moment. Despite the vile way Rochelle has been treated by Laura time and time again, she cannot bear the pain she has caused. Next to Sarah, she is the only one of the girls who has ever shown true empathy. And even, The job don’t use it anymore. On the contrary, Rochelle descends and quickly becomes one of Nancy’s cruel and foolish servants.

It represents a powerful element

When Nancy convinces the girls to perform an invocation rite for the deity Manon, the natural element associated with each character is revealed. Nancy, of course, represents fire: explosive, powerful and all-consuming. Sarah represents the earth, symbolizing an association with Mother Nature and a deep-rooted connection with the elements. It’s clear how and why the film’s two main characters describe the items they do, and their symbolism is used to the fullest. However, the same cannot be said for Rochelle. She represents the water element, which is essential for giving and taking life, spiritual power and the strength of intuition. Under the weight of the water, the fire is extinguished. Without water, the earth cannot sustain itself. It’s a stunning symbol of the power that Rochelle wields. Moreover, it proves that she has all the potential to be a formidable opponent against Nancy and Sarah. Sadly, nothing is done with it, despite the importance that water holds both culturally and in film.

In all its glory, The job uses its characters, their stories and their sufferings to portray the opposition between darkness and light. Through each loss suffered, it becomes clear how important it is to maintain spiritual balance. Nancy and Sarah are warning of what happens if the balance is disturbed. And Rochelle remains the film’s untapped potential. Without a doubt, she could have been the cohesion between Nancy and Sarah – the magic that unifies dark and light forces. Even better, if she had only been allowed access to the magic of her ancestral history, or even a fraction of her connection to the powers of water, she would have given the girls their money’s worth!