Summarize how the book subverts the "boy wizard" trope by making the magic itself an act of oppression.
The "Amulet of Samarkand" as a MacGuffin that drives deeper into the government's power structures. Conclusion
: While Nathaniel is the protagonist, his reliance on the coercion of Bartimaeus highlights a corrupt system where power is derived solely through the exploitation of others. Section I: The Mechanics of Enslavement
The Binding Word: Coercion and Agency in Stroud's Magical London Introduction