A central theme in Practical Magic is the journey of Jillian and Sally Owens among adulthood, love, sex and marriage, despite their supernatural differences from the human world. Readers are introduced to Jillian and Sally at one of their most difficult times in life – childhood. As orphans, Jillian and Sally were left to live with their eclectic aunts, both of whom practiced and sold their magical abilities regularly. As Jillian and Sally grew into adolescence watching their aunts sell potion after potion to each desperate woman that crossed through their doors, Jillian and Sally were introduced to a rather twisted perception of love and heartbreak at an early age. To say the least, these encounters with local women undoubtably influenced their future perceptions and pursuits of romance. In fact, Sally cast a spell upon herself as a young girl, protecting herself from the heartbreak that would ever come with falling in love. By doing so, she crafted what she understood as the perfect man that did not exist, so she would never have to worry or anticipate the inevitable suffering of romance.