ZeusCow
12-12-2002, 10:55 PM
In his novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury uses a beautiful blend of symbolism, figurative language, masterfully depicted characters, and an excellent setting to tell the story of three “boys” as they discover how love and optimism can easily overcome the temptation and malice of evil. Bradbury’s symbolism helps highlight the novel’s themes of good versus evil, and youth versus old age, and his figurative language makes every emotion easily understood and every image easily seen. The crazy, evil carnival setting sets the perfect tone for the chaotic, soul-devouring forces in the novel. Ray Bradbury’s characters are so well chosen and described that reader can feel their powerful conflicts, and I feel that they are the novel’s most well portrayed elements.
The story is told from the point of Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade. Will is quite naive and innocent, wanting to only stay out of trouble. Jim, however, is a little more knowledgeable about the world, and he is very curious and full of temptation; he is always wishing he were older. Will seems to be symbolic of good and Jim of evil. An example of this is found in the novel on page 13, where Will wears a white hat and Jim wears a black one.
Two other characters that were vital to the novel and excellently portrayed were Charles Halloway and Mr. Dark. Charles, the father of Will, is a fifty-one year old library janitor. Charles hates his old age and longs for his youth, wishing he could play baseball with Will, be more physically fit, but most of all live longer. Charles spent all of his adult life in libraries at night, sharing his deep philosophical discussions with none but himself and the books. An example of this longing for youth is found in the novel on page 95, where Charles says: “You know what I hate most of all, Will? Not being able to run any more…” In a way, the story is about Charles sharing with Will and Jim his discovery of how to drive away evil. As I got into the story, I began to think that Mr. Dark was a classic villain, but I was wrong, he’s what the classic villains wish they could be. This is in part due to the author’s brilliant description and use of the character. The conflict of the story is wholly man versus self, with the boys fighting their own evil temptation, but Mr. Dark is a near perfect personification of the evil that they fight within themselves. Mr. Dark dresses in a black suit with a blood red vest, and a black top hat. His body is covered in tattoos, hidden under his suit. His convincing, tempting, temperamental, and at times even charming personality is enough to scare the reader and is a brilliant personification of the temptations of evil. Mr. Dark seems to tap into Jim’s more corruptible nature from the moment they meet, as seen on page 52: “Yet here he stood, moon-calm, inhabiting his itch-weed suit and watching Jim’s mouth with his yellow eyes. He never looked once at Will.” Also, in literature, very few characters have the ability to change the very setting and tone of a scene with just their presence. Mr. Dark does this. One minute, Will, Jim, and Mr. Halloway are having a deep, pleasant, philosophical conversation in a warm, cozy library. The next minute Will and Jim are hiding in desperation, fear, and dread while Mr. Halloway painfully confronts evil in a cold, dark labyrinth of books with a Minitaur in a black top hat looking for a few souls to gnaw on. This sudden change of setting and tone was due only to the entering of Mr. Dark. I feel that the convincing style and flair of Mr. Dark is far more powerful and frightening than force of Darth Vadar, the malice of Miss Havisham, and even the hook of Peter Pan’s nemesis. One of the beauties of the characters and the plot is that the reader discovers the evil of Mr. Dark just as the boys do. The first encounter with him leaves Will, Jim and the reader suspicious. The second leaves all fearful. The third encounter is where Mr. Dark’s true intentions are revealed to the boys and the reader, and it leaves all wishing they were far away from the intimidating evil. This desire to get away from Mr. Dark is really just what he wants. In reality, Mr. Dark just needs a hug. ;)
Actors should read the novel to see the elements that made Bradbury’s characters so memorable and lifelike. Writers should read the novel to study the elements of literature such as setting and internal conflict shared between characters that made Bradbury’s novel so classical. Everyone else should read Something Wicked This Way Comes, because wicked somethings will come everyone’s way sooner or later.
-ZeusCow
Ray Bradbury's the man, he's right up there Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Dr. Suess
PS: I'm Severely Dyslexic so many of my posts may be a little wierd speelling wise, I sometimes leave out words, sorry
The story is told from the point of Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade. Will is quite naive and innocent, wanting to only stay out of trouble. Jim, however, is a little more knowledgeable about the world, and he is very curious and full of temptation; he is always wishing he were older. Will seems to be symbolic of good and Jim of evil. An example of this is found in the novel on page 13, where Will wears a white hat and Jim wears a black one.
Two other characters that were vital to the novel and excellently portrayed were Charles Halloway and Mr. Dark. Charles, the father of Will, is a fifty-one year old library janitor. Charles hates his old age and longs for his youth, wishing he could play baseball with Will, be more physically fit, but most of all live longer. Charles spent all of his adult life in libraries at night, sharing his deep philosophical discussions with none but himself and the books. An example of this longing for youth is found in the novel on page 95, where Charles says: “You know what I hate most of all, Will? Not being able to run any more…” In a way, the story is about Charles sharing with Will and Jim his discovery of how to drive away evil. As I got into the story, I began to think that Mr. Dark was a classic villain, but I was wrong, he’s what the classic villains wish they could be. This is in part due to the author’s brilliant description and use of the character. The conflict of the story is wholly man versus self, with the boys fighting their own evil temptation, but Mr. Dark is a near perfect personification of the evil that they fight within themselves. Mr. Dark dresses in a black suit with a blood red vest, and a black top hat. His body is covered in tattoos, hidden under his suit. His convincing, tempting, temperamental, and at times even charming personality is enough to scare the reader and is a brilliant personification of the temptations of evil. Mr. Dark seems to tap into Jim’s more corruptible nature from the moment they meet, as seen on page 52: “Yet here he stood, moon-calm, inhabiting his itch-weed suit and watching Jim’s mouth with his yellow eyes. He never looked once at Will.” Also, in literature, very few characters have the ability to change the very setting and tone of a scene with just their presence. Mr. Dark does this. One minute, Will, Jim, and Mr. Halloway are having a deep, pleasant, philosophical conversation in a warm, cozy library. The next minute Will and Jim are hiding in desperation, fear, and dread while Mr. Halloway painfully confronts evil in a cold, dark labyrinth of books with a Minitaur in a black top hat looking for a few souls to gnaw on. This sudden change of setting and tone was due only to the entering of Mr. Dark. I feel that the convincing style and flair of Mr. Dark is far more powerful and frightening than force of Darth Vadar, the malice of Miss Havisham, and even the hook of Peter Pan’s nemesis. One of the beauties of the characters and the plot is that the reader discovers the evil of Mr. Dark just as the boys do. The first encounter with him leaves Will, Jim and the reader suspicious. The second leaves all fearful. The third encounter is where Mr. Dark’s true intentions are revealed to the boys and the reader, and it leaves all wishing they were far away from the intimidating evil. This desire to get away from Mr. Dark is really just what he wants. In reality, Mr. Dark just needs a hug. ;)
Actors should read the novel to see the elements that made Bradbury’s characters so memorable and lifelike. Writers should read the novel to study the elements of literature such as setting and internal conflict shared between characters that made Bradbury’s novel so classical. Everyone else should read Something Wicked This Way Comes, because wicked somethings will come everyone’s way sooner or later.
-ZeusCow
Ray Bradbury's the man, he's right up there Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Dr. Suess
PS: I'm Severely Dyslexic so many of my posts may be a little wierd speelling wise, I sometimes leave out words, sorry