Something Wicked This Way Comes
Insights and Such
What’s with the title?
Analyze Bradbury’s purpose in changing
traditional syntax in order to present the novel’s
title as Something Wicked This Way Comes
rather than Something Wicked Comes This Way.
While there may be more than one reason
Bradbury uses this name for the novel, the
primary reason is that it is an allusion to
Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
1. Where is the boy in this
scene?
2. What time of day is it in this
scene?
3. What is happening in this
scene?
4. What emotion does the
boy seem to be exhibiting?
Why?
5. Make predictions about
what will happen based on
this picture.
6. The picture is a publisher’s
view of a scene in the
novel. What theme can you
connect with this?
Entry/Exit Ticket, per. 8
• On your index card, please list:
• 3 things you remember from Friday (or hope
to remember for tomorrow!)
• 2 things you expect from the novel
• 1 thing that surprised you
Look at the Prologue, p. 1
Read the line:
“But one strange wild dark long year,
Halloween came early.” (Bradbury, 1)
1. According to the conventions of English, how
many commas are missing from the sentence?
2. Why does Bradbury leave commas out?
3. Why does Bradbury make that line an entire
paragraph?
What is a “lightning rod”?
1. a rodlike conductor installed to
divert lightning away from a
structure by providing a direct
path to the ground.
What would it mean for a person to
be a figurative lightning rod?
lightning rod
Figurative Lightning Rod
2. a person or thing that attracts and
absorbs powerful and esp. negative
or hostile feelings, opinions, etc.,
thereby diverting such feelings from
other targets: The unpopular
supervisor served as a lightning rod
for the criticism that should have
been aimed at management.
Which boy is the figurative lightning
rod?
Why?
Which boy attracts lightning naturally?
Why?
Brainstorm what you know about
lightning
• Mark Twain said:
–
“The difference between the right word
and the almost right word is the
difference between lightning and
lightning bug.”
–“Thunder is good, thunder is
impressive; but it is lightning that does
the work.”
Brainstorm ideas about the two boys:
Will Halloway:
Jim Nightshade:
William Halloway
• William means “protector.”
• Halloway– “hallowed” = “regarded as holy;
venerated; sacred”; this person will take and
protect the “hallowed” or holy way.
– Might it also mean that what he cares about
becomes hallowed because he cares about it?
– Phrased differently, is the “way” hallowed anyway,
or does it become hallowed because he takes it?
Jim Nightshade
• James means supplanter (one who takes the
place of).
• Nightshade: literally "shade of night,"
perhaps an allusion to poisonous berries (e.g.
deadly nightshade, enchanter’s nightshade)
Consider Tom Fury
1. Is he a force for good or a force for evil?
Why?
2. Is his “hat” different from who he is at heart?
Why or why not?
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Turn to page 15, in the middle of the page where
Mr. Halloway asks Will if he wants a white-hat or a
black-hat book. Read from there to the end of the
chapter.
1. What does each hat represent?
White
Black
2. When Jim asks Mr. Halloway which hat he’d
chosen, what does he mean?
3. Mr. Halloway replies, “Since you need to ask, Jim,
you make me wonder.” What does that mean?
Find another way to say it.
4. What impact will that decision– which ‘hat’ to
wear– have on the conflict?
5. Is everyone just one thing, good or evil?
Explain. Keep an open mind about the novel.
6. What is the difference between being a
certain kind of person and putting on a
certain kind of ‘hat’? (Think verb types!)
Literary Elements
Make sure you know these elements and look for
them as you read.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
allusion
characterization
metaphor
symbolism
theme
motif
typecasting
personification
conflict
Cigar Store Indian
Chapter 4 Warm up
1. Open to page 22– read the part about the
barber pole.
Watch the video clip of the moving barber pole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkmdGcPnRXQ
2. Answer: WHY doesn’t Will want Mr. Crosetti to
turn off the barber pole. What might it symbolize?
What themes do you find in Chap. 5?
Theme the first in the chapter: ORDER vs. CHAOS
List the chaos in Chapter 5:
The theme that EMERGES from chaos is…
TEMPTATION !
Which themes do you see emerging?
Where?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Death of innocence
Temptation
Good vs. Evil
Identity
Order vs. Chaos
Opposing forces in the world
Loyalty-- to people/ principles
Power of love
Characterization
• Make a T-chart with Will on the left and Jim on the
right.
• Beneath each name, explore what you think each
boy fears. Be sure to support your opinion with
evidence from the text!
_________________________________________
• Will’s fears are easier to explore than Jim’s, and
yet Will is “the protector” if we are to believe that
Bradbury gave him that name for a reason.
Will’s fears
Jim’s fears
Will’s fears
1. storm (p. 21)
2. adults acting weird (21)
3. the unpredictable (22)
4. unexpected reality (28)
5. carnival/chaos (31, 38)
6. losing Jim (28)
7. danger for family (34)
8. hurting his parents (34)
9. unpleasant reality (36)
10. being alone (47)
Jim’s fears
1. adults acting weird (21)
2. missing something (39)
3. being hurt emotionally (40)
4. boredom/sameness (41)
5. losing Will ( )
Will’s fears cont.
11. having Jim be alone (47)
12. the mirror maze (62)
Jim’s fears
Will’s fears
2014
1. being left behind
2. unpredictability
3. bad stuff happening
4. the ‘big world’
5. the unknown
6. people getting hurt
7. losing Jim
8. chaos/lack of order
9. danger
10.disappointing people
Jim’s fears
1. boredom/ sameness
2. getting hurt
emotionally
3. missing something
4. Will’s not being there
to protect him
(periodically)
5. not knowing
More of Will’s fears
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
being alone
21. losing innocence
taking risks
22. the unnatural
secrecy
23. being unable to
lightning/storm
protect those he loves
doing something bad
the future
getting in trouble
the carnival
facing certain unpleasant realities
evil
Last characterization question:
• Who will be better equipped to battle the evil
of the carnival, Will or Jim? WHY???
Character Brainstorming:
6.0H
1. Tom Fury:
the lightning rod salesman!
2. Will Halloway: blond, scared, 1 day older than Jim,
naïve
3. Jim Nightshade: dark hair, GREEN eyes!, leaning
forward (wants to be older)
4. Charles Halloway: 54 years old, looks like Will “in a
smashed mirror” (Bradbury, 15); thinks he’s a poor
father because he’s too old; works in library (really
smart!)
5. Mr. Tetley: Cigar store owner; hears something
6. Mr. Crosetti: Barber; smells carnival food
Character Brainstorming:
6.0H
7. Mrs. Halloway: much younger than husband.
8. Mrs. Nightshade: wants grandchildren to spoil;
had a LOT of loss in her life and Jim is all she has
left.
9. Mr. Cooger: Huge, red hair, 40-ish, takes orders
from Mr. Dark
10.Mr. Dark: Tall, black hair, yellow eyes, never
looks at Will!
11.Miss Foley: Unmarried in her fifties, has a
“nephew”
Character Brainstorming:
6.0 H
12. Robert: 12-year-old Mr. Cooger; Miss Foley’s
“nephew”
Misc.
Charles Halloway
• “Charles” means “free man” according to some
texts. What is he free from? Is it ironic?
• “Calliope”– Officially, this is a character from Greek
mythology dedicated to music. She was said to be
the ‘muse’ of Homer in writing the epic poems The
Iliad and The Odyssey. It is also the name of an
organ that was used in carnivals, particularly on the
carousel. We have come to associate it with the
carousel and even the carousel’s horses.
What is the difference between:
Tattoo:
Illustration:
What is the difference between:
Tattoo:
Illustration:
Note: The purpose of an illustration—it
illustrates a particular story (let’s stay in the
realm of fiction.) A tattoo may or may not have a
story behind it; an illustration must.
Don’t forget:
• “The natural order of things”– when it’s reversed or
interfered with, we must notice it!
• Supernatural = unnatural!
Find several examples in Chaps. 9-20
of:
• the “natural order of things” being
compromised or going awry in some way.
Make sure you put “ “ around your text and
cite the page number.
• some part of the carnival resembling a ‘storm’
What do you make of…
• Mr. Dark’s reactions to Jim and Will,
respectively?
• Jim’s reaction to things having to do with the
carnival?
• Jim’s reaction to the nephew?
Characterization:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Will -Jim-Mr. Halloway-Miss Foley-Tom Fury-Mr. Dark-Mr. Cooger-Robert-Mr. Crosetti--
Identify the following characters:
1. This character’s voice is described as “the sound
truth makes being said.”
2. His hair is “wild, thick, and the glossy color of
waxed chestnuts” and “eyes…mint rock-crystal
green.”
3. This character longs for grandchildren to spoil.
4. This character says, “I don’t believe signs.”
5. This character calls out, “Help! Police!”
6. This character is self-described as “an old fish.”
Identify the following characters:
7. This character only likes to listen in to
conversations that mention good things.
8. This character has yellow eyes.
9. This character “talked less and smiled less as the
years increased.”
10.This character is probably the “black otter”
referred to on p. 99.
Part I. Chronological Order Activity
1. Tom Fury gives Jim a lightning rod
2. The boys meet Mr. H. in library.
3. Boys run into Mr. Crosetti.
4. Boys come across a flyer.
5. Mr. H has a late night conversation w/ his wife.
6. Tom Fury enters storefront.
7. Carnival train arrives.
8. Miss Foley gets lost in Mirror Maze.
9. Mr. Cooger tries to kick Jim off carousel.
10. Mr. Dark shows Jim something Will can’t see.
11. Mr. Cooger becomes “Robert.”
12. Boys visit Miss Foley and meet “Robert.”
13. Jim goes to Miss Foley’s house without Will.
14. Robert sets up burglary and call, “Police!”
15. “Robert” gets on carousel and becomes “Mr.
Electrico.
16. Will & Jim go to Freak Tent w/ police.
17. Will recognizes the Dwarf as the lightning rod
salesman.
18. Mr. Dark offers both boys free tickets.
19. The boys lie to Mr. Dark & police about their names.
20. The police get ready to take the boys home.
Please note:
• examples of Will’s characterization in terms of
how he reacts to the carnival instinctively
AND
• examples of Will simply knowing things about
the carnival.
• Jim as ‘supplanter’
• How do you account for those seemingly
contradictory things about Will?
Consider the following as possible
symbols:
• Moths– chapter 10
• Clocks— Lots of places
• Kites– pp. 14, 16, 48,
pp. 14, 16, 48
KITES
pp. 25, 51
PUPPETS
pp. 14, 16, 48
KITES
- birds
- wind
- still function w/out
string for a while
-toys
- controlled
- strings
pp. 25, 51
PUPPETS
- directly controlled
- represent people/char.
- different kinds
- can’t function w/out
puppet master
Period 8
1. On the notebook paper I give you, make a list of
characters, in the order of their appearance in
the novel. Give a quotation from the novel if
possible to describe or characterize each one.
*Use “quotation marks” and give a (page #). If
you can’t find a quote, just give a brief
description. Shoot for 8-10 characters.
2. When your character list is complete, put in
ORDER the list of 15 important Part I. events!
Put the following Part I. events in chronological order!
1. The carnival train arrives.
2. Mr. Halloway has a late night conversation with
his wife.
3. The boys meet Mr. Halloway in the library.
4. Mr. Cooger tries to kick the boys off the
carousel.
5. Miss Foley gets “lost” in the Mirror Maze.
6. Mr. Cooger becomes “Robert.”
7. Mr. Dark offers the boys free tickets.
8. The boys visit Miss Foley and meet “Robert.”
Form your groups and take out notes
only (do NOT open book!)
• Take the pile of Chapter 24 events (there are 25
altogether) and bring order from their chaos! Put
them in chronological order using ONLY your
brain, your notes, and each other. You have 10
minutes!
• (Note: Period 1 must use their text!)
1. Note: When something unexpected/unnatural
happens, who makes the most of it, turning it to
his advantage? Explain this phenomenon as it
occurs in Chapter 24.
2. How evident is the theme of temptation in Part I
Arrivals? Use your dialectical journal to gather
textual evidence, page #s, and the analytic
thinking that connects the text to the theme.
Epigraph~Part I Thematic Connection
• Analyze the first part of Bradbury’s epigraph
taken from the William Butler Yeats poem
“Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen.” What theme
is the best ‘fit’ for the Yeats quote? How does the
quotation support that theme?
• How does this epigraph thematically represent
Part I. Arrivals (pp. 5-117)? Use evidence from the
text, classroom notes, and classroom discussions
to support your thinking.
Themes in Something Wicked This Way Comes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Death of innocence:
Temptation:
Good vs. Evil:
Age vs. Youth:
Order vs. Chaos:.
The world is composed of opposing forces: Within and
without; diametrically opposed forces coinciding and
colliding
7. Loyalty to people, loyalty to principles: Consider the
qualities of friendship
8. Power of love:
Section Titles
1. Why ‘Arrivals’ for Part I?
2. What will happen in ‘Pursuits’– who will be
pursuing what?
**Consider the difference between Charles
Halloway and Miss Foley in terms of what each
pursues. (Note: They may both be in their fifties,
but only one of them is “lost” there.)**
Identify the speakers of some of
my favorite quotations!
1. “Now, look, since when did you think being
good meant being happy?”
2. “For being good is a fearful occupation; men
strain at it and sometimes break in two.”
3. “Anything I could say or do to make you happy, I
would.”
4. “Death makes everything else sad. But death
itself only scares. If there wasn’t death, all the
other things wouldn’t get tainted.”
Theme connection pages for adapted version:
1. Death of innocence:
pp. 16, 17
2. Temptation: 23, 37, 52, 54, 69, 104, 105
3. Good vs. Evil:
12, 40, 47, 53, 56, 73, 78, 93, 94,
96, 103, 112, 124, 125
4. Age vs. Youth: 12, 13, 35, 104, 105
5. Order vs. Chaos
7, 21, 27, 37, 43, 49, 57
6. The world is composed of opposing forces: 13, 65,
95, 124
7. Qualities of friendship; loyalty: 13, 50, 51, 69, 70, 85
8. Power of Love; Counter evil with joy: 13, 50, 51,
110, 114, 115, 117
Dialectical Journal Reminders
• Your quotations must come from all 3 sections of the
novel. My samples will come from the Prologue,
which is off limits for you.
• Use coherent notes. When assessed, use complete
sentences!
• Go beyond what the quotation means. You need to
start with its meaning and then go into previous text,
specific diction and syntax, and logical inference.
1. Include the context of quotation when relevant (it
usually is).
2. Find a connection to author’s purpose; without that,
there is no theme.
Poor dialectical journal example:
“Nothing much else
This quotation supports
happened, all the rest of the theme Order vs.
that night” (154).
Chaos because it says that
nothing else happened,
so that means there was
no chaos.
“At that time, James
Nightshade… was thirteen
years, eleven months, twentythree days old. Next door,
William Halloway was thirteen
years, eleven months and
twenty-four days old. Both
boys touched toward fourteen;
it almost trembled in their
hands” (Bradbury, 2).
Identity-- Age vs. Youth
Bradbury sets up the
universal theme of the young
longing to be older. The common
young boy activities, like playing
pranks on neighbors and dressing
up for Halloween, are behind
them. Bradbury painstakingly
writes out each year, month, and
day of the boys’ ages, indicating
that this thing that comes next
for them is the thing they’ve
been waiting for. The age itself is
almost alive to them, trembling
with its own excitement. Their
anticipation suggests that their
identity as children no longer
fully satisfies. What is up ahead
is a new way to define
themselves.
“And that was the October
week when they grew up
overnight, and were never
so young anymore. . .” (2).
Death of Innocence
Bradbury creates an expectation
in his readers that the boys he is
introducing will in some way lose their
childlike innocence. They may still be
reaching out for age fourteen, but here
Bradbury hints that something sudden
and traumatic will cause the boys to grow
up unnaturally fast. The fact that they
“were never so young anymore” suggests
a good quality in being young, a quality
they must relinquish when faced with a
difficult reality. The ellipsis at the end
invites the reader to add something from
his or her own experience– perhaps that
growing up inevitably results in something
lost– an innocence impossible to regain
regardless of the benefits that may come
with maturity.
When Charles Halloway says…
…that he wants Will to tell him he’ll live forever
(137), does he mean that he literally wants to live
forever? Wouldn’t that make him as bad as the
people in the carnival? We know he isn’t like that.
In what way, then, would Charles Halloway want to
“live forever” that would not compromise his
principles? Is it just something to say because he’s
scared of death? Find text to support your thinking.
Re-write and complete each statement in
light of the reading due today.
1. Chapter _______ is more important than chapter
______ because…
2. The most important sentence in the reading is,
“______________________________________
______________________________________.“
(page #) because…
3. The most important word in the reading is
“___________” (page #) because…
Describe Will’s encounter with the Dust Witch
in chapter 30 using the following terms:
CIRCLE each term ONCE in your paragraph as you use it:
1. abandoned house
2. alone
3. arrow
4. balloon’s basket
5. bow
6. Dust Witch
7. rip
8. sense
9. smile
10. Will
Socratic Seminar Preparation
Go through your text and notes to find 5-7 items to
share from any part of the novel through today’s
reading:
• Connections to theme, any “signpost” (why is it
there?), or the motif of storm
• Questions about plot, character, symbol, or
anything you might not have understood
Period 1:
1. Write down 2 or 3 things you noticed (and
noted) from yesterday’s Socratic seminar—
that you may not have noticed otherwise!
2. Make sure your study guide questions are
updated!
Old-fashioned Cash Register
Socratic Seminar
• Write down:
– 3 things noted from the seminar
– 2 surprises/questions from the seminar
– 1 prediction about Part III.
Miss Foley
• What is her purpose in the novel?
–Consider her relationships.
–Consider the “Fall of Man” and the
“autumn people.”
–Consider who first succumbed to
temptation in the novel and how that
person could connect both to Miss
Foley and the “Fall of Man.”
Why does Mr. Halloway…
•
•
•
•
give Mr. Dark his real name?
tell Mr. Dark where he works?
invite him to drop by?
tell the boys to meet him there?
• ???????????????????????????????????????
1. The boys are often described as kites. Is that
image linked more to the natural order of things or
to something outside of the natural order of
things? Prove it.
2.
Compare and contrast the symbols of
Mr. Crosetti’s barber’s pole and Cooger and Dark’s
carousel.
3. Which type of conflict is (or seems) most prevalent
in the story so far? Prove it– find 5 quotations to
support your position.
Respond in your R/W Notebook
1. Is it possible for one person to make up for the
deficiencies in another person? Why or why not?
2. Is that what Will has tried to do for Jim throughout
the novel? How do you know?
Turn to a random page in the reading.
1. Find as many examples as you can of the
bizarre images Bradbury creates using
figurative language. List at least 3 examples
of his bizarre imagery.
2. INCLUDE THE PAGE NUMBER!
3. Identify the figures of speech used.
4. Examine the images closely. Do they
contribute more to theme, characterization,
or mood? HOW?
Myths about dragonflies
http://insects.about.com/od/insectfolklore/a/5-Myths-About-Dragonflies.htm
Dragonflies can sew your mouth (or ears, or eyes)
shut.
Um, no, although it is kind of fun to tell little kids they
can. People perpetuating this myth refer to
dragonflies as "Devil's darning needles," and usually
offer it as a caveat to children who are misbehaving.
Myths about dragonflies
Dragonflies are evil.
For centuries, people have eyed dragonflies with
suspicion and imbued them with evil intent. Swedish
folk legends accused dragonflies of poking out
people's eyes and referred to them as "blind stingers"
for this reason. From Germany to England, people
associate dragonflies with the devil, giving them
nicknames like "water witch," "hobgoblin fly," "devil's
horse," and even "snake killer."
Cooger and dark’s
Pandemonium Shadow Show
Influence Continuum
Place Will, Jim, and Mr. Halloway on the line below:
Suggestible
Cite evidence to support your response.
Controlled
Look up and write each quotation in your
themes packet under the correct theme, and
explain how it connects to that theme.
1. “Oh gosh, thought Will, we thought it would all be
simple...Mr. Cooger, dying, so we bring doctors to
save him, so he forgives us, maybe…but now this!
It’s too late!” (111)
Death of Innocence
2. “’I’d have sworn,’ said one interne. ‘When we got
there…that old man was dead.’” (124) Order vs.
Chaos
3. “’You still don’t see we can’t do business with
those ulmers and goffs.’” (126) Death of Innocence
Write the quotes under the correct
theme and explain the connection.
4. “’I’d never ditch you, Will—’
‘Ditch me in a minute.’” (127)
5. “‘Everything in its time…everything one by
one, not two by two.’” (128)
6. “’Having permission would spoil everything, I
suppose?’” (130)
7. “’You know what I hate most of all, Will? Not
being able to run anymore, like you.’” (131)
Describe “The Bullet Trick” as it happened
in chapter 47 using the following terms:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mr. Dark
Mr. Halloway
The Dust Witch
Will
left hand
smile
bullet
wax
symbol
etch
Common Cause and the Carnival
• Find textual evidence of common cause as Mr.
Halloway defeats the Dust Witch in chapters 47
and 48.
• Pay particular attention to evidence on pp. 245246.
Look through Part III. Departures.
1. Find any interesting patterns that Bradbury has
continued from Parts I and II of the novel (these
are again and again-type things).
2. For each pattern or repeated reference, see if
you can think of a specific purpose for it. For
example, continued references to clocks may
indicate the order we can find in that which
happens in the appropriate time. Charles
Halloway makes a literary clock of information
about the carnival, reinforcing Bradbury’s goal of
having the protagonist restore order from chaos.
Questions??
1. Did the freaks turn back into humans?
2. Is the carnival still affected by joy that is not
displayed?
Questions??
1. Did the freaks turn back into humans?
The freaks were ‘set free’ from being enslaved
to the carnival, but since they take off north, south,
east, west, they clearly haven’t learned to stick
together– haven’t learned about the importance of
common cause.
2. Is the carnival still affected by joy that is not
displayed?
Doubtful; they wouldn’t bother luring anyone
who is quietly content.
Questions??
3. Why did the skeleton, of all the freaks, carry away
Mr. Dark?
4. Does Jim ever get younger?
5. Do the freaks have to ride the carousel also or do
they remain alive from Mr. Dark’s riding it?
Questions??
3. Why did the skeleton, of all the freaks, carry away
Mr. Dark?
No indication– I wondered that– someone said
(per. 2) that it may represent the Grim Reaper.
4. Does Jim ever get younger?
No way to know; he probably needs to live
with the consequences of his actions.
5. Do the freaks have to ride the carousel also or do
they remain alive from Mr. Dark riding it?
No indication if freaks get older or if they are
squashed into their ‘freakiness’ permanently.
Questions??
6. Mr. Halloway says, “The fight’s just begun.” What
does he mean by that?
7. Does a laugh that has no emotion connected to it
affect the carnival?
Questions??
6. Mr. Halloway says “The fight’s just begun” what
does he mean by that?
I think he means that the 3 of them have just
enlisted, with full knowledge of what the battle
entails, in a lifelong struggle, constantly deciding
which hat to wear. It’s always about the next choice.
7. Does a laugh that has no emotion connected to it
affect the carnival?
Does a rhetorical question have an answer, and
does it matter?
Questions??
7. If Mr. Dark is the carnival, when he dies does the
carousel lose all of its power?
8. Is Mr. Dark supposed to be the devil?
Questions??
7. If Mr. Dark is the carnival, when he dies does the
carousel lose all of its power?
“Evil has only the power that we give it.” (275)
Mr. Halloway says he isn’t sure whether the carousel
would work w/out the freaks, but he takes no
chances. Remember: Temptation resides within.
8. Is Mr. Dark supposed to be the devil?
No– he doesn’t survive on souls but on their
misery. He is the unnatural human who gives in to all
of his worst inclinations and draws pleasure from
others’ misery.
Questions??
8. Where did the carnival come from?
There is no specific evidence, but Charles
Halloway speculates that the carnival is just one
way that evil can prey on good. Evil will take other
forms—which is why we need to be watching out.
It’s always about the next choice. The carousel may
have come into play as a convenient way to address
so many people who are not satisfied with their
current lives and age.
Questions??
9. What happens to the physical carnival at the
end?
There’s no indication after the freaks pull up the
tent poles on their way north, south, east, and
west, causing all the tents to collapse. The
carousel’s control box gets destroyed by Mr.
Halloway. We don’t know how the town is going to
deal with that.
Questions??
10. Where does Miss Foley end up?
There’s no indication. She may have been used by
the carnival to get Will and Jim’s last names, or she
may have left town to start over. She is not a
traditional freak.
Questions??
11. Were all the people in the wax museum once
part of the carnival?
I don’t know– but that would be a convenient place
to put those they couldn’t use for anything else. It
sounds very much like the carnival. On p. 240 it
says that the other wax figures are those who met
a gruesome end.
Questions??
12. Will Mr. Halloway be charged with murder?
No. There is no evidence of any crime, and all
of the people associated with the carnival are gone.
Questions??
13. Why do certain characters have a hard time
accepting their ages (Mr. Halloway, Jim, and
Miss Foley)?
Great question. The nature of temptation is that it
preys on those who simply aren’t content. There’s a
difference between wishing one was a different age
and being willing to do whatever it takes to achieve
it. Charles Halloway is the only one seriously
tempted by the carousel but who does not give in.
He thinks all the way around the issue and realizes
that he would give up far more than he would gain.
Questions??
14. Do you have to find order to make chaos?
Do you? Does this go with Charles Halloway’s
contention that you have to know what evil, or the
enemy, is in order to fight it?
Episodic Notes
30 October 2015
• Choose the MOST IMPORTANT SCENE in Parts
I, II, and III!
• Draw each scene and give each a caption.
• Explain in a few sentences how that scene
ADVANCES THE PLOT of the novel!
Significant scenes
Part I.
• The lightning rod salesman gives the lightning rod
to Jim.
• The boys find the handbill.
• The carnival arrives.
• The boys meet Mr. Dark and Mr. Cooger.
• The boys see Mr. Cooger become Robert.
• Jim and Will get “framed” for burglary.
• The boys accidentally almost kill Mr. Cooger (Mr.
Electrico) by messing up the carousel control box.
• The boys enter the freak tent.
Significant scenes
Part II.
• Will fights the Dust Witch and “kills” her balloon.
• The boys find Miss Foley, who has become a little
girl.
• The parade searches for the boys.
• Mr. Halloway meets Mr. Dark.
• The boys and Mr. Halloway talk about the carnival
in the library.
• Mr. Dark breaks Mr. Halloway’s hand.
• Mr. Dark finds the boys.
INCLUDE:
• Context for each quote (place the reader in the
storyline). Embed quotation in context and/or
analysis. Paraphrase for storyline context.
• Structure consistently. Determine structure based
on pre-writing.
• DO NOT INCLUDE FILLER!
• Analysis goes beyond the superficial!
• Go back to notes on MY epigraph connection.
• Use helpful transitions.
• Draw a conclusion.