45 pages • 1 hour read
Something Wicked This Way Comes
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Symbols & Motifs
Temptation
The carnival arrives accompanied by the sounds of the train and calliope, and the smell of carnival foods. The townspeople’s reactions indicate the motif of temptation. All aspects of Mr. Dark and Cooger’s Pandemonium Shadow Show are designed to seduce people into the carnival, where they can be further tempted into bargaining away their soul. The three main carnival attractions described in the novel are “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World,” the Mirror Maze, and the carousel. Charles encounters “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World” when the carnival first comes to town; previously she tempted the lightning rod salesman, leading to his transformation into the “Dwarf.” The woman is frozen in a block of ice; it is not clear if an actual woman is embedded, or if, more likely, it is a “woman-shaped” hole within the ice. This allows the viewer to fill the space with their own vision of the woman’s appearance, presenting a similar temptation as the theater that Jim spies on.
The temptation of the maze and the carousel work in tandem, with the maze showing its victim an idealized or fearful aspect of themselves. For Charles, it shows older versions of himself, while for Miss Foley, it shows her younger self. The maze likely presents Jim with a vision of himself in adulthood. Will does not appear to be tempted by any vision, preoccupied as he is with the safety of his friend and father.
The carousel, with its power to age or “de-age” people, promises to fulfill or prevent visions projected in the mirrors. The carousel represents the greatest temptation the carnival has: immortality. Charles speculates that the carousel is how Mr. Dark and Cooger have maintained their youth in their long centuries living as “Autumn People.” It is misuse of the carousel that leads to the eventual demise of Dark and Cooger. The transformative power of the carousel is clear when Will and Jim trap Cooger on it, rapidly aging him a hundred years, and creating Mr. Electrico. The temptation of the carousel is too much for Miss Foley, who is regressed to childhood, and for Jim, whose longing for adulthood overrides his friend’s caution and his own better judgment.
Mr. Dark’s Tattoos
Historically, what were called “Freak Shows” were standard parts of carnivals, with roots going as far back as the 1600s, until interest began to die out toward the end of the 20th century. While some made a comfortable living performing in these shows, many were exploited in ways verging on human trafficking and slavery. This exploitation is symbolized by Mr. Dark’s tattoos: each entrapped member of his collection is depicted on his skin. The supernatural tattoos come alive and grant Mr. Dark virtually infinite power over his victims.
As the Illustrated Man, Mr. Dark himself qualifies as someone the story’s definition of a “freak,” as tattoos were against the social norms of the novel’s era. His tattoos physically affect the other “Autumn People” who populate the carnival, as well as Will and Jim when Dark adds their tattooed faces to his palms. The images that cover his body lean toward monstrous and demonic: “[O]n the fingers, and up along the wrist scrambled blue serpents, blue-venomed snake-eyes, blue scorpions scuttling about blue shark maws which gaped eternally hungry to feed upon all the freaks crammed and stung-sewn cheek by jowl” (247).
His tattoos captivate Jim and tempt him further. They reinforce his and the carnival workers’ connection with evil and temptation: The illustrations on Mr. Dark’s body are physical reminders of the Faustian bargains the “Dust Witch,” the “Dwarf,” and others accepted for a chance at immortality.
The Theater
The theater symbolizes the loss of innocence that comes with adulthood. Spying on the theater has become almost a ritual for Jim, but Will dreads it. The language Bradbury uses to describe the theater’s acts is intentionally vague. Filtered through Will’s perspective, the prose highlights Will’s innocence and lack of sexual knowledge: “What’re they doing! thought Will. Why are they laughing? What’s wrong with them, what’s wrong?” (27) It is implied that the theater could be a pornographic theater, a burlesque show, or a strip club—all spaces where sexual acts are shown to a live audience. This foreshadows the arrival of the carnival, which also performs acts for a live audience. Jim’s enthusiasm for the theater foreshadows the temptation he faces from the carousel.
While the pornographic theater offers him a glimpse into manhood, the carousel promises to physically make him an adult. Will and Jim are on the cusp of puberty, with Will being capable of self-reflection in a deeper way. Will realizes the significance of the changes in their bodies and lives that this voyeuristic act will bring. Will’s avoidance of the theater is an act of resistance against change and growing up.
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By Ray Bradbury
