Character Analysis: Something Wicked This Way Comes

In Ray Bradbury’s novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes, temptations entice you and are sometimes irresistible as it’s brought on by the evil that lurks at the carnival which includes the man of many identities who tries to convince the most vulnerable characters to join the evil side and as a motif it because it represents the interaction between the freaks of the carnival and everyone else being tempted or coerced to join the autumn people. Mr. Dark who depicts darkness forces temptation on characters like charles Halloway with things they can’t have. Mr. Halloway dreaded the idea of not “being able to run any more” (Bradbury 131) like his son, Will. He just wants his youth back. Mr. Dark brings Mr. Halloway’s self esteem down by reminding him how old he is. He taunts him with being an “old man, old man, old man, old man” (Bradbury 226) as the pain of his hand overwhelmed him. At one point he became tempted to ride the carousel, but later he gains confidence unlike Miss Foley. Miss Foley is tempted by the image of herself as a little girl in the mirror maze which strengthens her desire to become younger. Her loneliness and isolation led to her being more vulnerable to the carnival. The girl she sees said to be “at the bottom! Poor Girl.” turned out to look “like myself, many, many years ago” (Bradbury 65). She

Since Jim is more attracted to the carnival Mr. Dark offers to give Jim a free ticket ride. It was an attempt to lure him back to the carnival. All Will could see was “he was running toward free rides.” (Bradbury 100). Then Will caught Jim trying to jump on the carousel. So “he knocked, seized, help Jim; they toppled: they fell in a heap” (Bradbury 101). Will was trying to stop him from making what seemed to be a big mistake. Later Jim gave into the temptation, got on the carousel, and aged a couple of years. It all became too much for him to