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 _________________ to Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Look at the picture on the front cover of the novel. 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?

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 rod like 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.allusion 2.characterization 3.metaphor 4.symbolism 5.theme 6.motif 7.typecasting 8.personification 9.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 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.Death of innocence 2.Temptation 3.Good vs. Evil 4.Identity 5.Order vs. Chaos 6.Opposing forces in the world 7.Loyalty-- to people/ principles 8.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 fearsJim’s fears

1. storm (p. 21)1. adults acting weird (21) 2.adults acting weird (21)2. missing something (39) 3.the unpredictable (22)3. being hurt emotionally (40) 4.unexpected reality (28)4. boredom/sameness (41) 5.carnival/chaos (31, 38)5. losing Will ( ) 6.losing Jim (28) 7.danger for family (34) 8.hurting his parents (34) 9.unpleasant reality (36) 10.being alone (47)

Will’s fearscont.Jim’s fears 11. having Jim be alone (47) 12. the mirror maze (62)

Will’s fears 2014 Jim’s fears 1.being left behind1. boredom/ sameness 2.unpredictability2. getting hurt 3.bad stuff happening emotionally 4.the ‘big world’3. missing something 5.the unknown4. Will’s not being there 6.people getting hurt to protect him 7.losing Jim (periodically) 8.chaos/lack of order5. not knowing 9.danger 10.disappointing people

More of Will’s fears being alone21. losing innocence 12. taking risks22. the unnatural 13. secrecy23. being unable to 14. lightning/storm protect those he loves 15. doing something bad 16. the future 17. getting in trouble 18. the carnival 19. facing certain unpleasant realities 20. evil

Last characterization question: Who will be better equipped to battle the evil of the carnival, Will or Jim? WHY???

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:

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 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?