Something Wicked This Way Comes

Discussion time. I have a few questions to get things started, but just feel free to post your thoughts, whatever they may be.


1. In many sections of the book, Jim and Will are contrasted, and Bradbury makes a big deal of their differences. Are they really so different? To what extent is there a little bit of Will and a little bit of Jim in everyone? Which is better to have more of: Jim, Will, or a balance? How does this play into the narrative?

2. There is also a possible idea that the freaks are people who have given up on that kindness between people in favor of some aspect of themselves, and thus are turned into caricatures of that aspect. Thoughts?

3. Just how corny is it that Mr. Halloway can beat the demons by laughing at them? How much of the book really ends up being about Mr. Halloway beating his "old" demons?

I'll address number 2. I thought it was a really interesting idea that there is some aspect of us that we might abandon everything else for. It is interesting to think about who I would be. Why did the salesman turn into a dwarf? How do we keep from letting ourselves be taken over by something that it turns out is not so important. In stake conference today someone shared a quote that seems somehow applicable. "Remember that all holy men have a past and all sinners a future."

All in all, I liked the book. Beautifully written. A bit mesmerizing. What an imagination.

Feel free to post your thoughts as comments or as new posts.