LITERATURE:Something Wicked… – Key Elements

Within the first forty pages of this novel, I already can see all the key elements of story.  Bradbury is, of course, an accomplished writer and so goes by the best rules of fiction.

His main characters, Will and Jim, are well developed and maybe the best example of using another character, Will’s father, can describe their friendship despite their differences:

So there they go.  Jim running slower to stay with Will, Will running faster to stay with Jim.  Jim breaking two windows in a haunted house because Will’s along, Will breaking one window instead of none because Jim’s watching.  God, how we get our fingers in each other’s clay. (p. 18)

Bradbury produces conflict within this relationship, as Jim wants to visit an old house where they’ve seen strange things:

"Will, please…"
>Will looked at Jim now, with the library books in his hands.
"We been to the library.  Ain’t that enough? 
Jim shook his head.  "Carry these for me." 
He handed Will his books and trotted softly off under the hissing whispering trees.  Three houses down he called back:  "Will?  Know what you are? A darn old dimwit Episcopal Baptist!" 
Then Jim was gone. (p. 29)

Bradbury plots his story out, leading us from page one where the boys meet the salesman, through town, through the meeting with Will’s father at the library, through the streets while there are subtle hints of both danger and excitement.  A carnival is coming to town: strange scents of licorice and cotton candy (appealing to the senses), a block of ice large enough to hold within its crystal clarity a beautiful woman, flyers promising the incredible.  Step by step we are moved into an area of expectation, remembering the threat of a storm with killing lightning.  Aided to be wary of the carnival as Will points out that carnivals don’t come in the night as this one appears to, nor do they travel in October in the Midwest.

The imagery, narrative structure, conflict, character, story and tension are all in here.  Built with ease by Bradbury without sacrificing any element one to another.