Symbolism In 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'

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Symbolism is a way for an author of a story to create a deeper meaning than what is seen. Symbols are the carriers of these messages, and they come in all different forms. The novel Something Wicked This Way Comes uses symbolism to show the struggle two boys have against the carnival of Mr. Cooger and Mr. Dark. This carnival is different from others because of its use of magic. It brings fear to its customers through the attractions it has, of which is used as fuel to keep the carnival’s magic alive. The novel is an allegory, which is a story that uses symbolism to convey a greater message. The symbols in the novel Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury illustrate the theme that people should not give in to temptation. Bradbury uses …show more content…
The carousel of Cooger & Dark’s Carnival is not like the others, since it uses the power of magic, and its purpose is to change the age of the person who rides on it. For every revolution it makes forwards or backwards, one year is gained or lost respectively. Just like other attractions of the carnival, the carousel provides the fuel of fear to keep it running. The workers of the carnival can lure people to the carousel by promising them their perfect age, even if such words may not come true. When the people give into the temptation and ride the carousel, they are making a grave mistake since they will get the extremity of what they asked for. For example, Miss Foley gives into the temptation of the carousel and rides it. She is Jim and Will’s seventh grade teacher who is in her fifties, and she wants to become young again. One day, Jim and Will find a little girl sitting under a tree, crying. She recognizes Jim and Will and desperately asks for their help. While neither of the boys knows who this girl is, they both have a vague idea that they do not believe completely. They go to check on Miss Foley at her house, and she is not there. The two boys conclude that the little girl is Miss Foley, and that she went on the carousel to become younger. Miss Foley becomes a very young little girl after riding the carousel, which is much more …show more content…
He uses the symbol of the Most Beautiful Woman in the World to display that people should not give into desires by showing the experiences of Charles Halloway and Tom Fury. Bradbury demonstrates that a person should refrain from submitting to temptations through the Mirror Maze as a symbol, using Charles and Miss Foley as examples. The symbol of the carousel is also used as a way to demonstrate that people should avoid surrender to temptations as seen through Miss Foley and Charles’ encounters. Thus, the author believes that people should never give thought to temptation, since doing do will result in only unpleasant
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