Contrasting Jim is Will Halloway, the good will who follows a holy way and whose name is also clearly symbolic. He is good at heart, but stands on the edge of darkness, enticed by it and feeling as if there is no reason not to embrace it. The boy we have concern for is Jim Nightshade, who has an overtly symbolic name.

Its crowning achievement, in my opinion, is the fact that it is told in such a way as to deliver the message to a young audience so that they can begin to understand the mechanism of evil while they are still young and can bolster their defenses sooner rather than later in life.įrom the outset, we know that the story will be rich in symbolism by the introduction of the two main characters-two carefree young boys, best friends, living in a small town. All are expertly woven together, some obvious and some covert, resulting in a story that delights readers with its depth and intelligence. There is not a paragraph, conversation, character, situation, or setting that is arbitrary in this tale.

The story is rich with poignant symbolism, chilling but not too terrifying, and hopeful while cautionary. While not a Catholic, Bradbury touches on our innate human sense of Good and evil, the nature of temptation, and the spiritual struggle within the human heart.

Bradbury’s seldom mentioned Something Wicked This Way Comes is a must-read for anyone, young adults or otherwise. It always held such a deep fascination for me. I confess that I had not read this particular book of Bradbury’s until after my daughter picked it up, but I had watched the movie adaptation countless times as a child.

Something Wicked by C.J. Baker