12 January 2012

Will and Mr. Halloway’s Relationship Change

           

 Have you ever had a bad relationship with one of your parents? Then, all of a sudden, have something big happen that changed that relationship? That is what happened to Will and Mr. Halloway in the novel Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Their relationship changes when they talk more, do more things together and protect each other.

            Will and Mr. Halloway’s relationship changes for the better when they begin to talk more to each other. However, at the beginning of the story, they hardly talked at all. A prime example of this is when Mr. Halloway takes the carnival flyer that he had found and throws it into the fireplace. Thus, making Will feel a bit suspicious of his father and hurt. He feels this way because Mr. Halloway did not talk to him at all about his feelings of the carnival or why he may be keeping secrets from him. He says, “Because Will answered himself. Something’s going on. Oh, something is going on!” (Bradbury 8). Although this incident happened, their relationship significantly improves when they talk on the porch together. This makes them become closer because Mr. Halloway explains to his son the he maybe a sad man, but his sadness did not come from Will. That Will is the light of his life and that he was even a bit envious of Will, he says, “That’s you, Will, for my money. And the strange thing is, son, and sad…than I ever will be” (Bradbury 136). Another way their relationship changes for the better is when they talk in the library together. This is good because Will is absolutely mesmerized by the way his father speaks. Will also begins to understand his father and that he actually knew a lot more about life than Will ever thought. He says, “Dad,” said Will, amazed. “I never knew you could talk” (Bradbury 196).

            Another way Will and Mr. Halloway’s relationship changed is that they began to do more things together. Of course, during the beginning of the novel the boys did not do much together. An example of this is that at night Mr. Halloway would go out to the library while Will was asleep. A quote in the novel states, “And flying toward sleep…away…away” (Bradbury 39). One of the events that helped them come together though, was when they climb the iron rungs on the side of their house together. This brings them together because Mr. Halloway feels younger when he is climbing the ladder with his son. Will also feels happier because his father is with him, the novel states, “same size, same weight, colored same by the stars…and wet with love” (Bradbury 139). Another very important event that happened that brought the boys together was when they brought Jim back to life. This event brings them together because it helps Will understand that his father was right about how joy and happiness could overcome darkness and evil. It also gives Mr. Halloway the chance to show his son that he must let go of the bad things in life and the past in order to be truly happy and free. He says, “Will: louder, funnier…your bones! Breathe! Blow!” (Bradbury 282).

The last way that brought this father and son closer together is that throughout the novel they protected each other. Even though at the beginning of the story they protected each other the wrong way. What this means is that Will and Mr. Halloway keep their thoughts about the carnival to themselves. This is bad because it drives Will to believe that his father may actually want to go to the carnival and it makes Mr. Halloway worry about Will’s safety. They both say, “Don’t go near the carnival.” “Strange,” his father said, “that’s what I was going to tell you” (Bradbury 137). However, an action that improved this problem is when Mr. Dark came looking for the boys in the library. This helps their relationship because Mr. Halloway tries to protect Jim and Will from Mr. Dark’s wrath. Even though Mr. Dark offered him a ride on the carousel, to get younger, if he turned them in. This showed Will how much his father truly loved him, thus, leading their relationship to grow and become closer. The novel states, “Charles Halloway sprang forward…and could not follow” (Bradbury 213). Another way they protected each other was when Will heard his dad talking to Mr. Dark above the street grille where he was hiding. This helps their relationship because even though Mr. Dark had pictures of the boys on his palm and knew their names, Mr. Halloway never gave away where they were hiding or who they were. It also helps their relationship because it helped Will to understand that his father believes him about the carnival being evil. This also leads to Will growing deeper feelings for his father and that now he knew Mr. Halloway would do anything to protect him. Will says, “And Will, below…Dad’s very tall indeed” (Bradbury 179).

Although, many people would say that Will and Mr. Halloway’s relationship did not change. They believe this because Mr. Halloway still believed that he was still too old to be around Will. That at the end of the novel, he was still having doubts about who he was and if he could really change and be happy. He states, “He felt the vague pain in his chest. If I run, he thought, what will happen? Is Death important?” (Bradbury 288). However, though this is a good point, Mr. Halloway actually did decide to run with the boys and that throughout the novel he becomes more open and happy. He says, “Everything that happens before Death is what counts. And we’ve done fine tonight. Even Death can’t spoil it” (Bradbury 288).

I am credible for this essay because I have read the book at least twice.