The Halloween Tree

“Tom Skelton put on his bones.”

This line refers to Tom donning his Halloween costume. On a symbolic level, it suggests the central theme of The Need to Recognize Mortality. Tom functions as an everyman, and his skeleton costume is a reminder of the reality of death for all human beings.

“Come on, Pipkin. Come out and save the Night!”

The boys’ thoughts as they approach Pipkin’s house emphasize their closeness to him, gesturing toward the theme of The Power of Friendship. Pipkin is so important to the boys that he embodies the spirit of fun and Halloween. By placing this line at the end of Chapter 1, Bradbury signals that finding Pipkin will be the central problem of the book.

“The night swallowed him.”

Like Quote #2, this functions on both a literal and a symbolic level. It refers to Pipkin disappearing from view as the other boys run ahead of him toward the ravine. However, it also suggests that Pipkin will shortly be captured and held for ransom by death.

“‘No treats,’ he said. ‘Only—trick!’”

This quote from Moundshroud foreshadows the adventure that the boys will shortly embark on. Moundshroud plays on the traditional phrase spoken by children as they ask for candy on Halloween. Soon, Moundshroud will surprise the boys by rising above them roaring with laughter next to the Halloween Tree—the first “trick” of the night.

“O look down, there somewhere are our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, teachers! Hey here we are! O, someone, see us! or you’ll never believe!”

This line, representing the thoughts of the boys as they sail via the magical kite, is a rare acknowledgment of an adult presence in the book. It underlines the magical nature of the experience the boys are undergoing and their desire to share it with others.

“Osiris, Son of the Earth and Sky, killed each night by his brother Darkness.”

Moundshroud enunciates this as “Lesson Number One about Halloween” during the boys’ visit to ancient Egypt (53). The Egyptian myth of the sun god Osiris was the basis for ancient Egyptian rituals involving death and burial, which expressed hope for the renewal of life.

“It’s me! I’m here. Under the mask. Under the wrappings. Can’t move! Can’t yell. Can’t fight free!”

Pipkin, transformed into a mummy, struggles to tell his friends to help him as he is being carried to his burial. He is cut off, but the boys immediately jump to follow him. Moundshroud implies that Pipkin’s various transformations reflect roles that he had in previous lives.

“Will the sun rise tomorrow morning?”

According to Moundshroud, this primal human fear contributed to the development of Halloween. In an instance of The Difference but Connectedness of Cultural Traditions, Moundshroud suggests that every culture has felt dismay as the days of winter shorten and become darker and has longed for the sun to return. This symbolically echoes the human fear of death and the desire for rebirth.

“Halloween, indeed! A million years ago, in a cave in autumn, with ghosts inside heads, and the sun lost.”

Moundshroud drives home the point that Halloween stems from early humanity’s feelings at the onset of winter and darkening days. Gratefully gathering the harvest, these humans encountered ghosts—which were actually “memories” of the dead rather than supernatural beings—and hoped for new life.

“Boy, […] England is no place to be a sinner.”

Ralph says this in reaction to the destructive work being wrought by Samhain with his scythe as he cuts down sinners at the end of their lives. England in ancient times was the center of the Celtic religion led by the Druids (priests and wise men).

“In every tiny village, boy, in every scrubby farm the old religions hide out.”

Moundshroud explains that old beliefs survive the coming of new religions by being practiced in secret. He uses this to illustrate how a belief in witchcraft survived the coming of Christianity in Europe, which is an example of the underlying similarities between different cultures.

“All the old gods, all the old dreams, all the old nightmares, all the old ideas with nothing to do, out of work, we gave them work. We called them here!”

Tom reflects on the various beasts (representing human sins) that have crept toward Notre Dame, a scene reminiscent of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. He implies that Moundshroud and the boys have put these medieval ideas back to work on Halloween night. The beasts become allegorical representations on the side of the cathedral, taming humanity’s fears.

“For now they knew why the town was empty. Because the graveyard was full.”

The boys realize that the Mexican town appears empty because all the people have gone to the cemetery to participate in the candlelight ceremony for the Day of the Dead. While underlining the importance of the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the line symbolically evokes the omnipresence of mortality.

“For never in all their wild travels had so much happened to be seen, smelled, touched.”

The narration describes how the boys feel toward the end of their Halloween night journey. The quote drives home the emphasis that Bradbury has placed on sensory detail throughout the narrative to convey the experience of Halloween.

“Did you ever dream that death could be / Whittled down so very small?”

These lyrics come from a song sung by the Mexican villagers and reference customs associated with the Day of the Dead. The customs (like tiny skeleton figures built to look like people engaging in various activities) satirize trivial human affairs, emphasizing that death happens to all. At the same time, the lyrics also diminish death, “whittling” it down to something less frightening.

“‘Oh, this is the best Halloween of all!’ said Tom.”

While in the plaza witnessing firecrackers and shops displaying Halloween treats, Tom reacts to the general merriment of the celebration. The Mexican episode represents the climax of the story, with the most fully realized version of the possibilities of Halloween. Tom’s realization drives home the theme of The Difference but Connectedness of Cultural Traditions.

“‘Bones!’ laughed everyone. ‘Oh, lovely bones!’”

The boys joyfully behold the skeleton displays in the plaza shops. The quote captures the combination of fear and merriment that lies at the heart of Halloween. Looking at the bone display causes the boys to embrace a sense of joy and mortality at the same time.

“Hold the dark holiday in your palms

Bite it, swallow it and survive

Come out of the far black tunnel of El Dia de Muerte

And be glad, ah so glad you are…alive!”

This part of the villagers’ song refers to the revelers’ consumption of skull-shaped candies. This consumption symbolically points to the catharsis that Halloween provides: It allows one to return to life with renewed appreciation after glimpsing a vision of death. By embracing mortality, one ironically enjoys life more.This part of the villagers’ song refers to the revelers’ consumption of skull-shaped candies. This consumption symbolically points to the catharsis that Halloween provides: It allows one to return to life with renewed appreciation after glimpsing a vision of death. By embracing mortality, one ironically enjoys life more.

“The night’s been too long. I seen too much. I know everything, gosh, everything!”

Near the end of the journey, Tom feels overwhelmed by his experiences, as he has been confronted with revelations about the deepest questions of life and death. The quote comes at the crisis point of the story, when Pipkin is being carried in a coffin to his burial. It serves to drive home the difficult, transformative nature of the journey.

“The boys barked like dogs against his so much as questioning their need for Pip’s survival.”

The boys make their strong devotion to Pipkin clear to Moundshroud, thus underlining the theme of the importance of friendship. A moment later, they will put their words into action by sacrificing a year of their lives for Pipkin.

“I mean it, boys, one year, one precious year from the far-burned candle-end of your life. With one year apiece you can ransom dead Pipkin.”

The terms of the ransom from death involve self-sacrifice: Each boy must donate a year of his life to save Pipkin. This is the collective ransom that death demands in exchange for returning Pipkin to life.

“Always the same but different, eh? every age, every time. Day was always over. Night was always coming.”

Moundshroud underlines the theme of The Difference but Connectedness of Cultural Traditions. Although expressed in different ways around the world and throughout history, the customs of Halloween and similar holidays bear witness to universal human feelings of fear and hope.

“Night and day. Summer and winter, boys. Seedtime and harvest. Life and death. That’s what Halloween is, all rolled up in one.”

At the journey’s end, Moundshroud provides a summation of the entire Halloween experience. The holiday expresses the deepest questions of human existence and is a way for humanity to deal with its fears and hopes. It thus encapsulates the book’s message about death and its relationship to life.