BotM 2016 - [October] The Halloween Tree, by Ray Bradbury - Part 2 (Spoilers for Ch. 1-7)

[J]

Part 2 Questions

Section of book: Chapters 1 through 7

Notes:
- Each member is asked to end with a question for the next member.
- If the person above you forgets to pose a question then just pick a different one from above (make sure you indicate which one you're answering!)
- If some other question from above moves you then feel free to answer as many as you want. It is a discussion after all! ;)

Part 2: Chapters 1 through 7:

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?

[Silvia]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?Some of the names have been introduced already., like Tom Skelton, but I guess they didn't want to say their names to each other just to keep the magic of their costumes.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?I didn't even think about the fact there were not girls! :( I just thought they were a group of friends (just boys), and maybe there is another group with just girls. I mean, I think there is an age when girls prefer to play just with girls and the boys just with boys. I don't think is there any meaning ... but, we'll see :)

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?I don't have any idea, but probably something really bad.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him? I wouldn't. He is a very strange character and they don't know anything about him and the kite ... well, it didn't sound very normal either.

My question:
How do you think is the Undiscovered Country that Mr. Moundshroud want to show to the children?

[Rachel]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
I think it's just for practical purposes really. Other than Tom and Pipkin, the boys are pretty interchangeable so far. We do learn more of their names in chapter 7, but even then, it's a lot of names to keep track of when no one is really developed as an individual. It might be important that they are treated as a group instead of as individuals, but I'm not sure yet how. I don't think they will all ever be introduced as more than a passing mention of a name.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
Honestly, I wouldn't have assumed it was an error. Like Silvia, I just assumed that it was a group of friends who all happened to be boys. I don't think there is any deeper reason or meaning to it.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
I think maybe he was taken as part of an elaborate Halloween trick. He was the one who directed his friends to the haunted house, and once they got there, he suddenly showed up and then was taken. I'm wondering if it was a set-up to give them some kind of adventure for the night.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
I have no idea who he is, but I'm guessing he's something supernatural. On the other hand, if I go with my "elaborate prank" theory, he's probably just a normal person who is a big fan of Halloween. But I think something supernatural is much more likely.

5. How do you think is the Undiscovered Country that Mr. Moundshroud wants to show the children?
I'm not 100% sure I understand your question, but I think it may be some kind of hidden underworld kind of place. I think it will be somewhere pretty creepy.

New question: Do you think the Halloween Tree has any kinds of special powers? If so, what kind?

[Michelle]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
I think it was because the names of the boys are not important for the purpose of the story. He probably mentioned Tom Skelton because of the way his name sounds like skeleton.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
I didn't think anything of the exclusion. I just thought it was a group of friends who are boys. Seems pretty normal for their age.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
I'm not sure but I'd really like to know. How did he change so much? I feel worried for him.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
He doesn't seem trustworthy. He's strange and mysterious and he seems to have some supernatural abilities.

5. Do you think the Halloween Tree has any kinds of special powers? If so, what kind?
I think it does. It seems to light up on its own (unless Moundshroud was responsible to that). I'm not sure what exactly it's special powers would be too.

Question: Why do you think Pip asked the other kids to go to this particular haunted house?

[Maple]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?

I think it was an important decision for Bradbury. Though we do learn a few of the boy's names, for the most part (at least at this point) the rest remain anonymous to us. I think this was intentional so we don't become too attached to them. I jokingly say, once you name it, you get attached, and I notice that to be true in books. I don't know if we will learn the other boy's names, but I hope we do.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?

I don't think this was an intentional (sexist) thing on Bradbury's part. I think this is just very common of children. When we are younger we will play with children of all genders, but those we spend the majority of our time with typically are those of our identified gender. I think Bradbury was just trying to be reflective of a child's nature.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?

Maybe he was poisoned/seduced the first time he previously visited the house ... possessed? Maybe this is why isn't feeling well, and had been targeted.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?

I don't know what to make of him. He may be a trickster, so them I don't think the boys shouldn't trust him. There should always be a bad guy in a book like this, and Moundshroud is being set up to be the perfect villain. He kind of reminds me of the man in Pinocchio, who takes the boys to the island where they are all turned into donkeys. I have a feeling the boys are going to turn into their costumes, just as the boys in Pinocchio turned into jackasses.

5. Why do you think Pip asked the other kids to go to this particular haunted house?

It's probably because it was different than anything they had ever seen before and promised more than they had experienced. Tempting stuff.

My Question: What would you do if you came across a Halloween tree that is described here?

[SamZ]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
I think the boys' names are unimportant. This story is about the history, excitement, and feeling of Halloween. Part of that excitement is dressing up and becoming someone/something else. So it is more important that the boys are in costume than that they have names. I think we learn their names in passing throughout the novel, but I do not think that they are imperative to understanding or enjoying the story. And also, I think each of the boys' costumes will come into play somehow in future chapters.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
I agree with above posts that when kids are this age, they tend to play with their own genders. Also, this book was published in 1972 and at that time (and still to a limited extent today), boys were more likely to go off in groups on "adventures" while girls groups tended to stay and play closer to home.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
I think he is playing a prank. I think Pip met earlier with Moundshroud and found that he had supernatural powers and came up with this great adventure for his friends on this spookiest of all nights.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
I think that Moundshroud is the Spirit of Halloween, which would explain his supernatural powers as well as his fascination with taking the boys to learn about the "history" of Halloween.

5. What would you do if you came across a Halloween tree that is described here?
I don't know. At first, it sounds pretty cool but then the scary stuff that happens when Moundshroud shows up would probably make me run for home!

There is a *real* Halloween Tree dedicated to Ray Bradbury in Disneyland, you can read about it here.

My Question: If you could join the boys' group (regardless of gender or age), would you? What would you dress up as?

[Brandy]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
I really thought at first that they were all going to have names associated with Halloween like Skelton and Pipkin but when we finally heard some other names it didn't seem so much, so I'm guessing it is so we can more put ourselves into the story. I very much liked that they kept the identity of the other boys a secret because it is something I've always thought about at costume parties but none of my group ever dresses in a way that really obscures you enough to not know at once who everybody is. But it is an idea that appeals to me.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
I think I just assumed that this was a group of neighborhood friends and those tend to associate at that young age by gender. I actually played more with boys around the neighborhood, but usually I saw kids playing either in really large groups or with a few kids of their own gender.

I assume there is a group of girls somewhere having a Paper Girls, Vol. 1 experience of their own.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
I don't know, I'm worried for him, though. I mean I hope it is just an elaborate prank but I'm worried that he's growing up and out of the halloween magic... or being consumed by it... I don't know.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
I don't know, but if I was the boys I'd be wary. Who goes with a creepy adult? Very skeptical but I hope he's more of a Gene Wilder Willy Wonka and less of Johnny Depp Willy Wonka.

5.If you could join the boys' group (regardless of gender or age), would you? What would you dress up as?

Warewolf? Because the head would allow me to obscure my identy like the other boys? I don't know. They all seem to have very classic very timeless costumes. I like that.

My Question: Would you join in on the adventure? Would you at this age we are assuming the boys are now, not quite teens but old enough for some independence?

[Molly]

Part 2: Chapters 1 through 7:

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?

I think it makes a lot of sense. The boys in this group are supposed to be like any average young boy out with his friends on Halloween. We don't need to identify all of the boys because we are supposed to imagine all boys out on an adventure on Halloween night.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?

Usually boys' sense of fun and adventure is different from typical young girls' idea of fun. There are definitely exceptions to this, but I think Bradbury wanted to capture a boy's experience in this situation.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?

I am afraid Pip is starting to grow out of Halloween.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?

I agree with the posts above that said he is the Spirit of Halloween. I think he wants the eight boys to continue to believe in him and the magic of Halloween and not end up like Pip. I don't know if he can be trusted though.

5. Would you join in on the adventure? Would you at this age we are assuming the boys are now, not quite teens but old enough for some independence?

Yes, I would definitely join in the adventure with the rest of the group.

My Question: Where will the boys' first stop be on this flying kite?

[Anastasia]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
The reason he did not introduce the names is so we could become one of the crowd, or imagine our own childhood friends on Halloween night on an adventure.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
At this age girls and boys tend to form gender groups. Girls have cooties, ewww.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
At first I wondered if he was being abused, but I think his friends would have noticed that before. He looks really sick though. If this was a modern story I would suspect cancer or other terminal illness. Bradbury is really good at twisting the everyday though so I look forward to finding out.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
He is a very creepy man who should not be trusted at all. I must be getting old because my first thought was run away from the creepy guy.

Where will the boys' first stop be on this flying kite?
Hmmm, good question. It is Halloween, maybe a cemetery or maybe a fairy hill that if you eat or drink anything you will be trapped there forever.

Why do you think Bradbury wrote this story? He tends to write stories with an over arching theme to teach some moral.

[Sarah]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
I think that he did that to keep it more like a group out having a fun night than to have us try and identify with them all individually. We do learn a lot of their names near the end of chapter 7 but all at once so it still feels more like a group.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
I don't think it was as an error on the authors part. This is just a group of boys that have been friends their whole lives and have probably been trick-or-treating together as a group and want to continue that tradition as long as they can.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
In my mind it's one of two things.
A) He is either sick and doesn't want his friends to know yet
or
B) He has outgrown the childhood tradition of trick-or-treating before his friends have.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
Nope they should not trust him at all! As soon as we met him all I could think was run, don't look back! He is going to get the boys into some trouble for sure!

5. Why do you think Bradbury wrote this story? He tends to write stories with an over arching theme to some moral.
I am not actually sure what his thoughts for writing this story are yet. Having only ever read one other Bradbury book I am not all that familiar with his writing style. If I had to guess so far this book just screams at me that we need to teach kids not to go with strangers no matter what they say to convince you. (but that is just me, lol. The boys could all come back fine and have a cool tale to tell.)

[Zaz]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
It helped them feel as a whole rather than individuals and it was good to convey the overall feelings of fear or surprise. It also put in perspective the missing boy who was described more widely. Some of them are named in the 7th chapter but without much details, so it'll be interesting to know more later.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
They seem young but not too much, so I'd put them around 10yo which is usually an age when boys and girls don't enjoy too much to mix up. It doesn't bother me, but I prefer when there are some girls in the stories I read. On the author's side and regarding the publishing date and the other book I read by him, I suppose it's on purpose because male characters were more convenient in adventure stories at this time.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
It seems he's ill/hurt and has problems with his family.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
I don't know but he seems creepy with paranormal powers. They shouldn't trust him, but well it's a creepy adventure story so they'll do.

5. What would you do if you came across a Halloween tree that is described here?
I'd be very disturbed and them would probably spend some time trying to take pictures of the pumpkins :)

My question: what is Pip's costume in your opinion?

[Sophie]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
I guess who the boys are isn't the important part in the story, that's why Bradbury didn't really differentiate them.

2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
I guess when the book was published in 1972, it wasn't a priority to diversify characters genre. Anyway, it doesn't shock me that boys of that age would hang out among themselves.

3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
As soon as he appeared sick, I thought he was in on "the thing" that was going to happen, specially after reading his fanciful description.

4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
I didn't speculate about this identity, but I agree he must be the spirit of Halloween.

5. What is Pip's costume in your opinion?
I didn't really think he was wearing a costume, but as an after-thought it seems weird that we wouldn't wear one... With his lantern, maybe he serves as a guide or something?

My question: Like me, do you feel that it is the first time the boys see the house? How would that be if they've lived in this town for a long time?

[Veronica]

1. What do you think of Bradbury's decision to not introduce/name the boys in the group? Is this decision important to the story? And will they be named or introduced later?
Some of the names have been revealed thus far, but not all. I think this keeps with the theme of Hallowen as being able to dress like something/someone else for a day and be anonymous.
2. Why aren't there any girls in the group? Was this exclusion an error on the part of the author?
I agree with everyone, at that age children tend to socialize mainly with those of their same gender and Bradbury was trying to stay true to this natural tendency.
3. What (do you suspect) is going on with Pip?
I think he may be very ill or he found Moundshroud first anx is being used by him to lure the other boys to the house.
4. Who or what is Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, should the boys trust him?
He is likely a supernatural being, only appearing on Halloween to wreak havok on those he meets.
5. Like me, do you feel that it is the first time the boys see the house? How would that be if they've lived in this town for a long time?
I think that the house is related with Moundshroud, only appearing on Halloween.

My question: do you think the pumpkins in the Halloween Tree will have any significance later in the story?