CHAPTER SUMMARY AND NOTES

CHAPTER 52

Summary

Charles and Will try to ascertain JimÂ’s condition, and a little boy comes running up, calling for help, saying that Mr. Dark is after him. Charles says Will should administer artificial respiration, while he tries to help the young boy. He asks his name, and the boy says his name is Jed, but they must hurry, as they are out of time. Charles suddenly realizes something is strange. Charles grabs the boy, and his shirt sleeve tears, revealing extensive tattoos. Charles picks him up, and holds him tightly, and the boy screams murder. Charles explains that heÂ’s not going to murder him, heÂ’s simply going to hold him closer than he can stand. The boy writhes, suggesting Charles is evil, and Charles says good to the evil must seem like evil. Charles holds him close, embracing him as a father might a son, and the boy falls to the ground, dead.

Notes

DarkÂ’s trick is clearly aimed at separating Charles and Will. Charles, however, discovers the trick in time, and makes a brief speech that often deceit fails. Dark realizes that his plan has failed, and his small size will not allow him to fight Charles. Charles, again displaying the importance of love, kills Dark through a simple hug.

CHAPTER 53

Summary

Charles stands for sometime looking at DarkÂ’s child body. Will pauses his desperate artificial respiration into JimÂ’s body to sense the freaks breathing around him. The freaks begin to glance around them and stumble forth as if the chains of enslavement are breaking free. Suddenly, the freaks leave. The circus tents, one by one, collapse, and Will tries, again in vain, to breathe life into JimÂ’s cold body.

Notes

The collapse of the circus tents and the fact that the freaks leave signal an end to the danger of the carnival. As DarkÂ’s miniature body grows colder, the freaks begin to feel free. His enslavement is finally over, and they slowly begin to realize who they are. Internally, Will urges the freaks to run. He also hopes for Crosetti and Miss Foley to return.

CHAPTER 54

Summary

Some warmth seems to exist beneath JimÂ’s lifeless body, but Will feels the entire effort is hopeless. He begins to despair. With his despair come tears of sadness. Charles begs him to be happy, and eventually slaps the tears out of him. After some extensive coaxing, Charles gets Will to get up, dance, and sing with happiness. Jim slowly awakens, and joins the merriment. After Jim appears fully recovered, Will asks if the carnival will ever return. Charles says they wonÂ’t but other like them will, and maybe not in a recognizable shape. It is even possible that they are already here. They all glance at the carousel, consider their continuing want for its power, and eventually all refuse it, knowing once they start, they will be unable to stop. Charles smashes the machinery, and they all run toward home.

Notes

This final chapter leaves few strings untied. Will, again, starts to despair. Charles, though, gets violently angry when he does. Charles knows that the despair is the only thing that can resurrect the carnival. As a result, he forces Will to be happy, though Will says there is nothing to be happy about. After Jim fully recovers, the boys hug each other and promise to be friends forever, restoring the situation to the natural balance readers sensed in the beginning. Charles smashes the machinery because, though Dark, Cooger, and the freaks are gone, temptation would be far too much for any individual. Regardless of everything theyÂ’ve been through, they all still hunger for its power, and they seem to realize that the evil may forever live in all of them. The end of the chapter has Charles running alongside the boys, proving that heÂ’s finally accepted himself.

Table of Contents | Downloadable/Printable Version