Jim Nightshade Character Analysis

In the beginning of Something Wicked This Way Comes the story introduces Jim Nightshade and William Halloway. Jim is an ornery and impatient teenager, desperately wanting to break free from the yolk of childhood to become the adult he has always desired to be and Will wants to stay inside his comfort zone, which involves him staying a child for as long as he is able to. Something Wicked This Way Comes accurately addresses the sometimes difficult transition from adolescence into early adulthood.

Even though the boys seem like polar opposites, they do have some things in common. Both Jim and Will share a love for adventure and most of all, companionship. This has to do with both of the boys not having a strong relationship with their parents, so they find that stability within their friendship. They also enjoy showing off to one another. A prime example of this is when Jim breaks two windows from the abandoned house to impress Will and Will breaks one to impress Jim. Earning approval from one another boosts their egos, which in turn boosts their overall relationship.

The boys share some similarities, but for the most part they have conflicting personalities.

Will is an innocent, level-headed child who's only goal in the beginning of the novel is to relish in childhood. Jim, on the other hand, is impulsive, reckless and usually thinks about himself before others. For instance, when the train came bearing the carnival, Jim stole off in the middle of the night to go investigate, leaving Will behind all alone. This shows that Jim thinks he is independent enough to venture off by himself. Jim is also inquisitive and in some cases, more mature than Will, who is content with staying

unsullied.

Both characters had interesting encounters with adults over the course of the novel, some of these situations even life-threatening. When Jim and Will first met Mr. Dark at the carnival they both felt the tension and fear he emitted, yet while Will felt scared and threatened, Jim seemed to be enthralled by both Mr. Dark and his carousel. After certain events though, Jim soon began to feel the fear Will felt when they first met Mr. Dark. The boys also came in contact with several other adults, including Charles Halloway, Will's dad, who played a big part in the novel.
Over the course of the novel the boys showed a tremendous change in their overall character development. Will went from a meek and shielded boy to a hardened, understanding one. He now understands the stress of adulthood, and why it seems almost wrong for Jim to want to grow up so fast. At the end of the novel Jim seemed to realize that it is okay to be a teenager and not want to grow up as soon as possible; of course, this was after he was saved by Will.