Will sleeps for exactly an hour before he wakes up with the sudden realization
that the lightning rod is missing from Jim's roof. Jim, Will speculates,
must have taken it down waiting for the power of electricity to strike
his home. Will is angry because the carnival will eventually come looking
for them, and Jim's roof seems ominously empty. Will suddenly stops, wondering
what sort of sound a balloon makes, and how one is waned of a balloon's
arrival. Will suddenly senses Jim's consciousness too. Both boys sense
a bulky shadow pass between their houses, so they lean their heads out
the window. Both boys know the balloon is the best search tool the carnival
has, as it is noiseless. They stay motionless as the temperature drops
forty degrees, and they see the Dust Witch's figure in the balloon. Suddenly,
the boys know why this old, blind woman was sent. She has physic powers.
She leaves a small snail-like track of glue on Jim's roof so she'll remember
where they live, and then flies to the edge of town. Will swings over,
using a clothesline, and the boys rinse the track off with the garden
hose.
The removal of the lightning rod is only further evidence of Jim's immaturity
and curiosity. Will, though, is immediately angry, because he believes
the lightning rod might have saved them from the carnival. The arrival
of the balloon shows that the carnival is indeed angrily looking for them.
The fact that it is the Dust Witch in the balloon is important, as she
will function as a key character in the rest of the story. It is only
Will's ingenuity in washing the glue off of Jim's roof that seems to save
both of the boys, signaling Will's infinite wisdom.
The boys finish washing the roof and go to bed in their separate houses.
The balloon seems to be paused at the edge of town. Will grabs his Boy
Scout archery set, knowing they must be the first to act, and head out
of the house. He knows the witch can't read minds; she can only sense
heat and excitement. Will uses this to his advantage and internally makes
fun of her. He can feel her move, so he runs toward a home that has been
abandoned for some time. He climbs to the roof, hoping she won't sense
his plan. As she tries to get close to the roof, she seems to know something
is wrong, but she is unable to pin it down. Will, in desperation, stands
with his back to her, knowing she will be unable to resist the temptation.
She comes closer, and Will prepares to take his shot, however, his bow
breaks in two. Will clutches the balloon basket rim a foot away from him,
and throws the arrow at the balloon. It hits its target, and Will falls
to the roof, then to a tree. The witch seems to mourn, and the soon-to-be
airless balloon wanders off. Will climbs down from the tree.
The fact that Will grabs his Boy Scout archery set is significant because
it symbolizes his youth. The Witch's inability to read minds will continually
be at her disadvantage. Will's knowledge of this will be her downfall.
Will's wisdom and goodness are displayed when Will chooses to use a home
that has been vacant for sometime as the place to destroy the Witch. His
cunning displays itself when, after his plan fails, he is able to recover
and deal with another plan. Will seems to have won this round without
Jim's help, which will be important when Will finally tries to defeat
the carnival, as Jim is not completely on Will's side.
For the rest of the night, nothing happens.
This ten word chapter is ingenious in its simplicity, as it further demonstrates the fact that Will has indeed, for the moment, won a single battle against the carnival. They do not strike back during the night. This fact alone means that it might be possible to defeat their evil.
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on A Long Way Gone".
TheBestNotes.com.
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