Analyzing the Character of Jack Skellington

His face is familiar to almost everyone. His grin peers at you from many places, if you take the time to look. His distinct bone structure is impossible to miss. Jack Skellington, master of Halloween and all things scary, is an institution for all ages, especially around Halloween. Many people do not, however, realize that Jack’s journey through Halloween Town and Christmas Town follows the path of many a hero who came before him. His story is an example of the rights of passage. Jack experiences a crisis in the form of severe depression and boredom over the lack of variety in his life. He is tired of being the one who strikes fear into the hearts of people around the world. The monotony of his life leads him into the woods one evening, and there he makes a startling discovery. Jack stumbles, falls really, into Christmas Town. He is shocked and entranced by the contrast of this joyous place to his own dark and terrifying town. He learns that there are other worlds besides his own. Realizing that his own little world was much smaller than he had previously thought, he wishes to share his discovery with the rest of the citizens of Halloween. He brings souvenirs such as toy-stuffed stockings, trees, ornaments, and even cookies back to Halloween Town. However, he thinks that the monster known as Oogie Boogie would not be beneficial for his idea of Christmas. Jack wishes for his Christmas plans to be withheld from Oogie, because Oogie is evil and would spoil all the plans. The knowledge that Jack gains in Christmas Town leads to several changes in his life. He is a man obsessed, so focused with his monomania that he ignores everything else. He experiences a change in character and behavior. In trying to celebrate Christmas, he attempts to do something that goes against his very nature. His love interest, an animated rag doll named Sally, tries to dissuade him from interfering with Christmas. She attempts to satisfy him with the fact that he is the monarch of