Symbol Analysis
It's all about the kids when Halloween rolls around. The streets are filled with miniature werewolves and witches waiting to eat your brains. Okay, not really, but even Sandburg knows that jack-o-lanterns and kids make the whole autumnal world of "Theme in Yellow" stick with us. And in the end, Halloween is supposed to be fun and the kids know those jack-o-lanterns are only fooling.
- Line 8: The kids are having a blast and are circled round the pumpkins playing games. This is the angle Sandburg chooses to focus on. It's less about horror stories and more about fun.
- Lines 14-15: Those jack-o-lanterns may look scary but they're only "fooling." And Halloween is after all about dressing up and being someone you're not for a day. So everyone is kind of fooling around in a harmless sort of way. Good times.