Skeleton Man

Bruchac, Joseph. 2001. Skeleton man. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060290765

Plot Summary

When Molly’s parents disappear one night, she is certain that they will be back. Even when she is placed in the care of a man claiming to be her uncle, an uncle she has never heard of, she is convinced that her parents are still alive and waiting for her to find them.  As weeks pass, Molly grows more suspicious of her “uncle” who bears eerie similarities to the Skeleton Man of Mohawk legends. In the legend, Skeleton Man ate himself and everyone else in his family, except for his brave and cunning niece.  Molly will have to rely on her own cunning, and trust in her prophetic dreams, in order to save herself and her parents from the Skeleton Man.

Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers)

In Skeleton Man, Bruchac  takes a traditional Mohawk legend and weaves it into the story of a modern heroine. In the Acknowledgments, Bruchac mentions the bravery and self-reliance of women in American Indian stories and this is a central theme of Skeleton Man. Initially, Molly does not seek help from other adults, and when she does, they are easily fooled by the wily ghoul.  Frequent references to the stories she learned from her father about her Mohawk heritage provide a framework for Molly’s decisions and actions. From his teachings, she knows to trust in her dreams, which provide the clues she needs to outwit the Skeleton Man.

Bruchac skillfully weaves modern life with ancient legend. In Molly’s dreams, she is surprised by her deerskin dress, until she realizes that she is dreaming the part of the ancient heroine of the story. The modern day Skeleton Man uses surveillance equipment and his apparent motive for capturing Molly and her parents is to gain access to the father’s banking passwords. Molly and her parents, however, know that the Skeleton Man’s motives are actually much simpler, and more sinister.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: “Molly's knowledge of and immersion in her Mohawk heritage is something she takes for granted, as are the wisdom and strength that come from understanding the traditional tales and listening to one's dreams...The suspense draws readers in and keeps them engaged. In the classic horror tradition, Bruchac offers a timely tale that will make hearts beat and brows sweat, and it has the bonus of a resourceful heroine to put the world right again.”

Connections

The story continues in:

Bruchac, Joseph. 2006. The return of skeleton man. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780060580902

In the story, Molly mentions that she is “the daughter of a Mohawk man who worked the high iron”. To learn more about Mohawk ironworkers, check out:

Weitzman, David. 2010. Skywalkers: Mohawk ironworkers build the city. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596431621