Skeleton Man

Although Skeleton Man is intended for younger readers, its plot features many of the characteristics of a traditional horror story. One of the goals of such a story is to create a sense of fear and anticipation, and Bruchac accomplishes this through his initial recounting of the Mohawk legend of the Skeleton Man. The gruesome nature of the story indicates the novel’s place in the horror genre, for horror stories traditionally feature supernatural occurrences and characters. Although Molly’s great-uncle appears normal to the adults in the story, the fact that Molly herself can perceive his monstrous nature adds to the suspense in the novel: In addition to finding herself in mortal danger, she remains unable to convince anyone around her of the true nature of her predicament. The Skeleton Man’s supernatural status is further cemented when the rabbit in Molly’s dream confirms that her great-uncle is not human.

The stylistic elements of the story also support its categorization in the horror genre, for just as writers of horror stories often use cliff-hangers at the end of a chapter, Bruchac habitually employs this technique to notable effect. For example, when Molly finds photos of her parents at the very end of Chapter 14, only the closing line reveals that her mother is tied up and has duct tape over her mouth.