Carving Jack: Part I of III

Some years ago, I was taking a writing class at a community college. One of my assignments was to write a process paper -- as "how-to" on anything I wanted. Not thinking of myself as very talented, or particularly specialized in anything, I was at a loss with this paper. The assignment was given in the fall, and it suddenly occurred to me one day that I could write (since the instructor said "about anything") a how-to piece on carving a Jack-o-lantern. Well, I did. I got an A on the paper, and it remains to this day one of my favorite pieces I have ever written. I share it here in three installments over the next week, in celebration of Halloween. It is called Carving Jack.

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Creating a jack-o-lantern is much more than simply sticking a knife into the side of an orange squash. When you stand at the entrance to a pumpkin patch, you have only just begun the process. First you must comb the entire patch searching for the "perfect" pumpkin. It must have just the right shade of orange, and needs to be big enough to display a face on one side of it. Try not to pick a pumpkin with dirt crusted all over it, as that will diminish from the appearance of the final product. Make sure there is at least one side of the pumpkin that is clear and free of blemishes, as they will also detract from the expression of Jack at the end.

Once you have selected and purchased your pumpkin, take it home with you and begin the bonding process. You must befriend your pumpkin and become one with it. Set it on the dinner table and let it eat with you. (The idea here is not to make it think you're going to destroy it in a few days.) Set it out on your doorstep to greet your visitors. It will soon feel like a part of your family.

When you have decided that you are ready to carve the squash, bring it into the house and set it on the kitchen table or counter. Spread sheets of newspaper out so that the pumpkin guts don't get all over the place. Place Jack on the newspaper. He may be getting a little nervous at this point, so you might want to position him on some comics to put his mind at ease.

Now you'll want to gather your materials. You will need a pencil for designing, and two knives. Use a paring knife to make initial cuts through the tough outer layer. A plastic-handled childproof pumpkin-carving knife should be used for the majority of the cutting. You will also need a large metal spoon for scraping the inside of Jack. A cereal bowl will also be needed to separate the seeds into.