Click-Clack the Rattle Bag is a gothic short story written by Neil Gaiman that explores the themes of mystery within journeys, fear, and manipulation, and transports the readers into its imaginary setting through the fear-invoking details.  It follows the journey of a young boy and his companion, the narrator; into a huge, scary house where the boy introduces the readers and the narrator to a fictional monster – ‘Click Clack the Rattle bag’.

The story was published in 2012.

Click-Clack the Rattle Bag | Summary 

A young boy requests a story, from his elder sister’s boyfriend, before going to bed. Since it’s his bedtime and he has completed his homework, the boy wishes to hear a story. He asks for a which is not too scary because it’s a huge house and often the lights are non-functional, resulting in darkness all around the house. 

 The boy does not want to think about monsters the whole time, yet he wants a “little bit scary” story before bed. The boy believes that the adult writes scary stories, and asks him about stories of ‘Click-clack the Rattle Bag’ because everybody knows about these stories. 

The duo walked out of the kitchen into the hallway which was chilly and dark. The light bulb does not work. The adult assures the child that they will be alright, as the moonlight shines through the high windows. The child is less precocious now as he holds on to the adult’s fingers, which makes the latter feel like a responsible adult. 

 The adult thinks that something is unsettling about this great house because of the creaking of stairs and darkness all over, with only the moonlight shining on the windows and the corridor. He wishes he had a flashlight. The child says click-clack monsters come from the dark, they are made of dark and they come in when you don’t pay attention and take you back to the lair. They don’t suck blood like vampires – but are much scarier than vampires. The boy further makes up stuff about click-clacks – they bite you and eat all the meat and your brains, skin turns wet and hang the bones and skin on a hook that rattles in the wind. 

When the adult asks the boy about what the click clacks look like, since he has preconceived notions that they look like spiders and the adult is afraid of spiders. However, the child tells him that they look like what you aren’t expecting and what you aren’t paying attention to. As they climb more steps the child walks easily despite the scarce moonlight. He asks the adult about the story; however, the adult hasn’t thought of one yet and he suggests telling the story of tonight. The adult tells him that his girlfriend has inherited a new place where they are going to spend their first night together and that he is waiting for her to come back with the housemates with wine and food. 

They reach the attic door and the boy opens it. It’s perfectly dark inside but the door disturbs the air and they hear things rattle – “Click-Clack Click-Clack”. He wants to pull away but the “small, firm fingers” pull him into the dark. 

Click-Clack the Rattle Bag | Analysis 

‘Click-Clack the Rattle Bag’ is a short story written by Neil Gaiman, first published in 2012. The story explores the theme of mystery within journeys, fear, and manipulation and presents a mysterious and suspenseful narrative to its readers. 

It is narrated in first person point of view and the narrator is the adult, who is the boyfriend of the boy’s elder sister. It is set in a dark, dimly lit house which hints at the mysterious nature of the setting. The story begins with a boy who asks the narrator to tell him a story that is frightening but not very scary. It indicates the hidden secrets of the boy, who has a curiosity for the unknown. The boy describes the fictional monster of ‘Click-Clack the Rattle Bag’ adding gothic details and making it look scary for the narrator. 

The narrator believes that the boy has made up this kind of monster which suggests the imaginative power of children. Gaiman uses foreshadowing through the details of the surroundings, which builds tension within the story. He describes the darkness in the house with a non-functional light bulb and moonlight peeping in through the high windows and in the corridors which creates a terrifying atmosphere. The boy holds on to the narrator’s hand making the narrator feel responsible and allowing him to be a protective figure for the boy. However, the irony lies when it is the narrator who needs protection from the little boy because he is the click-clack monster in disguise. 

The boy uses skillful storytelling which convinces the readers and the narrator about the existence of the click-clack monster. He weaves a convincing tale and influences one’s perception of reality. It suggests the effects a narrative has on shaping our perception and understanding of events. The boy tells the narrator that the click-clack monsters arrive when one isn’t paying attention, which obliges the narrator to carefully remain hooked on the story that the boy has to narrate. 

Click-Clack the Rattle Bag | Themes

In ‘Click-Clack the Rattle Bag’ the theme of mystery within a journey is skilfully woven into the narrative, adding depth and suspense to the story. From the beginning of the story, the readers are introduced to the mystery that surrounds the click-clack monster. The little boy expresses a fascination for frightening stories but needs a story that is not too scary. This sets the stage for the curiosity of the unknown, that is associated with the boy.

The mystery heightens as the journey progresses. The boy guides the narrator through the house and the description of the surroundings like the “Slammy” front door, the non-functioning light bulb, and the dimly lit house with only moonlight shining in the kitchen and corridor create an atmosphere of darkness and ambiguity. These details heighten the anticipation and intensify the feeling of mysterious occurrences. When the duo reaches the bedroom, the mystery surrounding the monster reaches its peak. The boy’s “small, firm fingers” pull the narrator into darkness which reveals to the readers that the boy is the click-clack monster in disguise. Thus, the journey becomes a metaphorical exploration of hidden secrets that lie in the darkness.

Click-Clack the Rattle Bag | Title

The title ‘Click-Clack the Rattle Bag’ by Neil Gaiman holds significant meaning as it refers to the name of the monster that the child protagonist in the story creates. These monsters are a product of the child’s imagination and he describes them to be more terrifying than vampires. According to the child’s description, these monsters emerge from the dark when one does not pay attention. 

 The term “Click Clack” creates auditory imagery which heightens the mystery and suspense around the gruesome monster and evokes a sense of eeriness among the readers. According to the child, the monsters eat flesh and hang the bones and skin onto a hook, which makes a rattling sound due to the wind. Thus, the title adds a dark, gothic, and scary element to the narrative, making it captivating for the readers. 

Click-Clack the Rattle Bag | Character sketch 

The protagonist of the story – the little boy is a mix of innocence, precociousness, and manipulation. He is portrayed as a vulnerable child, afraid of monsters but as the narrative unfolds, the readers are revealed his darker side. He is depicted as an innocent, young child in the beginning who asks for a story. He is curious and eager for a frightening tale, however, as he progresses, he is seen as manipulative. He makes the narrator believe that he is scared of monsters and gains the narrator’s sympathy by holding him tightly. He manipulates the narrator into believing that he is vulnerable and establishes an air of mystery in the environment. Later, it is revealed that the little boy is the click-clack monster in disguise and the narrator falls prey to the very monster that he believed he was protecting the boy from. 

Click-Clack the Rattle Bag | Literary Devices

In Neil Gaiman’s short story ‘Click-Clack the Rattle Bag’, several literary devices are employed like Onomatopoeia and foreshadowing to enhance the narrative and create sense and anticipation for the readers. 

 Onomatopoeia is used in the story to create auditory images and establish an eerie atmosphere in the narrative. The title ‘click-clack’ creates a sense of anticipation and establishes the presence of the monster. Another instance would be the rattling sound of the bones and skin that the monster hangs on a hook.

 Foreshadowing is employed to hint at the danger and the true nature of the boy. It builds tension and prepares the readers for the unexpected twist in the story. For instance – in the boy’s descriptions of the click-clack monster – they emerge from the dark and come when one isn’t paying attention and ultimately take their prey to the lair. They eat the meat from one’s boy leaving the brain and hang the skin and bones onto a hook. These details foreshadow the fate of the narrator as he is not aware of the true nature of the boy and falls victim to the click-clack monster himself.