The Graveyard Book

by

Neil Gaiman

The Indigo Man Character Analysis

When Scarlett and Bod enter the barrow grave for the first time, the Indigo Man appears to frighten them. Scarlett doesn’t have the Freedom of the Graveyard like Bod does, so the fact that even she can see the Indigo Man makes it clear that he isn’t a ghost. Instead, he’s a “scarecrow” designed to frighten would-be grave robbers. He looks like he’s been dead a long time and has purple-blue designs either tattooed or painted on his face.
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The Indigo Man Character Timeline in The Graveyard Book

The timeline below shows where the character The Indigo Man appears in The Graveyard Book. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Community, Identity, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Good, Evil, and Assumptions Theme Icon
...corpse on the floor. Both children hear a “rustling slither” as a dead man, the Indigo Man , walks toward them. He has purple designs on his skin and says that he’s... (full context)
Community, Identity, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
As the Indigo Man howls menacingly, Scarlett apologizes for saying the ghosts are imaginary. Bod, however, says this one... (full context)
Chapter 4
Community, Identity, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Bod decides to visit the Indigo Man ’s tomb. He climbs down the steps into the stone chamber. The Sleer coils around... (full context)
Chapter 7
Life and Death Theme Icon
...imaginary friend from childhood, Bod mentions that they went into the barrow grave, saw the Indigo Man , and met the Sleer. At this, Scarlett remembers everything and wakes up. (full context)