A pumpkin is just a pumpkin. A turnip is just a turnip. Carve a face into them and suddenly you have a jack-o-lantern. While these carved-out, festive fruits are something to behold, they also have a mythic history to them altogether. These stories carry a deeper connotative meaning then just spooky faces to put on your doorstep. In fact, jack-o’-lanterns may be one of the most important objects in the modern Halloween tradition.