Murder
The novel is primarily a mystery involving murder. It goes into a psychological examination of murder, the act and the murderer. It is foreshadowed at the very beginning that George is the one who murdered his wife, with all the circumstances pointing to it, the only thing missing being the revelation of his character. The novel portrays the issues of domestic life, and the dangers of emotional and mental abuse, and the dangers of not having the courage to leave the abuser.
Past and present
Past and present come together in the old farmhouse, with history repeating itself. The novel takes a glimpse into the past of the house and the tragic and disturbing events that took place there. Jumping into the present, the traces of the past still linger as a warning to Catherine. Eventually, she decides to leave her abuser, but her courage leaves her, resulting in the past repeating itself.
Abuse
The novel shows abuse and the consequences of it. It shows two families suffering domestic abuse by the fatherly figure, and both cases end in tragedy, because the victim of abuse didn’t find the courage to leave. The unassuming college professor, George, is revealed to be a vicious abuser who emotionally and mentally abuses his victims without empathy or remorse. His daughter grows up an emotional wreck with no happiness and joy for life, indicating the effects of her life with a psychopathic abuser. In a way, the novel sheds light on the real dangers of letting oneself fall into the hands of a psychopathic abuser, and the abuse the victims of domestic violence go through daily.
