Fear, Foreboding, and a False Sense of Security: The Importance of Spider in The Woman in Black Katie Long 11th Grade

In ‘The Woman in Black’ Spider is an anthropomorphic character. He takes the form of a small dog owned by Samuel Daily. Although easily overlooked, the importance of Spider as a literary device in the novel should not be overlooked. The first indication of this importance is through Chapter 8 being entitled ‘Spider’ after his character. This is a clear indication that he will have significance in the novel. One way in which the character of Spider is important in the novel is the contribution it has to creating a sense of fear and foreboding, contributing to the overall horror genre of the novel.

One way that Susan Hill uses Spider to create this atmosphere is through the name ‘Spider’ itself. The name of Spider is significant due to its context in society. Spiders are a common phobia and are a creature that many would associate with fear or a sense of unease. The fear associated with this name creates a sense of foreboding for the reader, making it an important tool for Susan Hill.

A further way that Spider is important in creating fear and foreboding in the novel is through the way that he is loaned to Arthur as a companion by Samuel Daily. Mr Daily lends Spider to Arthur, and this emphasises his concern at Arthur being alone...