Characters

THE NARRATOR
The narrator tells the story in first person, but we never know his name. We can suppose he is a man because in one of the endings he talks about Belle and the children as if they were his family, but they do not appear in the story.

He seems to know the other characters from a long time ago. He knows Andrew from school.  He also seems to know Kirsten from childhood, and tells us an anecdote of Kirsten and a bag-lady  when Kirsten was ten years old. He also says he knows Shona well enough to understand her behaviour.
 

KIRSTEN
Kirsten is the most sensitive character. She had a strange experience when she was ten years old. Because of that, her mother put her through hypnosis sessions. She also had all her life a dream related with the house. Moreover, when they are inside the house, she thinks she has found the source of some kind of power or energy, which belongs to the house.

ANDREW
Andrew and the narrator know each other from childhood. He gets at the house at the same time with Kirsten and the narrator, but there is one moment, in which they lose conscience and Andrew disappears. We never know anything more about Andrew till one of the endings.
Andrew seems to be the least sensitive character. He never is very aware of things like atmosphere.

SHONA
Shona is the last character to appear in the story. She did not want to go to the house that night, but she changes her mind and enters the house later. She is terrified, but tries to maintain a sceptical facade because it is her tool for coping. She announces an orange glow of fire downstairs.
 
 

Academic year: 2002
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
©María José Muñoz Lorente
Universitat de València Press
mamulo@alumni.uv.es