Literary Criticism: The Witch (Shirley Jackson)

The incipit is reassuring, you can perceive that they are happy and carefree, there is no threat of any kind.

The story is set inside a train carriage, with a few passengers at the bottom of it.

The characters are: a woman with two children, a boy of four years old, and a baby child, an old man with white hair and dressed in blue.

The contrast happens when the old man tells of having killed his little sister many years ago, only the mother is scared, and invites the man to leave.

Theme: is it possible to pollute the innocence of a boy of four years old, who feels in sintony with a man who confessed to have killed his sister many years ago?

This story gives the reader many question marks, for example who is the old man? Is it Jonny in his adult life?

Is the child daydreaming?

Who is the witch? 

Is there a relationship between the lollipop, the witch and the old man? 

Is it possible that the lollipop is a sort of "stargate" who brings Jonny in another dimension?

These questions make this story very interesting, but above all, it will leave a mark in the reader's mind.