Literary Criticism: The Shadows On The Wall (Mary E. Wilkins Freeman)

 

This story is set inside a Victorian villa in New England. The villa was inhabited by the late Edward Glynn, the deceased man whom Henry described as a lazy slacker. After his death, Edward takes the form of a shadow that never abandons the villa.

Caroline Glynn is the eldest sister. Extremely rational, she is not inclined to any kind of affection or empathy for her family, not even for her deceased brother.

Emma Glynn is married and is described as the most beautiful sister in the family. She suspects that Edward's death was not natural.

Rebecca Glynn is the youngest member of the family. She is the first to see the shadow in the study, and she also witnessed the verbal clash between Edward and Henry.

Henry Glynn is described as an intelligent man who is proud of himself. He is very skilled at hiding his true nature as a cruel man who is envious of everything and everyone. However, his complete self-control crumbles when faced with the shadow, which ultimately causes his guilt to explode.

The main theme is the supernatural. The shadow does not only scare the family; it simultaneously represents the psychological torment of Henry.