INNOCENT DEATH

Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory

Yeah, there's a lot of death. But these are specific types of deaths: they're the deaths of innocent people, like Jennet Humfrye's son Nathaniel who dies in an accident along with his nursemaid and the driver of the pony trap, Keckwick Sr. It's no one's fault and the dead themselves are innocent, but Jennet goes insane with grief and begins wreaking havoc on other people's children. Innocent children. As Arthur asks, and Sam explains:

"You mean any child? A child of the town?"
"Any child. Jerome's child." (11.127-128)

The ghost of Jennet Humfrye is none too picky. She'll pretty much kill off whatever child is around, even if the child is innocent and has nothing to…