Stephen Donner
Dr. R. Brittenham
English E303
Close Reading Three
January 31, 2006
In stories which involve the supernatural, the element of the supernatural phenomenon—indeed that which makes it frightening—is often easily recognized as terrifying because it exhibits characteristics that are “other-wordly;” in other words, something which should not be. A critical moment in storytelling for tales such as these is not simply then how the supernatural phenomenon itself is purportedly revealed, but rather the moment and means by which it is in fact confirmed to be of a supernatural origin (at least as it works to confirm this within the character’s mind).
Elizabeth Gaskell’s “The Old Nurse’s Story” has a particularly well-crafted example of such a confirmation. Hester, the protagonist nurse of the story, has been noticing late-night organ playing, and has asked the reticent Dorothy just who it is that is playing the organ. Not receiving a response from Dorothy, Hester moves on and inquires of Bessy, who, demanding confidentiality of Hester, divulges that in fact the organ is played by the late Mr. Furnivall. But in her own words, Hester is not too deeply concerned about this revelation: “I had a brave heart; and I thought it was rather pleasant to have that grand music rolling about the house, let who would be the player…” (7, italics mine). Going on about the music in great length, she praises its form and content saying of it that it was “always music and tunes, so it was nonsense to call it the wind” (7). Somehow, then, although revealed by Bessy to be supposedly supernatural in nature, nonetheless the semi-nightly experience does not yet trouble her, because she does not believe the story. If she did believe it, she would not then suppose “I thought at first that it might be Miss Furnivall who played, unknown to Bessy” (7).
Upon Hester’s own investigation of the source, however, the important moment of revelation and confirmation takes place: she finds the organ “all broken and destroyed inside,” which now irrefutably confirms to Hester that the music’s source must be derived from the supernatural (7).
Hester’s perspective and the naturally ensuing reaction to that newly gained perspective have now, in fact, changed dramatically. Before, the organ playing—though said to be supernatural—was relegated to Bessy’s hearsay. Now, unmistakably of a supernatural origin (confirmed for herself), it moves from merely the supposed “revealed” to the actual confirmed, and that is when the terror “I did not like hearing the music for some time after that” now takes hold within her mind (7).