How do you think darkness is represented in the story?
Darkness is represented in this story in several ways. One of which is detailed descriptions of 'Packer's End' - this place is known as "a rank place, all whippy saplings and brambles and a gully with a dumped mattress and bedstead and an old fridge. And, somewhere, presumably, the crumbling rusty scraps of metal and cloth and... bone?", this gives us a sense that Packers End is a hostile, haunted kind of place - where you wouldn't like to be. The author questions "the crumbling rusty scraps of metal and cloth and ...bones?" what there really is in Packer's End. The word 'bone' sends shivers down the readers spine along with a sense of mystery and what will they discover? Also, 'bones' foreshadows what we are going to hear from Mrs Rutter as there are the remains of 3 people in the forest (or Packer's End).
Another way darkness is represented in this story is through the phase of evil in disguise. When we are first introduced to Mrs Rutter we as readers think of her as the stereotypical old woman, who has no children to look after her, offering tea and biscuits however as the story progresses we discover all is not as it seems. "He must have been a tough bastard, like I said. He was still there that evening but in the morning he was dead" and "lots of people came to take bits for souvenirs, I had a bit myself but it's got mislaid" give us the definition of Mrs Rutter being an vengeful and selfish woman who doesn't have any respect as one human in helping the other, instead she thinks of the German's she left to die as enemies that carry priceless items for her to keep.
Another way darkness is represented in this story is through the phase of evil in disguise. When we are first introduced to Mrs Rutter we as readers think of her as the stereotypical old woman, who has no children to look after her, offering tea and biscuits however as the story progresses we discover all is not as it seems. "He must have been a tough bastard, like I said. He was still there that evening but in the morning he was dead" and "lots of people came to take bits for souvenirs, I had a bit myself but it's got mislaid" give us the definition of Mrs Rutter being an vengeful and selfish woman who doesn't have any respect as one human in helping the other, instead she thinks of the German's she left to die as enemies that carry priceless items for her to keep.