Interpretation and Analysis of Lost Boy Lost Girl Essay

a. Setting baffled Boy anomic Girl, by Peter Straub, is based to begin with in the hometown of the protagonist, Timothy Underhill. It is a mid-western city by the name of Millhaven in Illinois. Some believe that the town is based loosely on Straubs hometown of Milwaukee. The chief setting of the novel is an aband aned ho lend oneself on 3323 trades union Michigan Street, a custom built hearthstone with secret passageways, staircases, a torture chamber and chutes for corpses.The locale of a small town, along with the supernatural murder house is correctly appropriate for the story. To Tim Underhill, it appears surreal. This lends to the tale a sort of gothic and intimidating feel. Had the story been set in some(prenominal) opposite place, it would have lacked the forbidding atmosphere that Millhaven imparts. The author, Peter Straub does a admirably occupation of representing and defining the settings, so as to give the ratifiers an authentic nose out of the place.b. Major charactersTwo of the major characters of the novel be Timothy Underhill and scrape Underhill.1. Tim Underhill Tim Underhill is the protagonist of the story and narrates a major portion of it. A author living in New York, he seldom returns to his hometown of Millhaven and is not real close to his brother, Phillip. In fact, Tim and Phillip sh be a sort of strained kindred. Tim appears a serious fellow, although there are instances wherein he chooses to possess a good hotshot of humor. He quips, Once you take someones word rough an invisible man, you are playing with his racquet on his court, and it is no use pretending otherwise (p. 142).Perhaps the most prominent and apparent reflexion of Tim Underhills character is his love for his nephew, Mark. He refuses to relinquish his quest for the male child and investigates the murders occurring in the town, resolving to get to the bottom of things. This is clearly induced by his affection for Mark, of course combined with his pur suit for the truth. Like many other small-town folk, Tim is a man who would not easily forgo his morals or principles. When faced with a decision, he will always take the one which is morally right, as for example, his decision to stay back in Millhaven upon his nephews disappearance and his perseverance in trying to find him.At the orgasm of the novel, we stand see that Tim Underhills character has changed a good deal. His relationship with his brother, his thoughts and his beliefs has been altered considerably.2. Mark Underhill Mark Underhill is the son of Phillip and Nancy Underhill. Fifteen years of age, he is restless unfocussed afflicted with.. a budding arrogance (p. 5). His behavior, sense of dressing and language (judging especially from the emails he sends to Tim) are all demonstrative of him being an average teenage boy. He becomes obsessed with a house in their neighborhood and suddenly disappears one day. He has, in Tims opinion a good and tender heart. He is highly sensitive to others feelings and we can sometimes observe that he is somewhat smarter than the other characters. The account of Marks mothers funeral, by means of his eyes, portrays vividly his affection for her and his anguish at her death.Towards the end, however, we see a to a greater extent mature Mark. One who has chthonicgone a trans act uponation of sorts. He emerges stronger and more wise than he was before the whole ordeal.c. Horror Fiction FormulaLost Boy Lost Girl remains quite true to the horror fiction figure throughout. The small town of Millhaven, with its simple and innocent inhabitants forms the perfect setting for the novel. The townsfolk are orderly and peaceable. Their lives, however are cut off by a monster that seems to be dwelling in a house in their neighborhood. The monster is believed to be a pedophile and a serial killer who is kidnapping young boys. A spirit, one of a little girl, also inhabits this said house. Straub has very astutely merged the military man with the supernatural to give the whole story an eerie and disturbing feel. The townsfolk, Tim and Phillip Underhill in particular, embark on finding this crazed kidnapper and killer. Although the monster is dealt with in the end, the lives and convictions of the people of the town are altered forever.That being said, there are portions of the story that are not entirely associated with the horror fiction formula. The transformation of the spirit of the girl into a good spirit, the pic of dysfunctional families such as that of the Underhills and the transition of a boy into a man are some of the aspects that Straub deals with that do not essentially accord with a horror novels customary description.d. Levels of Horror terror Following the disappearance of Mark Underhill and other adolescent boys, the reader is do aware of the fact that a terror lurks in the darkness, but it can only be sensed, not seen. Straub has done a remarkable job of keeping the reader intrigue d by keeping the identity of the monster under wraps. The level of terror is, however, not sustained. The monster is revealed to the audience later on in the story.Horror Towards the second half of the book, the reader becomes conscious of the form of terror(s), that is, the little girls spirit and the serial killer. Once they are disclosed, the novel takes on the level of horror. The killer and the spirit are describe in detail for the readers benefit.Revulsion Straub chooses to scare his readers psychologically rather than with the spilling of blood and guts. Nevertheless, the novel contains various illustrations of repulsive and horrific events of in writing(p) nature. For instance, the scene of Nancy Underhill lying dead and nude in the bathtub, with her wrists slit and a plastic bag over her head is sure to make the reader wince. Furthermore, the character sketch of the killer and the description of Mark hearing footfalls of the frequent which was like hearing someone steppin g down a passage within his own head convey a powerful sense of dismay and dread. Most incidents, nonetheless, are not of a gory disposition.