Summary
Susie reflects on the immediate aftermath of her murder and Mr Harvey’s immediate actions. His actions suggest he has killed before. Later, he disposes of Susie’s body. On the same day, Jack destroys the ships in bottles, goes for a walk and encounters Mr Harvey building a bridal tent in his front garden; Jack decides to help him but as he does so his suspicion of Mr Harvey grows stronger. When he encounters Mr Harvey he gets sent away; Susie tries very hard to communicate with Jack at this moment but nothing happens.
Characterisation (AO2)
We learn more about Mr Harvey in this chapter with several linguistic techniques which offer information about him. As it is Susie who narrates these impressions, we also learn more about her, which ties in with the fantasy genre (AO3).
Structure and language (AO1, AO2)
My Harvey is presented as overall very methodical; we follow his progress in a linear sequence from the beginning of the chapter. We also find out that he uses knowledge and experience to avoid detection but Susie is critical of his abilities. Susie uses vocabulary that are sophisticated for her age, such as ‘fastidious’. We discover that Mr Harvey’s murders continue to give him sexual pleasure after he has committed them; this suggests that the memories have a physical impact on Mr Harvey who gets a ‘prickling pleasure’.
Fantasy genre (AO3)
It is of importance how Susie relates all of this to us; she uses a past tense construction to explain how Mr Harvey carried her body to his house. She also uses potentially distressing imagery of her blood seeping out of a sack onto the floor. She also later says how she accompanies Mr Harvey to her bodies disposal site. Susie uses her extraordinary abilities to suggest that she is judging Mr Harvey for his two-faced behaviour and his willingness to lie in order to protect himself.
