The evilness in children is shown in the book. It is mainly present in Hooper. His bullying has a big effect on Kingshaw and the evil in it leads Kingshaw eventually to suicide. The suicide by Kingshaw was inevitable as it was the only way out for Kingshaw at the end. Edmund Hooper’s evilness can not be fully explained but one might say it is because of his mother being dead and the lack of the attention proper parents normally give. There was no proper influence as Mr. Hooper is very distant from his son. Hooper’s cruelty is shown on numerous occasions, except when he was afraid in the wood. The placing of the stuffed crow in Kingshaw’s bedroom, the locking of Kingshaw into the Red Room once he realizes Charles is afraid of the moths and his lies and accusations are just a few of the examples. Hooper pretends to be kind and generous in front of the adults for example when he gives the cereal packet submarine to Kingshaw.
We mostly see fear and phobias in Kingshaw but the readers manage to see that each character has a fear. Kingshaw has a fear of moths, crows etc. Some of the fears are phobias, inexplicable things like how Kingshaw has a fear of crows. Kingshaw is not the only one with fears, Hooper has some too. Hooper’s fears are discovered when they are in Hangwood.
Failure is also not uncommon in the book. The failure is in communication and the failure to understand as demonstrated quite a few times between the parents and the children.
Disappointment is most obvious in Joseph Hooper, whose whole life has had many disappointments. Mr. Hooper is disappointed about how his personal life has been close to failure and that he’s disliked by his son and probably by his wife. Mr. Hooper is disappointed that his son feels the same way about him as he did for his own father. Mrs Kingshaw doesn't want to be disappointed as she is hoping that her stay could be permanent. She is ignoring her son’s unhappiness to make it happen. Mr. Hooper and Mrs. Kingshaw are very self-absorbed.
In the first chapter a lot of stress is put on the generations of Hoopers. This could be because it is a very proud family. Warings is also described in it and the yew trees, when looking back on it this could have hinted the end and it set a gloomy atmosphere. Before Mr. Hooper thinks about the generations he also compares his relationship with his father to his relationship with his son, “He [Hooper] was his mother’s son.”
All the themes are depressing but yet the book is still attractive. This is because some people can relate to the book and that is probably why it is still being read.
