Out of anger at the end of the story, she reminds her husband the he was the one who invited to stranger into their home. Arguably he was the one who forced both of them to finally acknowledge what truly did happen when they were all still alive in that house years ago, all of the anger, all of the abuse, and perhaps even death. And now because of the stranger’s visit, they are reminded of this hellish limbo they must endure for an eternity. Joyce Carol Oates certainly seems to offer enough evidence in this Gothic tale for the reader to arrive at this conclusion. She skillfully creates a bleak setting including actual and implied violent incidents and characters in psychological torment, not only the supernatural ghostly visitor but also the couple who are reminded of who they truly were and what they are now. Oates says that “Horror is a fact of life” only one of many facets of life. With horror, Oates seems to be addressing a larger social issue in this story, which can serve as an indictment of violent relationships and having to live with the consequences of your actions, just as these people have been relegated to their own hell for an eternity to reflect on their actions.
