Themes
Table of contents
Reason versus the supernatural
The short story “The Demon Lover” by Elizabeth Bowen looks at the theme of reason versus the supernatural. On the one hand, the supernatural aspect is illustrated by the gloomy atmosphere created in the narrative, which gives it a sense of foreboding. At the beginning of the story, there is an “unfamiliar queerness” that surprises Mrs. Drover as she approaches her home. The lock is “unwilling” to yield, and the interior of the house is gloomy and uninviting. Furthermore, the fact that “no human eye watched” her return suggests that there might be a supernatural entity following her moves.
Secondly, the presence of the letter inside the house might have a supernatural explanation. As Mrs. Drover considers the possibilities, sh...