Roderick, after the death of his father, is left as the man in charge of the family estate - a burden that contributes to his mental failings. We see Caroline as a strong-willed character, even calling off her wedding to Faraday in order to follow her own dreams. We learn that she went to work during wartime and was called back to Hundreds to look after her brother when he was injured- a career that she despises as taking her freedom. Waters describes Caroline as “plain”, never beautiful or stereotypically feminine. Described as a hardy, independent woman (unlike traditional images of women in this era), Caroline lives at home still, unmarried, and happy with the company of her dog, Gyp. CarolineĬaroline is the middle child of the Ayres family, who becomes Dr Faraday’s love interest despite a large age gap. Dr Faraday is never directly described, so the reader is left to create an image of him based on his own expression, such as his “bachelor” lifestyle that he so despises.
The main premise of the novel regards Faraday’s obsession with and desire to “possess” a piece of Hundreds: this manifests into a form of unconscious energy that, arguably, haunts Hundreds and the Ayreses. Important to note is Faraday’s position as a doctor, a respectable member of society, meaning he can gain access to private affairs of the family that we wouldn’t otherwise see.
Financing his medical degree ultimately contributed to his parents’ early deaths due to financial problems. However, questions about Faraday’s reliability are questionable he is looking back on events years later and is clearly influenced by his own bias - most notably the ‘chip-on-his-shoulder’ surrounding his working class background. The protagonist of the novel, we see the action through the eyes of this first-person narrator. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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