The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb
Since it’s October, my thoughts turned to scary reads.
The scariest book I ever read was the classic The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb and originally published in 1953. This National Book Finalist is a southern gothic, set in rural West Virginia during the Great Depression. Ten-year-old John holds a secret his father, Ben Harper, trusts him with before the blue men (police) take Ben away. Ben has stolen $10,000 and murdered two people in the commission of his crime, but where is the money? Only John knows.
Harry Powell (Preacher) shows up, gaining the trust of Willa, John’s mother. In these difficult times, he seems a person Wlla can trust, but John has an instant dislike and fear of Preacher.
I first read this book when I was in my early teens. This is one that definitely gives you the shivers. I never forgot the key elements of the story. It’s atmospheric and immersive. I never saw the movie, although the movie firmly placed the love/hate tattoo that Preacher had into our culture. It has a fairy tale (Grimm’s) quality. It’s dark and gritty.
Did you know that this novel was based on an actual serial killer?
I didn’t.
I don’t write thrillers, but because this book stuck in my mind and made such an impact on me, it’s one of the stories I tried to dissect, asking myself why did this particular story resonate so deeply? What made it so successful and memorable? I decided if I figured those things out, I could probably learn some lessons that would apply to any type of novel or story writing.
Conflict and Mystery
The mystery was immediately established and the characters were put in imminent danger.
Danger
I think one of the main things that captured me were the vulnerable characters. I was immediately sympathetic, and the danger involving children gave me something to worry about that wouldn’t let me go. I was invested.
Easy to Understand, Yet Complicated Characters
There are clear motivations for almost every character that appears on the page. The author understands his characters intimately. These are complicated people. Weak or vulnerable characters are also strong. The characters are complicated. Willa, who should be protecting her children, is easily overcome and doesn’t fight back. The story has many contrasts, and Preacher’s hate/love tattoo is brilliant.
There’s a rich and detailed setting. The strong imagery and visuals encapsulate the theme and conflict. I’ve heard it said that description slows down a story, but this is how to use description to build tension. It’s not what you tell, but how you tell it.
Universal Theme that is Scary
The possibility of the corruption of religion. Greed. Strength in weakness.
I’m sure there are many other writing lessons that could be drawn from this classic novel (and subsequent movie). People a lot smarter than I am have written about this Gothic thriller!
(I was listening to this read, so hope I am quoting correctly, but doesn’t this just get you in the heart?) “Lord save little children! Because with every child ever born of woman’s womb there is a time of running through a shadowed place, an alley with no doors, and a hunter whose footsteps ring brightly along the bricks behind them.
With every child, rich or poor, however favored, however warm and safe the nursery, there is this time of echoing and vast aloneness, when there is no one to come nor to hear. And dry leaves scurrying past along a street become the rustle of dread and the ticking of the old house is the cocking of the hunter’s gun. For even when the older ones love and care and are troubled for the small ones, there is little they can do as they look into the grave with stricken eyes that are windows to this affrighted nursery province beyond all succor all comforting. To Rachael, the most dreadful and moving thing of all, was the humbling grace with which these small ones accept their lot. Lord save little children!”
Donna Jo Stone 