Symbolism In The Reaper's Image

n a typical gothic story certain elements are present. “The Reaper’s Image” by Stephen King is no exception. “The Reaper’s Image” is a short story in the attic of a museum. It tells the story of Mr. Carlin and Mr. Spangler, and the disappearances around the “Delver Mirror” (King). It starts as the two men are walking to the mirror Mr. Carlin explains an incident about a woman throwing a rock to destroy the mirror that afterward was moved to the attic. He then describes the story of the “Bates boy” and how he disappears after seeing a hooded man in the mirror. Spangler looks at the mirror and believes he sees friction tape on the mirror that isn’t there. Carlin tells Spangler he must have just seen the Reaper. Spangler leaves the room to get

“They climbed the third and fourth flights in silence. As they drew closer to the roof of the rambling structure, it became oppressively hot in the dark upper galleries… in it -- a smell of long-dead flies in shadowy corners, of wet rot and creeping wood lice behind the plaster. The smell of age. It was a smell common only to museums and mausoleums” (King). The floor they reach is in a state of decay, it’s hot and full of dead flies. King goes on to say “Up here the relics were piled helter-skelter in true junk-shop profusion.” This shows the storeroom is in an unmaintained, or junk state. To add to the eeriness he adds that “an imitation Adonis stared at them pitilessly with blank pupilless eyes” (King). This adds a feeling of uneasiness as it makes the people get the feeling of being watched from the

Carlin asked. His face was very pale, and he was looking directly at the floor. A muscle twitched spasmodically in his neck. "Admit it, Spangler. It looked like a hooded figure standing behind you, didn't it?".” This is an allusion to the grim reaper, a fictional character used to personify death. King explains further the reason for Carlin’s fear in writing “The boy had wanted a drink of water and the fountain was in the first-floor lobby. He had gone downstairs and -- And had never come back. Ever. Anywhere.” This was said to be after the boy saw the reaper in the mirror. This makes Carlin get fearful for spangler after he sees the Reaper as he thinks that Spangler will disappear without a trace like the