Carwin did not kill Theodore’s family, it is possible that he did plant the idea of the killings into Wielands mind. Carwin argues that he did no such thing, but his reliability as a character is very lacking, as he is very mischievous and sneaky to say the least. Despite Wieland realizing that he has been controlled by Carwin, in a rage he still attempts to murder his sister. Clara is forced to defend herself, as she narrates, “[m]y right hand grasping the unseen knife was still disengaged. It was lifted to strike” (Brown 161). Before her brother can kill her, he eventually falls from his trance and surrendering himself fully. Michael Gilmore says, “[a]dmittedly, the act that Clara contemplates is one of self-defense – but that is precisely Brown’s point. For although any court of law would deliver a verdict of justifiable homicide, Clara finding herself capable of slaying her own brother – has ceased to think in …show more content…
Clara first discovers Catharine’s warm body in her bedroom saying, “I approached the corpse: I lifted the still flexible hand, and kissed the lips which were breathless…I saw confusedly, but forcibly, that every hope was extinguished with the life of Catharine” (Brown 107). The murder of Catharine is the point in the novel where things begin to go downhill and an unknown terror begins to manifest. Towards the end of the novel, when Clara finally confronts Wieland about the things he has done he says, “there were two manifestations of the strange voice that night. The first called for the death of Catharine as proof of Wieland’s faith (Brown 151-152); the second manifestation which occurred sometime later summoned Wieland to sacrifice his children” (Hobson 307). The series of murders and violence also provide support to arrive at the conclusion that Wieland is a gothic