The Moving Finger

“‘I do think this is a nice place, Jerry! So sweet and funny and old-world. You just can’t think of anything nasty happening here, can you?’ And although I knew what she said was really nonsense, I agreed with her. In a place like Lymstock nothing nasty could happen. It is odd to think that it was just a week later that we got the first letter.”

Joanna’s first impression of Lymstock turns out to be very wrong, as the scandal of the anonymous letters soon ensnares the Burtons. By contrasting the charming surface of the village with its hidden darkness, the story establishes its theme on The Role of Secrecy in Small-Town Life, suggesting that the villagers of Lymstock are hiding unsavory secrets.

“Someone resented our coming here—someone resented Joanna’s bright young sophisticated beauty—somebody wanted to hurt. To take it with a laugh was perhaps the best way—but deep down it wasn’t funny….”

Jerry is disturbed by the malicious letter they receive in the post, which slanders Joanna. This passage reveals the psychological damage of the ongoing crimes in Lymstock, and helps to explain why Jerry becomes determined to help catch the letter writer.

“‘I don’t believe in idleness,’ went on Miss Griffith. ‘And certainly not for young people. It’s not as though Megan was pretty or attractive or anything like that. Sometimes I think the girl’s half-witted. A great disappointment to her mother. The father, you know,’ she lowered her voice slightly, ‘was definitely a wrong ‘un. Afraid the child takes after him.’”

Aimee Griffith talks to Jerry in one of their first meetings in the village. Her insulting gossip about Megan Hunter characterizes her as an arrogant, judgmental bully, introducing the theme of The Consequences of Gossip and Biased Judgment. Aimee’s rudeness and penchant for gossip contrasts with her ostentatious charity and volunteer work, which shows how many of the villagers offer surface-level friendliness while engaging in pettiness and cruelty toward one another.