The Witch

The set of coral-blue combs is a recurring motif that acts as a physical conduit for the house’s violent history and the supposed presence of Caroline. Originally a gift from Caroline’s husband, the combs initially illustrate Archie’s manipulative nature. Caroline views them as proof of his kindness and generosity, oblivious to the sadistic nature beneath this façade. 

In the present-day narrative, the combs are a tangible reminder of the former mistress of Pemberton, representing the past’s refusal to be erased. When Julia first arrives, Letty warns her not to disturb them, stating ominously, “She doesn’t like it when you move the combs” (11). This instruction immediately establishes the combs as objects tied to the supernatural and potential triggers for paranormal retribution. They become a test of respect for the dead and a warning against meddling with secrets that aren’t meant to be uncovered.

The motif’s significance escalates when Julia accidentally breaks one of the combs, an act that seemingly intensifies the haunting. This moment suggests that disrespecting or damaging relics of the past, even unintentionally, invites consequences. While the haunting is later revealed to be a hoax orchestrated by Celia, the combs function as a powerful psychological tool in the deception. They prey on Julia’s belief in the supernatural and her guilt over disrespecting Caroline’s memory. A constant reminder of the house’s tragic history, the combs reinforce how remnants of a past tragedy can continue to exert power in the present.

As an original fixture of the 17th-century estate, the grandfather clock’s primary function in the narrative is to mark time’s disruption. Mick describes its regular malfunction when he tells Julia, “[I]t stops every night at the same time. I wind it up again every morning” (58). This nightly stoppage at exactly 3:41 am is a consistent, unnerving element of the supposed haunting. It symbolizes how trauma endlessly repeats within Pemberton's confines, suggesting a moment of historical trauma so deep that it can halt time and force the inhabitants to witness its replay day after day. The act of winding it each morning signifies the family’s futile attempt to move forward while still being governed by an unresolved past.

Although the stopped clock is eventually revealed to be a trick orchestrated by Celia and Mick, its symbolic meaning remains potent. The deception itself is a manifestation of the underlying secret it’s meant to protect. Celia stops the clock to perpetuate a ghost story that will drive Julia away, an act that ironically mirrors how the original family secret—the murder of the real Ethel—has kept the family emotionally and psychologically frozen for decades. The clock, therefore, embodies The Cyclical Nature of Family Trauma and Secrets, representing a past that refuses to be forgotten until the truth is finally brought to light.