Took: A Ghost Story

The impact of family conflict is a major theme in Took, as Daniel’s family struggles with financial troubles, social isolation, and depression while they adjust to their new lives in a dilapidated house in Woodville, West Virginia. The exploration of this theme shows the devastating nature of family conflict, and how it takes a toll on every member of a family.

This conflict is featured in the very first chapter, as Daniel describes how upset he and Erica are about moving from their old house and life. The tension caused by the move sets the stage for each family member’s conflict. Daniel and Erica face bullying at school; Mother and Father work less than ideal jobs, and the family eats cheaper food than they’re used to. When Erica complains about the tough meat in their stew, Father “[snapped] that tough meat was all we could afford” (51) and abruptly leaves the table. The tension between Mother and Father impacts Daniel and Erica, who are already struggling to adjust. Daniel observes that “They were too busy arguing to pay much attention to either Erica or me. I don’t think they realized how miserable we were. Or how much they’d changed” (56). Erica states that “Nobody’s happy anymore” (67) after catching Mother crying one evening. Daniel and Erica’s relationship is also tense. In the first chapter, Daniel describes them as “sick of each other” (5). He is annoyed by Erica’s complaints about the move and habit of talking to her doll. The more Erica talks to her doll, the angrier Daniel gets with her, leading to them spending “less and less time together” (73). Daniel feels insulted because he believes it’s “obvious she’d rather talk to a doll than to me” (74). As a result of Daniel’s anger, Erica becomes an easy target for Old Auntie. This shows how family conflict can lead to isolation and danger.

After Erica’s abduction, Mother and Father blame Daniel for letting her run off. They also fight about whose fault it is between the two of them. When Father returns with the search party, “Mother beat her fists against his chest. ‘You didn’t look long enough. You must have missed something, you, you—’ She collapsed against him” (147). This blame fractures the family dynamic and results in Mother and Father distancing themselves and sinking into depression. Mother drinks wine, smokes cigarettes, and stays in bed, while Father drinks and obsessively checks the website he set up to help locate Erica. Daniel feels “It was as if I’d disappeared too” (225). The house becomes cluttered with the “Trash can overflowing with pizza boxes, beer cans, and wine bottles” and “ashtrays heaped with cigarette butts” (224). The state of the house illustrates how family conflict can manifest as broken relationships and poor living conditions.