The Night Gardener

These opening chapters introduce the main characters and the novel’s primary mysteries, as well as hinting at the supernatural elements that will only become fully apparent much later in the story. The story is told from the perspective of Molly and Kip, and Auxier alternates between their points of view to build suspense and uncertainty throughout the book, particularly toward the end. At the story’s outset, the siblings have newly arrived from Ireland, escaping the results of the potato famine, and are seeking work. Molly is the older of the two, and the details of the narration soon make it clear that she feels responsible for Kip’s physical safety and his emotional well-being. In her desire to spare him further hardship, she keeps certain difficult truths from him in hopes of shielding him from hurt, a decision that causes strife later on. Because Kip was born with a disability, he walks with a crutch. It is important to note that in keeping with the literary trappings of the Victorian Era, Auxier uses the outdated term “cripple” to refer to Kip throughout the book. Then, it was an accepted term for someone who had a disability that made walking difficult, and although it has since evolved into a derogatory term, the author employs it here only to illustrate the historical time period of the novel.

These early chapters establish Molly’s innate talent for storytelling and begin to explore the book’s major theme, The Power of Storytelling, and nowhere is this ongoing dynamic more clearly demonstrated than in Molly’s explanation to Kip about what happened to their parents. Although Kip will not learn the reality of his parents’ deaths until the end of the book, he initially believes the fanciful story that his sister told him: that their parents were captured by pirates and are doing their best to escape. With this story, Molly wants to give Kip hope and to protect herself from the pain of losing her parents by pretending that they are still alive somewhere. Chapter 3 also shows Molly’s storytelling ability in action as she distracts Penny with tales of magic and wonder. Penny’s response to Molly’s stories shows the power of a well-told tale. Thus, when Constance arrives, Penny is willing to fight for Molly to stay because Molly offers Penny a sense of novelty that she has not experienced since arriving at the house. Constance’s own reaction to Molly’s stories mirrors that of her daughter’s, for when Constance becomes enthralled by Molly’s storytelling and hires her, Molly has once again used her talent to improve her own situation in life. Accordingly, in Chapter 4, Molly uses her storytelling skills to give Constance a glimpse of how her home could be. Constance’s reaction supports the vividness of Molly’s telling, as well as her ability to pull people in with her voice. Constance’s decision to hire Molly shows how a strong enough story that weaves a powerful enough image can get people to change their minds.

The island on which most of the story takes place is occasionally referred to as the Sourwoods because the people of the nearby village believe that the land is cursed. Chapter 2 offers the first glimpse of the house and the tree, and the gloomy appearance of the area implies the presence of the curse that hangs over the land.

Chapters 5 and 6 offer the first hints about the supernatural effects of the house and tree. For example, the portrait in Chapter 5 provides a sharp contrast with the Windsors’ current state of poor health, indicating the family’s rapid decline. The family that Molly meets in person is washed-out and gray, but the family in the picture is vibrant and full of life; this contrast foreshadows the fact that something powerful is draining their vitality. When Molly offers to have Kip trim the tree, Constance is vehemently against harming the tree in any way, and her reaction demonstrates her dependence on the tree and shows how the tree compels people to protect it. While these early chapters do not reveal the precise nature of the relationship between the Windsor family and the sinister tree, it is nonetheless clear that an unhealthy and potentially supernatural connection exists between them. Similarly, the figure in the fog and footsteps at the end of Chapter 6 foreshadow the children’s later discovery of the Night Man and his purpose and the wicked intentions of the tree.