Can Such Things Be? · Chapter
Mysterious Disappearances explained
This chapter collects several tales of inexplicable vanishings, where individuals disappear without trace under strange circumstances, often leaving behind only baffling clues or no evidence at all.
What happens
This chapter collects several tales of inexplicable vanishings, where individuals disappear without trace under strange circumstances, often leaving behind only baffling clues or no evidence at all.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of the narrato…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Isolation and Terror
The sudden, inexplicable absence of individuals underscores a profound isolation from the known world, evoking terror of the unknown.
- The Uncanny and the Grotesque
The mundane act of walking or traveling becomes uncanny when it leads to a complete and inexplicable disappearance, challenging reality.
Characters to notice
- Charles Ashmore
Young Charles Ashmore vanishes from his home, leaving footprints that abruptly stop in the snow.
- James Burne Worson
Worson disappears during a run, last seen by witnesses before vanishing mid-stride.
- William Holt
Holt mysteriously disappears while traveling, with his horse and belongings found abandoned.
Key passages
“Young Charles Ashmore vanishes from his home, leaving footprints that abruptly stop in the snow.”
Charles Ashmore disappears from his house, and his footprints in the snow end suddenly, as if he vanished into thin air.
Illustrates the baffling nature of the disappearance with a physical clue that defies explanation.
“Worson disappears during a run, last seen by witnesses before vanishing mid-stride.”
While running, Worson is observed by others and then simply vanishes while still in motion.
Highlights the suddenness and impossibility of the event, as witnessed by multiple people.
