Mortality and Loss

Death, grief, and the passage of time pervade the collection, seen in 'In a Disused Graveyard,' 'To E.T.,' and the haunting presence of the dead in 'The Witch of Coös.'

The decay of the house and the absence of people evoke a deep sense of loss and the passage of time.

Maple's mother dies shortly after her birth, and the name becomes a lasting connection to that loss.

The grindstone's idle state and the memory of past labor evoke a sense of transience, loss, and the passage of time, symbolized by the Father-Time figure.

The chapter centers on Eliza's death and the negotiation of her final resting place, highlighting grief and the desire for control over one's legacy.