# Supernatural and the Occult in The Lost Stradivarius

> Theme guide for The Lost Stradivarius by John Meade Falkner.

The story is driven by ghostly apparitions, mysterious sounds, and the lingering influence of the dead Adrian Temple, whose spirit seems to reach across time through music and the violin, blurring the line between the natural and supernatural.

## Where it surfaces

- [The Lost Stradivarius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/the-lost-stradivarius): The chapter is steeped in supernatural occurrences, from the mysterious noises in the wicker chair to the apparition that appears, suggesting a ghostly presence tied to the violin.
- [Miss Sophia Maltravers’ Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/miss-sophia-maltravers-story): The mysterious noises from the wicker chair and the apparition seen by John suggest a supernatural presence.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/i): The unexplained creaking of the wicker chair, coinciding with the music, hints at an unseen presence, blending the mundane with the eerie.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/ii): The recurring noises and John's vision of a misty form suggest a supernatural presence linked to the music.
- [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/iii): John's vision of a ghostly figure in his room, which he cannot explain rationally, introduces a supernatural element.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/iv): The chapter deepens the supernatural mystery, with Gaskell affirming the reality of the spirit and the possibility of a 'sixth sense' to perceive it.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/v): The apparition seen by John is a source of dread and portent, and the discovery of the coat of arms offers a rational explanation, yet the mystery lingers.
- [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/vi): The lingering mystery of the apparition and the chair's silence, leading to doubt and eventual discovery of a hidden object.
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/viii): The portrait of Adrian Temple exactly matches the apparition John saw at Oxford, suggesting a supernatural connection.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/xiv): The revelation that Gaskell's dream was a real place suggests a supernatural connection between imagination and reality.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/xv): The violin is described as an 'actively malignant spirit'; the narrator senses a supernatural connection to the tragic events.
- [Mr. Gaskell’s Note](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/chapters/mr-gaskell-s-note): The violin's breaking is described as an evil spirit departing; a supernatural presence is felt during the confession scene.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/themes/supernatural_and_the_occult
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lost_stradivarius_se/themes