A Whisper In The Dark

At first we believe Sybil to be completely sane and in control of her emotions. She goes so far to even try and manipulate her Uncle and her cousin, Guy, later experiencing failure and being completely aware of her actions: "I felt perfectly powerless. All my little arts had failed, and for the first time I was mastered" (page 218). Sybil learns that "[she] can win [Uncle's] heart by obedience, and [can] soon grow quite at ease with him," if she plays her little game of being in love with him (page 223). These manipulative qualities that Sybil takes on are very healthy and are normal human behavioral characteristics. Because she has "had [her] own way all [her] life," she will do what it takes to get what she wants (page 218). These also tend to be traits of children without parents, because manipulative behavior is all they know to get what they want. They do not have the parents or guardians telling them what is acceptable behavior in achieving what they want and what is not acceptable. As discussed in class, there is a correlation between girls that do have mothers and care for them and girls that do not. We also know that despite the lack of a compatible relationship, mothers always tend to pull through for their children.

As the story goes on, Sybil is treated as a mentally ill girl and is put to solitary confinement. As all nineteenth century domestic novels were written, I feel this, in its own gothic way, makes a statement about the relationships of mothers and daughters. It is a known phenomenon that mothers and daughters do indeed have an underlying wavelength shared between them, whether or not they know each other on a personal level. For Sybil to find the letters written by "The Whisperer in the Dark," there has to have been some unknown fate for her mother to at last be able to help her. Although Sybil did not know why she "still carried in [her] bosom the warnings [her mother] had sent [her], prompted by the unerring instinct of a mother's heart" (page 246). This proves that although Sybil's mother was driven "mad since that unhappy rumor of [her] father's death," Sybil still shares a mystical bond with her mother (page 246). A mother seems to always sense when their child is hurting or upset, and will do whatever they can to help them when their child has fallen to the complete bottom. Sybil might have been insane for a short while, because there is no real evidence that Sybil did hear a whisperer tell her things such as "The dog--a lock of hair--there is yet time" (page 243). These statements sound outlandish, but in the end help Sybil escape the infinite death of insanity. Because of Sybil's mother being insane, the only thing that made sense was for her to warn Sybil and help her find the key to escaping: "Find it! For God's sake find it before it is too late" (page 241)! 

This obscure ending made me realize that although Alcott puts a dark twist in "A Whisper in the Dark," she still brings around the importance of the mother and daughter relationship. I think although Sybil barely touched the "fire" of insanity, Sybil's mother initially "pulled her out." We still see how nothing can come between mother and daughter, despite how impersonal their earthly relationship is.