The Multivalence of "Darkness Falls" The phrase serves as a potent cultural and literary motif, transcending its literal meaning to represent everything from psychological trauma and environmental catastrophe to the literal end of a narrative scene. It acts as a bridge between the physical world's transition into night and the metaphorical descent of humanity into states of fear, secrecy, or moral ambiguity.
: The curse—triggered by a child losing their last baby tooth—symbolizes the violent end of innocence and the lingering presence of historical guilt. II. Narrative and Emotional Archetypes Darkness Falls
: Wrongfully lynched by a mob in the 19th century after a disfiguring fire, Matilda's spirit represents the consequences of "miscarriages of justice". The Multivalence of "Darkness Falls" The phrase serves
