Explore the ways Susan Hill presents Kingshaw in the opening 5 chapters of the novel.

Edmund Hooper is presented as a troubled child who did not go through a normal childhood. We first get a glimpse of Hooper’s unusual nature in Chapter 1. Most people would sympathise with a dying member of their family. However, Hooper describes his Grandfather as “one of his dead moths”. This quote informs us about how cold and disrespectful Hooper can be. Also, it reflects on Hooper’s upbringing. Hill creates a sense that Hooper acts unnaturally because of how he was brought up, without a mother; he had no love or affection.

At most points of the novel, Hooper’s narrative voice always seems to focus on him and there is always an evil tone in his voice. In Chapter 2, Kingshaw unexpectedly receives a not from Hooper saying, “I didn’t want you to come here”. This action makes us think that Hooper is unpleasant, mean and that he refuses to communicate with anyone who “doesn’t belong”. The author depicts Edmund Hooper’s greed for authority. Chapter 3 portrays the image of Kingshaw being followed by the “shining black” crow. The crow “circled over Kingshaw and waited for the right timing to attack. The diction also illustrates the image of a predator hunting its prey. Similar to Kingshaw being an “invader” in the field, Hooper shows predatory instincts towards to protect his own territory from an “invader”.
Hooper is so easily able to control and terrorize others because he studies their reactions and picks out and exploits their weaknesses. At first Hooper thought of frightening Kingshaw with a spider. However, he then gets the stuffed crown as he already knows that Charles is afraid of crows. Hooper intentionally picks an object that is personal to his victim. Hooper always seems to have the keys to any of the rooms at Warings. Hill presents him to having the keys to Kingshaw’s thoughts and what affects him the most.