Thirza speculates that not only does Billy’s spirit still inhabit Merchant’s House, but so do the “ghosts of their former selves” (p. 111). What do you think she meant? Does this concept ring true to you?
They all changed when Billy disappeared and not for the good. All but Piers left and they moved to England. When she returns I can understand her thinking back to the days when they were such a happy family. She was remembering how they all loved and enjoyed Billy. Of course she would think about all of his antics and the fun she had with her younger brother.
It definitely rings true. So much was turned upside down when Billy “disappeared” and never resolved in the family. No one wanted to talk about it. Dulcie shut down and didn’t allow Thirza the opportunity to extinguish her grief or feeling of blame about the situation. So the “ghost” of all of them before Billy disappeared lingered in Merchant House.
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Happier times were memories wrapped around every corner and all over the grounds. Thirza hears and feels the presence of Billy. At times I thought the author was going to include a ghostly appearance, which would have been way too much!!
I interpret the ghosts of their former selves as their memories. So much changed but there are still so many memories of how things were. I find this true in my own life when I look around the house where we raised our children. Life brings so many changes but there are still the memories.
The “ghosts of former selves” were the people they were before Billy’s disappearance. His loss affected them all in the way they dealt with their grief and how they evolved through the years. She felt his spirit through memories of him, such as their fun on the beach. I think there is truth in that.
I think that she means the ghosts of who each of the characters were in previous times. I feel like this is a longing and another loss. A longing to return to a more naive existence, a loss of what their relationships used to be.
I do believe that spaces hold energy and invoke memories of those who inhabit them.
In my opinion, none of the characters really lived in the present but still lived in the past before Billy disappeared. They also kept secrets that stayed hidden, making them stay stuck. I’m in no way minimizing the tragedy for each character with the loss of Billy—that kind of loss drastically changes a life. But the loss of Billy moved each person away from the others until there was no family left. (No spoiler)
It seems that everything in the house reminds Thirza of Billy and the happy lives of their family before Billy disappeared. The “ghosts” or memories in that house kept Dulcie away for many years. It was too painful for her to revisit the place where they were a happy family that included Billy. So spirits can bring joy or pain, depending on the feelings of the character.