Can Such Things Be? · Chapter
Dead and 'Gone' explained
On August 14, 1872, George J.
What happens
On August 14, 1872, George J. Reid collapses and dies suddenly in his family's dining room. After his body is placed in a bedroom, a physician arrives to find the body has vanished without explanation, leaving only the clothing behind. Despite thorough investigation, no trace of the body is ever found.
Themes in this chapter
Death and the Supernatural
The sudden death of George Reid and the inexplicable disappearance of his corpse evoke a supernatural mystery beyond natural explanation.
The Uncanny and the Grotesque
The vanished body, with only clothing left behind, creates an uncanny and grotesque image that defies rational understanding.
Characters to notice
- George J. Reid
A young man of twenty-one who falls dead while walking across the dining room; his body later disappears from the bed.
Key passages
“He approached and lifted the cloth. There was nothing there. He pulled away the sheet. Nothing.”
The physician uncovered the bed expecting to see the body, but found only emptiness.
Highlights the central mystery of the story: the inexplicable disappearance of the corpse.