Short Fiction · Chapter
XVI: An Evil Nurse explained
Watho, ill and increasingly wicked, turns against both Photogen and Nycteris.
What happens
Watho, ill and increasingly wicked, turns against both Photogen and Nycteris. She torments Photogen, who resolves to escape the castle. He reflects on the mysterious girl who nursed him in the dark, realizing she may be a creature of the night, and regrets his cruel behavior toward her.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Divine Chastening
Photogen suffers physically and emotionally under Watho's torment, leading him to question his own cruelty and seek redemption.
Reality vs. Illusion
Photogen's perception of Nycteris shifts as he realizes she may be a creature of the night, challenging his assumptions about light and darkness.
Characters to notice
- Watho
Grows ill and more malicious; her conscience only makes her more wicked. She hates Photogen for being a failure and torments him, and also grows sick of Nycteris.
- Colin
Referred to as Photogen; he is ill, tormented by Watho, and resolves to escape. He reflects on the girl who nursed him and regrets his past behavior.
- Nycteris
The lovely creature who nursed Photogen in the dark; he wonders if she is a nymph of the river or a night-being, and fears the sun may have harmed her.
Key passages
“She told him she hated him like a serpent, and hissed like one as she said it, looking very sharp in the nose and chin, and flat in the forehead.”
Watho declared her hatred for Photogen with a serpentine hiss, her features becoming sharp and flat.
Illustrates Watho's venomous cruelty and witch-like appearance.
“If only he could find her again! Ah, how differently he would behave to her!”
Photogen longs to reunite with the mysterious girl and treat her with the kindness he failed to show before.
Shows Photogen's regret and desire for redemption.