# Chapter III explained — The Lodger

> Chapter companion for The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes.

## What happens

Mrs. Bunting attends to the lodger's peculiar requests, including turning pictures to the wall and borrowing a Bible. She recalls a similar incident from her youth, which reassures her. Mr. Sleuth reads aloud from the Bible, unsettling her with his choice of verses.

## Themes in this chapter

### Appearance vs. Reality

Mr. Sleuth's request to turn pictures to the wall and his reading of scripture contrast with his unsettling behavior.

### Fear and Suspicion

Mrs. Bunting is disturbed by the lodger's actions and the ominous Bible verses he recites.

## Character check-ins

### Mrs. Bunting

Manages the lodger's unusual demands and recalls a past experience to normalize his behavior.

### Mr. Sleuth

Requests the pictures be turned to the wall, borrows a Bible, and reads aloud disturbing passages.

### Mr. Bunting

Goes out to buy supplies; comments on the lodger's odd appearance.

## Key lines

> Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

The lodger reads a Bible verse about a woman's home leading to destruction.

_This quote heightens the sense of threat and moral judgment._

> I prefer bare walls, Mrs. Bunting. As a matter of fact, I have been used to seeing bare walls about me for a long time.

Mr. Sleuth explains his preference for empty walls, hinting at a past involving confinement.

_Suggests a history of imprisonment or isolation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters/iii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lodger_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lodger_se/chapters