Chapter Four Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Chapter Four returns to the "Then" timeline. The narrator wakes with a start, disoriented, to find her younger sister Margaret pressed against her in bed. Margaret explains that the narrator was sleepwalking again, standing in her room with eyes open. The narrator recalls previous sleepwalking episodes, including one where she slept through a fire alarm and walked outside with her father, unconscious. Margaret says their mother warned her not to wake a sleepwalker because it is dangerous, though the narrator dismisses this as an old wives’ tale. The narrator cannot remember walking to Margaret’s room. She apologizes and promises she will not hurt Margaret. As they prepare to go downstairs for breakfast, the narrator notices faint footprints on the carpet leading from the bedroom door to the side of her bed. She rubs at the marks with her foot, hoping Margaret does not see, then leads her sister out of the room.
Key Events
- The narrator wakes abruptly to find Margaret in her bed.
- Margaret reveals the narrator was sleepwalking and standing in her room.
- The narrator reflects on past sleepwalking incidents, including walking outside during a fire.
- Margaret explains she was told not to wake a sleepwalker.
- The narrator tries and fails to recall the sleepwalking episode.
- She comforts Margaret and promises not to harm her.
- The narrator notices dirty footprints on her carpet leading to the bed.
- She attempts to conceal the footprints before leaving the room.
Character Development
- The Narrator: This chapter deepens the narrator’s connection to sleepwalking, a trait she has had since childhood. She shows irritability upon waking but quickly softens toward her sister, revealing a protective side. Her inability to recall her actions during sleepwalking suggests a disconnect between her conscious and unconscious self. The footprints unsettle her, hinting at underlying fears or unresolved trauma.
- Margaret: At age six, Margaret is timid and dependent on her sister. She seeks comfort even when the source of her fear is the narrator herself. Her honesty about being scared and her reliance on the narrator highlight her vulnerability and the trust between the sisters.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Sleepwalking as Loss of Control: The narrator’s sleepwalking represents a loss of agency over her own body. She performs actions without memory or consent, mirroring themes of helplessness and dissociation that may carry into the present-day mystery.
- Footprints as Intrusion: The unexpected footprints on the carpet introduce a subtle threat. They are not explained within the chapter, creating suspense and implying that something or someone may have been in the narrator’s room while she slept. This symbol may foreshadow later dangers.
- Sisterhood and Protection: Despite the narrator’s own disturbing behavior, she strives to protect Margaret. The dynamic shows how family bonds persist even in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter establishes the narrator’s long‑standing sleepwalking condition, which may be relevant to the main plot—possibly linked to the disappearance of her child or other traumatic events. It also introduces Margaret as a key figure from the past, hinting at a close but complicated sibling relationship. The unexplained footprints inject an element of mystery and suggest that the house may not be entirely safe, even in the past. The chapter deepens the reader’s understanding of the narrator’s psyche and sets up questions about what she might have done—or what might have been done to her—during these unconscious episodes.
Study Questions and Answers
Q1: Why does Margaret get into bed with the narrator after being scared by the sleepwalking?
A1: Margaret is frightened and cannot sleep, so she follows the narrator back to her own room and crawls into bed, as she always does when she is scared.
Q2: What does the narrator do when she notices the footprints on the carpet?
A2: She rubs her foot against the prints in an attempt to erase them, hoping Margaret will not see them.
Q3: What does the narrator promise Margaret about the sleepwalking?
A3: She promises that she will not hurt her, though she admits she does not know when the sleepwalking will stop.