A major theme of this Shirley Jackson story is community responsibility in preventing violence. Before the “showdown”, young Billy’s Saturdays were quiet and uneventful. When Tom Harper’s death breaks the pattern, a mystical power puts Billy (and possibly other townspeople) into a time loop. After many repeated Saturdays, Billy realizes that to break the cycle he must do something to prevent Tom’s death. Could the “haunting” be a result of Tom’s girlfriend Susy’s promises: I won’t ever forget you, and neither will anyone else! I’ll see that they don’t get off easy! Other themes: violence, love, hope, revenge, the supernatural.
The story leaves readers to consider two questions:
- How much responsibility should the loafers on the porch of the store bear for Tom’s death? We are told that everyone in town detested Thad Ruskin for his alcoholism and poor treatment of daughter Susy. And also that as Tom came up the steps after threatening to kill Thad, no one stepped forward to stop him. Susy certainly thinks the onlookers were more to blame for what happened to Tom than her father was.
- What should / will happen to Thad. On the surface, the killing appears to be an open and shut case of self-defense. However, when Billy asks his father about it he is told: They (the men) are going to settle that tomorrow. And I don’t want you hanging around the store while we talk about it. Could they be contemplating some form of vigilante action?
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