How It Happened

by

Arthur Conan Doyle

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Death and the Supernatural Theme Analysis

Themes and Colors
Privilege, Arrogance, and Consequences Theme Icon
Humans and Technology Theme Icon
Loyalty, Selfishness, and Inequality Theme Icon
Death and the Supernatural Theme Icon
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in How It Happened, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Death and the Supernatural Theme Icon

In Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story “How It Happened,” the narrator experiences a seamless transition into death. Not only is there no pain, but the narrator emerges much the same as before. Though other humans can no longer see or hear him, he can still see and hear them, and he still inhabits the same body and world as before he died. Nor is the narrator alone in the afterlife—his friend Stanley warmly welcomes him, suggesting that there can be human community and connection even in death. Through this portrayal of the afterlife, Doyle plays with the idea that death might be neither a foreign nor frightening experience, but rather a continuation of life.

Doyle’s use of the writing medium to tell the narrator’s story from beyond the grave further strengthens this idea. It implies that the worlds of the living and the dead are not only similar, but also accessible to one another. All that is needed to bridge the gap is a medium—or, in this case, an author to transcribe the tale. Depending on the reader’s belief in the supernatural, then, “How It Happened” can be interpreted either as a true supernatural artifact, faithfully transcribed by Doyle, or a story that demonstrates the power of narrative to seemingly resurrect the dead. In either case, Doyle suggests that the dead are never very far from the living.

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Death and the Supernatural ThemeTracker

The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Death and the Supernatural appears in each chapter of How It Happened. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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Death and the Supernatural Quotes in How It Happened

Below you will find the important quotes in How It Happened related to the theme of Death and the Supernatural.
How It Happened Quotes

She was a writing medium. This is what she wrote: –

Related Characters: The Writing Medium
Page Number: 204
Explanation and Analysis:

I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague broken dreams. This is what makes it so difficult to tell a connected story.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), The Writing Medium
Page Number: 204
Explanation and Analysis:

At the present moment I was surprised to see him, but I was like a man in a dream, giddy and shaken and quite prepared to take things as I found them without questioning them.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Stanley
Page Number: 207
Explanation and Analysis:

“Here I am,” I answered, but they did not seem to hear me. They were all bending over something which lay in front of the car.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Perkins , The Lodgekeeper
Related Symbols: The Robur (The Car)
Page Number: 208
Explanation and Analysis:

“Stanley! I cried, and the words seemed to choke my throat – “Stanley you are dead.”

He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile.

“So are you,” he answered.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Stanley (speaker)
Page Number: 208
Explanation and Analysis: