The Final Mist

I really enjoyed reading Bombal's short story (novella?) The Final Mist. I felt like the characters were nicely developed, and it was a very successful ghost story for several reasons. First of all, it is not as if the epiphany of her encounter being with a ghost comes out of the blue. The grounds for the protagonist's marriage is based on a previous death, that of her cousin Daniel's first wife. The protagonist says that she feels as if she is merely a replacement for this woman, particularly during sex. So, right away, there is a very macabre element to the story's sensuality. In a way, the protagonist is haunted by the memory of the woman she is not.

Also, there is a lot of aquatic imagery. It is raining constantly. She goes swimming. Daniel always brings her a glass of water after their awkward intercourse. The house is constantly damp. Fog rolls in and out. Water generally symbolizes life, but fog is often associated with the supernatural, and dampness with decay. Overall, all the water-related imagery makes for a morose, almost gothic setting, creating the perfect atmosphere for a ghost story. At the same time, water symbolizes life in a sensual aspect as well, so this serves to complement the other genre the story fits. Lust and love become inextricably entwined with death for a woman who cannot stand her life.

It is particularly interesting that the boy-Andres- who also recognizes the woman's ghost lover drowns shortly after seeing the ghost. This part made me a little curious as to Chilean or South-American superstitions about the afterlife. I tried to find out if seeing ghosts is considered some sort of fatal omen, but quickly realized I have no idea how to research that sort of thing.