WITH “Room in the Attic,” I was drawn to how David is becoming more drawn to the darkness as he is drawn to Isabel. It to me represented mystery — and how both Isabel is, and David becomes one.
In “Room in the Attic,” David can’t see Isabel due to her room being completely dark. It puts their relationship — which I interpret as a friendship, not a romance for the record — in total darkness, something David can’t recall exactly when he’s in the light for long periods of time. He slowly becomes obsessed with the dark and Isabel both, and only wakes up from the darkness when Isabel is gone. And somehow, there’s a beauty in that — the representation of Isabel, cloaked in mystery, as David becomes more mysterious as the story goes on. He lies to his parents, calls sick into work, and does so much more to conceal his attachment to Isabel and his need to learn more about her. This want of his to know more about Isabel, to see her even at one point.
This darkness represents the mysteries of Isabel yet serves as a good thing for David – he never once judges her for how she looks, and rather keeps to his imagination. He only sees her as her personality, which is fun-loving. The mystery never does indeed solve itself – many might think Isabel is a monster, yet she actually fits the bill more of a ghost. This adds to the mystery – if Isabel is a ghost, what happened to her to cause her demise? David doesn’t seem to care what she is – she is a friend of his, playing games with her and talking. Yet it also serves as a bad thing – he loses sleep over her, he lies to his parents, skips his job, even starts to dislike the light because of his obsession with Isabel. He himself starts to become a mystery – leading to the culminating event.
David only gets one opportunity to see Isabel – and he ruins it. Why? one might ask. A reason is never given – but one can imagine he wants to keep the mystery of Isabel, keep the mystery of himself. Mysteries are fun – well, most are. The secrecy is thrilling, finding out the answer ends it, but gives satisfaction. David seems to not want that satisfaction though – he’d rather stay in darkness. We never know the answer, and can only imagine it.
The mystery of Isabel, and the one David becomes, are thrilling – especially considering three days later, Isabel is gone. She’s moved to her aunt’s in Maine, her mother claims, to attend public high school. That mystery of why only adds to Isabel, yet David becomes less of a mystery without her occupying his mind – he returns to normal, to the light. Yet he always has a bit of that mystery – in his thoughts and memories.
Mystery is a dark thing inherently. Whether it be murder or a girl who’s only in darkness, theft or a boy with secrets to hide – the darkness of mysteries is thrilling. And by taking this darkness and putting it literally, Steven Millhauser writes a thrilling tale – of a mystery pair.