Skeleton Creek

Part of Skeleton Creek is written as a flashback, as Ryan records the events leading up to his accident at the Dredge. In these entries, Ryan uses foreshadowing to create an atmosphere of suspense and mystery that illustrates his growing fear and paranoia as they continue to investigate the mystery behind Old Joe Bush. For example, as the librarian helps the teens access the various newspapers that reveal the history of the town, she warns them to forget what they learn, since following the thread of their research will lead them into danger. Her ominous warning sets the initial tone for their investigation. When Ryan reflects that following the new trail of research “would lead [them] to trouble of a kind [they] hadn’t anticipated” (13), he is foreshadowing the danger they ultimately find themselves in without elaborating on what that danger is exactly. Written as a reflection of a past event, or a narrative flashback, Ryan’s journal offers the benefit of knowing the types of dangerous encounters the pair will face as their investigation progresses. Instead of immediately sharing these encounters, he withholds that information and increases the tension of the narrative.

The novel makes several references to works of fiction, such as Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” These literary allusions help create atmosphere through the genres they evoke. Rather than using action and descriptive language to establish a setting that heightens fear and suspense, Ryan’s journal frequently reveals the plot and connections to Sarah’s access passwords, which are all literary allusions to psychological thrillers or Gothic horror narratives with intensely macabre settings.

The first four passwords, “houseofusher,” “theraven,” pitandpendulum,” and “amontillado,” are all works by Edgar Allan Poe, an American poet and author recognizable for his mysteries and macabre, supernatural fiction. Ryan often makes these allusions explicit in the narrative. For example, he notes that “The Cask of Amontillado” is a “ghastly story about deception and revenge” where the main protagonist is “tricked … [trapped] underground” (90). This foreshadows the ending of the novel, when Ryan and Sarah are trapped in the secret room at the Dredge by Henry as Joe Bush. Importantly, Ryan also notes that he is sure that Sarah has never read the story, noting that “maybe if [he tells] her the story, she’d stop picking such ghastly passwords” (90). This shows that literary allusions are not always recognizable to an audience, and Ryan’s prompt helps provide context for readers who are unfamiliar with the work.

Ryan makes the connections between some passwords explicit, though he does not always explain the thematic links. For example, Henry’s character is similar to the Robert Louis Stevenson character Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. He seems harmless, even upstanding, but is actually a villain in disguise. The password “drjekyllandmrhyde” foreshadows Henry’s guilt, but neither Ryan nor Sarah possesses the knowledge to understand the literary allusion. This creates dramatic irony, giving readers a clue that the protagonists lack.