"When it got bad, it was like they cast a shadow over the whole of Hailsham." Page 50
The purpose of this imagery is to describe the effect the woods at Hailsham have on the atmosphere of Hailsham. It is understood that the woods don't literally cast a shadow encasing the whole of Hailsham. The image of the shadow helps to translate the attitude of the students concerning the woods into a visual. The children feel apprehensive wonder about what lurks inside the infamous Hailsham woods. This fear engulfs the entire body of students. A shadow can also engulf things, but it physical phenomenon. It is up to the reader to decipher the fear of the students by associating the physical reality of a shadow to an ominous atmosphere. When this is done, the woods accurately portray the overpowering, mystifying, and terrifying atmosphere of Hailsham.
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