The Thief of Always Cover Image

The Thief of Always

by Clive Barker

Start Free Trial

Analysis

Download PDF PDF Page Citation Cite Share Link Share

At one level, the narrative of The Thief of Always can be read as a kind of cautionary tale, urging children to avoid talking to strangers and to be grateful for what they have. But upon closer inspection, this children’s tale also explores ideas of bravery, gratitude, and time, adding depth to the story and making it an engaging read for children and adults alike.

When we first meet Harvey, he is a bored boy in the depths of a February winter. This boredom stirs the forces of Holiday House, and Rictus sets out to acquire Harvey’s soul. Rictus sees the need for adventure in Harvey and uses his boredom against him to lure him to the House. However, Harvey proves to be far more willful than Rictus expects.

What’s striking upon first read is Harvey’s apparent lack of care for his own life. He barely questions a man barging into his room, and he doesn’t tell his parents he is conversing with a stranger. He also goes to a mysterious house to partake in unknown activities. While it seems strange that Harvey is so willing to forgo all he knows, his decision sets the stage for the author’s exploration of temptation and desire, concepts that, at times, lend a biblical undertone to the story.

Harvey senses that Rictus has sinister motives, but he chooses to ignore his instincts and follow his desires blindly. In this way, Harvey could be seen as a parallel to Eve in the Bible, ignoring the warning signs and putting himself in a precarious position. Rictus, then, could be read as Satan-like figure whose purpose is to lure innocent souls into the House. When Harvey first arrives, he eats food—just as Eve eats the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. This biblical arc is reflected in other details of the novel. The beings of the House continue to tempt the kids into relinquishing their souls and their innocence. And the property itself stands as a Garden of Eden, offering the children a beautiful landscape full of pleasure and possibility.

Biblical connections can also be seen in Harvey’s wish for his first Christmas present: a recreation of the ark his father built him years before. Noah famously built an ark to avoid the great flood and put a pair of each kind of animal onboard. In Harvey’s case, the ark sinks to the bottom of the murky lake after he falls in. Though Harvey is overjoyed by his gift, he is also unsettled by the knowledge that the ark Mr. Hood creates is not the real one. On some level, Harvey is perhaps aware that the real ark from his father represents goodness and reality, while the fake ark from Mr. Hood represents illusion and deceit.

While Rictus and Hood aim to lure Harvey to the dark side with gifts and illusions, they ultimately fail because Harvey stays grounded in truth, especially after he escapes Holiday House with Wendell. Upon leaving, he watches the dolls from the ark disintegrate and meets his aging parents, who have lived thirty-one years without him. After realizing the terrible consequences of his actions, Harvey is willing to take on the House alone and sacrifice himself if necessary to reverse time and save the “lost souls” in the lake. His selflessness is evident when he goes back for Mrs. Griffin, Lulu, and the rest of the children. He also ensures that Wendell is safe, even after Wendell has betrayed him during his Halloween prank. Thus, Harvey’s actions could be seen as mirroring those of Jesus Christ, as he risks his life...

(This entire section contains 721 words.)

Unlock this Study Guide Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

and confronts the forces of evil to save the souls of the children at the House, including a child who betrayed his trust. 

Though The Thief of Always is suspenseful and entertaining, it also deals with deeper thematic ideas drawn from the Bible, including selflessness, temptation, compassion, and the triumph of good versus evil. Just like the House, the narrative contains more than meets the eye, teaching young readers about gratitude and showing them that they can overcome evil through compassion and bravery. Harvey’s development from an impatient boy to a brave and selfless one offers a model of genuine change and maturation in the direction of communal values.

Previous

Characters

Loading...