Death

Death is a prominent theme in Serena. The inclusion of death as a theme imparts a dark feel to the book, adding to the reader's feeling of dread as the plot ramps up. Death is present from the first chapter of the book when Pemberton stabs Abe Harmon. After Harmon's death, there is a lull in which the author develops the character of Serena before delving back into the theme with the murder of Buchanan. From there, Serena is on a killing spree, orchestrating the deaths of Harris, Campbell, McDowell, and Widow Jenkins. The author does not describe the murder of the characters in detail. In fact, after Buchanan is shot, the reader is given foreshadows of the impending deaths and then a confirmation of the murder after the fact.

In addition to the murders involved in the plot, there are several other mentions of death...