: Eric is estranged from his mother, Glenys, who blamed him for his father's death and loathed his wife. Her demonic appearance in his visions symbolizes the "ancestral guilt" and lack of support he feels in the real world.
: The island is not a sanctuary but a supernatural landscape where Eric’s internal psychological burdens manifest as horrific visions. The half-sighted ferrywoman, Fisher (Kate Dickie), acts as a mythological "gatekeeper" or Charon-like figure who guides him into this realm of penance. Shepherd (2021)
: In a final act of desperation, Eric tries to light the island’s lighthouse to signal for help. However, after immolating a figure that takes his wife’s form, he attempts to flee by swimming away, only to be dragged underwater by her ghost—signifying that he cannot escape the consequences of his actions or his own mind. Philosophical Themes : Eric is estranged from his mother, Glenys,
: Eric sees a robed figure called "The Wrecker" in old drawings and his nightmares. This figure represents Eric himself—a "wrecker" who destroyed his own family and future. The half-sighted ferrywoman, Fisher (Kate Dickie), acts as
: Though Eric initially presents himself as a grieving widower, it is eventually revealed that he was responsible for the car accident that killed his pregnant wife because he was drunk driving .