Seaton's Aunt question

In Robert Aickman stories, the "ghost" is typically a psychological projection, or manifestation of some dimly understood psychological issue. I think of Seaton's aunt along the same lines. The question of whether the aunt is actually in league with the devil, or is merely crazy and malevolent, is not particularly interesting.

In my opinion, the story concerns the way some people seem to be born "under a black cloud" or "under a bad sign." We sometimes hear, "It's almost as if the world were plotting against so-and-so." These unlucky souls are bullied and rejected, destined to be unhappy and come to a bad end. Seaton is such a person. The aunt is the projection or personification of the "black cloud" under which Seaton is born. The bullying and the contempt that Seaton experiences at school, and we suspect in English society generally, are personified in his aunt's sarcastic, contemptuous bullying. She is the embodiment--literally--of everything that is wrong with Season's life.

Seaton and the narrator have different views. Seaton believes there is intentional malevolence ruining his life. People talk this way sometimes: "Life has it in for me"; "why is it always me that suffers so"; "if disaster will strike anyone, it will strike me." As if life chooses them personally for special punishment. The narrator is not so sure. He is an unabashed racist, and remarks Seaton is not "English," and notes how "dark" he is--a different and worse sort of person than he and his classmates. But he comes shy of thinking that Seaton is anything more than just a guy who doesn't fit in.

Regardless, Seaton lives a hunted, miserable life, then dies before he can achieve any measure of happiness. The narrator goes on his way. The "horror" of the story is perhaps best expressed in these chilling lines by William Blake:

Every Night & every Morn
Some to Misery are Born
Every Morn and every Night
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to Endless Night