It's such a quick throwaway line but there's so much to unpack! How many boys went missing before the adults began making a big deal about it? Before an excited news outlet gives him a name, leading to the kids trying to interpret all this concern in the best way they could: through scary stories and urban legends. The Grabber becomes a cautionary myth like La Llorona, scaring children to practice caution so they aren't taken. But it's also like Bloody Mary, where he can't get you unless you say his name. It'd be fun if he takes elements of everything to combine together and become the scariest monster imaginable. Because he's not like other myths, he has taken kids. Kids they know. He is scary.
I love how frightened Finney is that he won't risk saying it, even though he swears he doesn't believe something so ridiculous. It makes abduction extra tragic for him because, in his mind, he did everything right to avoid being taken.
What I do find interesting is it's unclear how established the Grabber's (real or urban legend) victim type is to the kids. They must have noticed he's only taking boys. But Finney is so paranoid about Gwen saying his name and tempting fate. (Is he concerned the Grabber will take her or that the Grabber will take him due to proximity? Do you think Gwen blamed herself after he was taken for mocking the call?) To me, I feel like girls would be taunting boys that the Grabber might get them, but 🌸they🌸 are safe. Which sounds cruel, but kids are cruel. Teachers would have to tell girls to stop making up rhymes about it. (Note to self: make up Grabber rhyme.)
I wonder if the Grabber himself was aware of his blossoming supernatural urban legend status, and if he considered leaning into it. Doing so might have made kids more likely to trust a regular guy, after all.
But yes, I'm also into the idea of him being or becoming a legitimate supernatural entity. Like HOW were the kids at Alpine Lake not coming up with stuff, considering the staff confirmed he had been doing weird, spooky mischief for years? He could easily become a camp legend. That haunts the boys' cabin especially.
It might also be interesting if he returned a second time concealed under his own infamy. Ghost him doing Grabber stuff. Police think it's a copycat. Kids think it's "OooooOOOooh the Grabbeerr. 🔦👻" Finn doesn't want to think about it. (Too bad.)
blakekathryn
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