Duppy
In short: A ghost or spirit figure in Caribbean storytelling.
Character
How does it work in the tale?
The Cauling exhibition in the Cayman Islands places duppy stories within local storytelling. The 1973 newspaper tale plays with the figure’s reputation. Readers know about the disguise while the brothers who meet the man think they may have encountered a duppy.
Why does the flashlight make the scene scarier?
In Tessa Johnson’s 1973 Cayman story, two brothers searching for crabs shine a flashlight on a pair of shoes. They see a dark suit but cannot make out the masked head. Readers already know the man is in disguise. The narrow beam shows why the boys can mistake a person for a ghost.