Furthermore, the author used this to his advantage as he consistently portrayed Trevor's difficulties from the beginning of the story to the end, coping with a sinister crime and the supposedly haunted house tormenting his friends, causing young Trevor to believe the inevitable. This undoubtedly brought trauma, and as Trevor grew older into a deprived and unsatisfied middle-aged man, he began to experience supernatural sightings of ghosts, similar to the ones he experienced as a teenager. His experiences as a young teen formulated over time, causing him to believe that there was indeed a supernatural force haunting him. After murdering their coach, Trevor realized this particular experience would antagonize and scar his life. " 'You can't help anyone' a voice suggested within me. 'You can't help why don't you do what Ben did while you're still able?' Not my voice, though instantly familiar. A voice I haven't heard in twenty-four years." Now, forty years of age, Trevor is returning to his incredible past where he must face the darkness of the terrible memories, and as he approaches his past, he meets a familiar voice in his head, one that Trevor must now test his morals against as he chooses to go back to his stirring town with this mysterious voice pulling him back into the past. As a result, the development of one's fundamental belief systems are strongly influenced by childhood experience. If a child is brought up with love, affection and security he or she tends to build up positive beliefs. However, negative belief systems often develop in children who have gone through abusive childhood experiences which can develop a new set of belief systems. Like Trevor, experiences involving traumatic events will most likely cause people to view the world differently, ultimately changing their beliefs and values.
The relationships an individual formulates over their life can impact their perceptions and interpretations of life as both parties adopt similar values and beliefs over time.
