Ambiguity

Have you ever been around someone sketchy or in a not so good part of town? You get suspicious and weird, eerie feeling. That's how Harriet felt after babysitting for the Winters. Could you even call it babysitting? Harriet never saw or heard the baby; she didn't change a diaper nor check on it. The evidence in the story supports the fact there was no baby in the house.

"She would not have to change a diaper, they said. In fact, she would not have to do anything at all." This statement concludes you to believe there is no baby in the house or they are just awful parents. While babysitting, Harriet had no physical contact and did not even see the baby during the time she was babysitting. The definition of babysitting is an act of watching or taking care of another person's kids until they get home; or entertaining/ playing with an unsupervised child. In the story, Harriet sat around the house looking at magazines, reading mail, and watching television. The fact that she didn't come in contact with the child is the first evidence.

When the Winters got home, "They gave her too much money and didn't ask about anything." Harriet was an inexperienced babysitter, why would good parent want her to babysit? A concerned parent would ask how it went or was there any trouble, since they didn't ask it is like they don't even have a kid . It makes you wonder if they are trying to cover something up by like paying her a lot so she won't tell anyone? Mrs. Winter waited until Harriet left to go upstairs and check on the baby. This evidence makes you question about the baby and what the Winters' are trying to hide.

"Harriet once went to check on the baby but when she tried to turn the doorknob it. She stood outside of the door and tried to hear the sound of a baby, breathing but she couldn't hear anything through the door except the occasional car that passed outside." Most of the babies alive, you can hear breathing in their sleep. Also the fact that the door was locked makes you very suspicious. This again makes you think that the Winters are trying to hide something big, especially if they locked a baby in its room. There may be something in the room they might not want you to see like a baby doll or a dead baby. The final piece of evidence gives us more reason to believe there is no baby.

In conclusion, there is no alive baby. Harriet got overpaid, never came in contact with the baby , or never heard the baby breathing, which all support the fact there is no baby in the house. I think the Winters were trying to hide something very big and important that's why they hired Harriet to babysit. The next time you are babysitting be sure and check on the baby to make sure they are actually there.