Final answer:
Mr. Grierson's presence, even after death, symbolizes the enduring impact of family legacy and the past on the living. The gothic literature references illustrate how the dead can continue to influence through settings and legacies, affecting the protagonists' mental states and actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The presence of Mr. Grierson, even in death, touches upon themes of haunting, the power of the deceased to influence the living, and the permanence of family legacy. These ideas are often explored in literature, particularly within the gothic genre, where characters like Mr. Grierson serve as symbolic reminders of the past and its inescapable influence. In the texts referenced, the deceased characters maintain a powerful grip on the world of the living, often shaping the protagonists' actions, emotions, and circumstances through their enduring legacies or through the settings that once contained their lives.
The characters are ensnared by the impressions of their ancestors and homes, as seen in the belief of Roderick Usher that his family mansion holds an overbearing influence on his spirit. This illustrates the symbolic power that the dead can wield in stories—where buildings, memories, and emotions become vessels for the deceased to continue their presence amongst the living, impacting their decisions and mental states.
In these narratives, the dead exercise a strong influence, creating a sentience or awareness in their surroundings that almost becomes a character in its own right. The shadow of the deceased thus represents an inescapable reality for the characters, forcing upon them considerations of morality, duty, and the struggle between moving forward and being chained to the past.