1922

The rats are a tangible manifestation of Wilfred's guilt and conscience. They represent the corruption and decay for which he is responsible after murdering his wife Arlette. The increasing swarm of rats throughout the ending reflects how his guilt has grown beyond control, tormenting him physically and psychologically until his death.

Earlier scenes show Wilfred noticing a single rat in the house after the murder, hinting at the growing infestation of guilt that will consume him.

The film leaves Wilfred's death deliberately ambiguous. It could be interpreted as self-inflicted, Wilfred finally accepting responsibility and taking his own life, or as an act of the vengeful spirits claiming him. This uncertainty emphasizes the themes of guilt, judgment, and the consequences of his selfish choice to murder Arlette.

Wilfred's descent into paranoia and despair throughout the film sets the stage for this final, tragic moment of either self-destruction or supernatural judgment.

The film deliberately blurs the line between supernatural haunting and psychological guilt. While Arlette's spirit appears to haunt Wilfred, the rats, which represent his guilt, are described as less about actual ghosts and more about the inescapable burden of remorse. The ambiguity suggests that whether the spirits are real matters less than the psychological truth of his guilt.

The film never confirms supernatural elements definitively, keeping viewers uncertain about whether the haunting is real or a manifestation of Wilfred's deteriorating mind.

Hank, Wilfred's son, also dies as a consequence of the murder. He becomes another victim of the family's tragic fate, joining Arlette in haunting Wilfred. His death represents the complete destruction of everything Wilfred loved, the ultimate price for his selfish crime.

Hank's growing suspicion and fear of his father throughout the film foreshadows his tragic fate as the family falls apart.

Wilfred writes his confession as an attempt to unburden himself from the overwhelming guilt that has consumed him. However, the writing itself provides no redemption or escape, the rats and visions continue regardless. His confession represents his final, futile attempt to find some form of acknowledgment for his terrible act before his death.

The confession mirrors the frame narrative structure, as the entire film is presented as Wilfred's written account of the murder and its aftermath.

The ending conveys that guilt, once triggered by a violent act, becomes an inescapable force that consumes a person completely. Wilfred's decision to murder Arlette set in motion a chain of events that destroyed everything he loved. The rats symbolize how his conscience grew corrupted and unstoppable, eventually destroying him. The bleak conclusion emphasizes that his downfall was unavoidable, driven by the selfishness and short-sightedness that led to the murder.

The title "1922" itself marks the year of the murder, establishing that from this moment forward, Wilfred's fate was sealed.

Arlette's spirit appears to haunt Wilfred throughout the film, representing either actual revenge from beyond the grave or a projection of his guilt. Either way, her presence tormenting him reflects the consequences of his crime. The film suggests that her spirit, whether real or imagined, is part of the judgment that catches up with Wilfred for his selfish act of murder.

Arlette's vengeful presence is established early when Wilfred and Hank first dispose of her body, setting the tone for the supernatural or psychological torment to come.

Wilfred's statement reflects the film's central theme that one violent, selfish decision sets in motion inevitable destruction. The murder didn't just remove his wife, it corrupted everything. His guilt manifested as the rats, destroyed his relationship with his son, led to Hank's death, and left Wilfred completely alone. From the moment he chose murder, every subsequent tragedy became unavoidable.

Wilfred's initial decision to kill Arlette for selfish reasons (her land) establishes that the murder was never justified, planting the seeds of his inevitable downfall.