The Ghoul (1975) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Lawrence keeps Simon in the attic because he made a dying promise to his wife Harriet to keep their son alive. Though Simon became a dangerous cannibal after being corrupted by a satanic cult in India, Lawrence could not bring himself to kill his own child. He maintained Simon in the attic for years, feeding him human flesh prepared by Ayah, unable to abandon his vow despite the horror it created.

Foreshadowing: Lawrence's flashback to India hints at his son's transformation and his subsequent renunciation of faith.

• simon
• attic
• lawrence
• promise
• wife
• confinement

Lawrence was a missionary in India where his son Simon was kidnapped by a satanic cult. The cult corrupted and transformed Simon into a monstrous, cannibalistic being. This traumatic event shattered Lawrence's faith and caused him to renounce his religious beliefs. The experience left Simon in a permanent state of evil, requiring constant confinement and human flesh to survive.

Foreshadowing: The mansion's dark atmosphere and Lawrence's haunted demeanor foreshadow this terrible backstory.

• simon
• india
• missionary
• cult
• corruption
• transformation

Ayah is a former member of the satanic cult that corrupted Simon in India. Lawrence recruited her from India specifically to serve as Simon's caretaker and prepare his meals, which consist of human flesh. Her loyalty to the cult and presumably to Lawrence compels her to sustain Simon's cannibalistic existence, making her an accomplice to the murders.

Foreshadowing: Ayah's quiet, eerie presence and her release of the cannibal from the attic reveal her complicity from the start.

• ayah
• cannibal
• food
• cult
• servant
• india

Lawrence kills Simon to protect the remaining survivors, Billy and Angela, after Simon escapes from the attic and begins murdering everyone in the mansion. Though Lawrence has kept Simon alive for years out of love and his promise to his wife, he realizes Simon cannot be stopped and poses an immediate threat to human life. Reluctantly, he shoots his own son to prevent further deaths.

Foreshadowing: The earlier revelation that Simon is a dangerous, uncontrollable monster sets up this tragic necessity.

• simon
• lawrence
• shooting
• death
• protection
• father

The local police refuse to organize a search for Daphne because the surrounding marshlands are considered too treacherous and dangerous to navigate, especially at night. This official refusal forces Billy, Angela, and Geoffrey to take matters into their own hands and search for their missing friend themselves, leading them to Lawrence's mansion.

Foreshadowing: The ominous, isolated setting of the mansion is established early through the marshland danger.

• police
• search
• marshlands
• refusal
• danger
• daphne

Lawrence kills himself because he is overwhelmed by guilt, grief, and the weight of his choices. He has spent years keeping his monstrous son alive, facilitating murders to feed Simon, and has just been forced to shoot his own child. Unable to bear the remorse and the consequences of his actions, Lawrence ends his life at dawn, leaving behind the destroyed remains of his broken promise.

Foreshadowing: Lawrence's haunted demeanor and his renounced faith foreshadow his emotional collapse.

• lawrence
• suicide
• guilt
• grief
• remorse
• death

Tom Rawlings, the caretaker, serves Lawrence and assists in maintaining the mansion's dark secrets. Though he warns Angela not to enter the house, he ultimately helps cover up the murders and leads the friends to the mansion knowing what awaits them. His reasons are unclear but may stem from loyalty, fear, or being trapped in Lawrence's service.

Foreshadowing: Tom's initial warnings to Daphne and Angela create confusion about where his loyalties truly lie.

• tom rawlings
• caretaker
• help
• secrets
• loyalty
• warnings

The cannibal is Simon, Dr. Lawrence's son, who was kidnapped and corrupted by a satanic cult in India. Though he appears as a deformed adult man, he has remained mentally and spiritually twisted since his conversion. Lawrence has kept him hidden in the attic for years, feeding him human flesh to sustain his monstrous existence.

Foreshadowing: Lawrence's flashback to India and his haunted memories gradually reveal the cannibal's identity.

• cannibal
• simon
• ghoul
• lawrence
• son
• attic

The satanic cult is responsible for transforming Lawrence's son Simon into a cannibal. While working as a missionary in India, Lawrence's son was kidnapped by the cult and subjected to their rituals, which corrupted him into a monster. Lawrence later recruited Ayah, a former cult member, to care for Simon, creating a direct link between the cult's influence and the events at the mansion.

Foreshadowing: Lawrence's flashback directly establishes this cult connection as the origin of all subsequent horror.

• satanic cult
• india
• simon
• corruption
• ayah
• ritual

Daphne ignores Tom Rawlings' warning that entering the mansion could be deadly because she is desperate to find Billy and rest after her search. The mansion appears inviting in the dark, and she accepts Lawrence's hospitality without understanding the true danger lurking inside. Her decision proves fatal.

Foreshadowing: Tom's warning is ominous but vague enough that Daphne dismisses it as superstition.

• daphne
• warning
• mansion
• ignore
• tom
• danger

Geoffrey is killed by Simon when he investigates the attic to uncover the mansion's secrets. He becomes the second victim of the cannibal, joining Daphne in the growing body count. His death occurs shortly after the group learns the truth about the monster living in the house.

Foreshadowing: The group's decision to split up and investigate directly leads to Geoffrey's fatal encounter.

• geoffrey
• attic
• death
• cannibal
• simon
• investigation