The representation of Ben through Harriet's point of view: two eyes like two forces of evil. We can make a parallel between snakes and Ben:

Snakes can either bite their prey and kill them with their poison fang or kill them by constriction. That's why Harriet can consider Ben as a snake : he destroyed the family (= poisoned it and smothered it = no more air, no more breathing spaces) 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/6446980/Smoke-Art-Images-created-by-combining-thousands-of-pictures-of-smoke-to-form-incredible-works-of-art.html?image=5

The artist uses smoke to create his works of art. Smoke is ephemeral and gives a blurred impression. It's the same with Harriet 's perception of Ben that is to say that her perception is changing and is ephemeral too because when Harriet went to the institution she had another point of view towards Ben: at that moment she didn't see him like before (like a horrible freak) but she discovered a human being (behind his apparent monstrosity); she wanted to make some efforts to help him.

montage by Claire

article written by Claire