. Because it is a "cumulative tale," each new item is added to the preceding list, creating a growing "index" of elements that are repeated throughout the poem. The Cumulative Index The story follows this specific order of introduction: (that lay in the house) (that ate the malt) (that killed the rat) (that worried the cat) The Cow with the Crumpled Horn (that tossed the dog) The Maiden All Forlorn (that milked the cow) The Man All Tattered and Torn (that kissed the maiden) The Priest All Shaven and Shorn (that married the man) The Cock that Crowed in the Morn (that waked the priest) The Farmer Sowing His Corn (that kept the cock) Key Contexts Solid Text
| Character | Portrayed By | Role in the Index | Fate | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Matt Dillon | The Architect. A civil engineer turned serial killer. Believes murder is high art. | Descends into Hell. | | Verge | Bruno Ganz | The Guide. A silent, wise figure (Dante’s Virgil). Represents conscience or damnation. | Guides Jack to his eternal punishment. | | Lady 1 (Old Lady) | Uma Thurman | Victim #1. Represents Jack’s initial struggle with spontaneity. | Strangled. | | Lady 2 (Mrs. Q) | Siobhan Fallon Hogan | Victim #2. Represents precision and posing. | Shot with a nail gun. | | Simple (The Family) | Riley Keough | Victim #3. The mother of two. Her death is Jack’s moral event horizon. | Shot in the head. | | Simple (The OCD Woman) | Sofie Gråbøl | Victim #4. A woman whose tic (repeating "I go to the other side") irritates Jack. | Disemboweled. | index of the house that jack built
Jack engages in a dysfunctional relationship with a woman he mocks as "Simple". He eventually mutilates her and uses her body parts to create "artistic" objects, further blurring the line between craftsmanship and cruelty. A civil engineer turned serial killer