The story of Santi Bess is an important turning point in the novel. Up until now, a few seemingly supernatural events have occurred, but these could easily be dismissed as hallucinations or other misinterpretations of reality. Although Hiram is dismissive of the idea that Santi Bess could pull of such an extraordinary feat, the fact that the story is told suggests that in the world of the novel, the range of possibilities may be greater than it first appears.