The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House
By Shirley Jackson
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers ahead):
Keeping in mind that this story was written over 50 years ago when times were simpler and everyone did not have access to all information at the drop of a hat. When audiences were more sensitive to violence and the horrors of the human mind. I would still not call this book “Horror”. Psychological thriller feels more true to me. The writing itself is of a style that any reader could digest easily. It definitely does illicit feelings but for me they are not the ones that I think Jackson was going for (or perhaps I am wrong). This is the most mild haunted house story I have ever read. I can appreciate the more subtle terrors of the living and the dead. This was almost too subtle for me. To the point where it was not in the least bit frightening to me. Even the “supernatural” happenings were mild and few. The characters were all so very beastly! They are not likable characters in the slightest and for the most part are bullies. The closet we get to a sympathetic character is Montague (who ultimately is weak) and really that is only after we meet his wife who is a horrible person and an even worse partner. To put it more pointedly…she’s a raging bitch. Theodora or Theo is a selfish child, full of jealousy and a mean spirit. Luke is a spoiled dandy, who does have some sense in his head but only just and when he is with Theo his mean side shines through. Eleanor or Nell, who is indeed the focus of the story, I really wanted to root for her. She had gotten the short end of the stick, beaten down by her domineering, needy mother and greedy bitch of a sister. She is lacking confidence in every way shape and form. Not living her life as her own. There are many times in the story where the focus is on Eleanor’s internal dialogue which shows self-loathing and the glimmer of the nasty side of her personality. We learn how unstable she really is. How profoundly lonely and lost she really is. This element is what makes this sad and tragic, not horrific. It truly is the story of a profoundly lonely, mentally ill woman that goes to a house with the reputation of being haunted, being influenced by its eccentricities, and in the end finding peace in its most tragic form. For me this is very much indicative of a soap opera as the characters are very dramatic people. In my frustration with the characters I was hoping that in the end the house, which is already a wonder of modern architecture, would fall on top of them and release me from my suffering. Throw Eleanor’s sister and her husband in there for good measure and you’ve got the perfect ending. For me the house was not a major player and I was not lead to believe that is was “alive” in anyway except in the minds of the characters, particularly Eleanor. I do not regret reading it, nor do I feel that it is the “Greatest haunted house story ever written”. I do encourage everyone to pick it up and see what they think. I believe every individual will probably take away something different.