the haunting of hill house book essay

Shirley Jackson “The Haunting of Hill House” Essay

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“The Haunting of Hill House” is written by Shirley Jackson, and the plot shows a ghost hunter and his assistants aiming to prove the existence of the supernatural. Despite this novel having a glimpse of fiction and fantasy, due to its focus on poltergeists and the scientifically unexplainable phenomena, it also shows the vulnerability of each character. Jackson exposes the psychological vulnerabilities of people and the question of sanity when facing real-life difficulties. Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House” contrasts the supernatural with the psychological struggles of each of the story’s characters.

The exposition of the “The Haunting of the Hill House” begins with the author arguing that reality and dreams both are inevitable for people. Jackson writes, “even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream” (1). Every character in this novel is facing reality and the supernatural, making the reader question what events happened and what was the result of someone’s imagination. The protagonist, Doctor Montague, is the character who gathers the other members of the supernatural hunting group by sending out letters. His job is to expose the supernatural; hence, he believes in the existence of the unexplainable phenomenon. The fact that he recruits people through mail to participate in the experiment with strange phenomena can serve as the first hint explaining the psychological archetypes of these individuals. Arguably, not everyone would agree to spend time at a haunted manor.

The protagonist of this story, Eleanor Vance, experiences mental health challenges, making the reader question what is real and what is the result of the former’s imagination. Eleanor’s expectations shape her experience at the manor, and since her arrival, she senses that the mansion is evil and gives a sense of hopelessness (Jackson 10). Later in the story, Eleonor reveals that she struggles with her adult life because she has spent the majority of her youth caring for her mother (Jackson 10). Hence, one can assume that she missed out on an opportunity to grow up and experience life fully. Moreover, as a child, Eleanor had a traumatic experience that she thinks was an encounter with a poltergeist (Jackson 15). These details about Eleanor show that she might be interested in the Hill House and its mysteries because she needs proof that her memories from childhood are real. Moreover, her lack of social connections and unpreparedness to lead an adult life explain her interest in the supernatural.

Throughout this story, Jackson provides hints that suggest that the poltergeist encounters and the supernatural events may be a result of one’s imagination. One of the characters doubts Eleanor’s narrative about meeting a poltergeist during childhood, which is the first hint for a reader (Jackson 10). As Jackson casts doubt on this story, the reader may begin to distinguish between what the characters describe as real-life events and the work of their imagination. For example, Eleanor argues that she sees the writing “come home” on the walls, while others do not (Jackson 10). The human mind and the subconscious are potent forces, and in “The Haunted House,” the reader gets a chance to reflect on what is real and what is not. Jackson writes that “no live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality” (Jackson 1). Hence, people’s sanity can be hindered by their experiences and beliefs.

Other characters help disclose Eleonor’s experiences and narratives and also support the idea that expectations of supernatural experiences may affect the attitudes of individuals. Theodora is a psychic, which explains her interest in the paranormal and her expectations to encounter the manor’s supernatural. As a psychic, she is drawn to unusual events and tends to believe the narrative that Dr. Montague and Eleonor suggest. Sunderson is expected to inherit the supernatural house, which makes his expectations and experiences the least questionable out of the four. He is the one to doubt Eleonor’s childhood story, and he approaches the hunting of the poltergeists differently from others (Jackson 10). Jackson writes that “Dr. Montague was persuaded to take into his select company a representative of the family” because the assistants decided not to come (2). Although these characters have distinct personalities, their experiences appear to help the reader understand Eleonor’s motivation to visit the house and explore the supernatural.

Eleonor herself questions the experiences she has at the house. At one point, she says, “how can these others hear the noise when it is coming from inside my head?” (Jackson 50). She becomes overly occupied with the house and grows to consider this place her home. In the end, although Montague sends her away because of fears for her safety, she tragically dies (Jackson 90). Vinci argues that Jackson has taken the approach of emerging into the consciousness of a traumatized subject (53). In the case of the “The Haunting of the Hill House,” the person with trauma experience is Eleonor. Moreover, Vinci states that “Jackson stages the painful and oppressive interactions between the traumatized subject and the social world” (53). Hence, one way to interpret this novel is by looking at Eleonor’s experiences as a result of unhealed trauma, which haunts her until adulthood. This experience shapes Eleonor’s behavior, but to interpret this, both she and others choose to believe in ghosts. In this way, the abnormalities of Eleanor’s behavior fit into the socially accepted behaviors as they can be explained by being haunted or possessed.

Although Jackson’s novel fits into the standards of Gothic literature when examining it with the understanding of Eleonor’s psychological struggles, one can argue that it fits into a narrower genre. Ashton states that Gothic literature typically merges reality and nightmare (268). However, Jackson adds another dimension to this by introducing the struggles of her character Eleonor, whose experiences are shaped by her trauma. Hence, Jackson’s novel allows readers to rethink the way they approach ghost stories by inviting them to consider another dimension, the potential impact of a human mind on supernatural experiences.

Overall, this paper examines the distinction between reality, the supernatural, and people’s experiences shaped by their subconsciousness and previous experiences. Eleonor is a character who vividly demonstrates this distinction. Upon her arrival at the house, she reveals details about her life and childhood, which can be interpreted as traumatic. Doctor Montague’s experiment supports Eleonor’s beliefs that supernatural things exist and that her childhood encounter with a poltergeist is, in fact, the reality. However, there are multiple hints throughout this story that suggest that Eleonor’s psychological state may be prompting her to believe in ghosts and poltergeists.

Works Cited

Ashton, Hilarie. “‘I’ll Come Back and Break Your Spell’: Narrative Freedom and Genre in The Haunting of Hill House.” Style , vol. 52, no. 3, 2018, pp. 268–286.

Jackson, Shirley. The Haunting of Hill House . Penguin Books, 2006.

Vinci, Tony M. “Shirley Jackson’s Posthumanist Ghosts: Revisiting Spectrality and Trauma in The Haunting of Hill House.” Arizona Quarterly: A Journal of American Literature, Culture, and Theory, vol. 75, no. 4, 2019, pp. 53-75.

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Essays on The Haunting of Hill House

The haunting of hill house essay topics.

As college students, choosing the right essay topic is crucial for a successful and engaging academic paper. This webpage aims to provide you with a variety of essay topics for The Haunting of Hill House, as well as guidance on how to approach different types of essays. Remember, the key to a great essay is to choose a topic that interests you and sparks your creativity.

Essay Types and Topics

Argumentative essay.

• The role of the supernatural in The Haunting of Hill House
• The impact of family dynamics on the characters in the novel

Compare and Contrast Essay

• Comparing the themes of fear and isolation in The Haunting of Hill House and another Gothic novel
• Contrasting the character development of Eleanor and Theo in the novel

Descriptive Essay

• Describing the eerie atmosphere of Hill House and its effect on the characters
• Depicting the psychological turmoil of the protagonist, Eleanor Vance

Persuasive Essay

• Persuading readers to sympathize with the antagonist, Hill House itself
• Arguing for a different ending to the novel and supporting your viewpoint

Narrative Essay

• Recounting a personal experience that relates to the themes of The Haunting of Hill House
• Creating an original short story inspired by the novel's motifs and characters

Paragraph Examples

An argumentative essay on the role of the supernatural in The Haunting of Hill House would begin by examining the impact of paranormal elements on the characters' lives. The paragraph should clearly state the central question and present a thesis, such as: "The supernatural occurrences in The Haunting of Hill House serve as a catalyst for the characters' internal conflicts, highlighting the fragility of the human psyche."

For the persuasive essay topic of sympathizing with Hill House, a paragraph could reinforce the argument by stating: "By understanding the tragic history of Hill House and the loneliness it embodies, readers can empathize with its malevolent nature, shedding light on the novel's underlying themes of isolation and despair."

Engagement and Creativity

When choosing an essay topic, consider your personal interests and think creatively about how you can approach the subject matter. The Haunting of Hill House offers a rich tapestry of themes and characters that can inspire engaging and original essays.

Educational Value

Each essay type offers unique learning opportunities. Argumentative essays develop critical thinking skills, compare and contrast essays hone analytical abilities, descriptive essays refine sensory language, persuasive essays strengthen rhetorical techniques, and narrative essays cultivate storytelling prowess.

Analysis of Gothic Elements in The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

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Depiction of Oppression Towards Women in The Haunting of Hill House

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Shirley Jackson`s The Haunting of Hill House: Feelings of Being an Outsider and Agoraphobia

The importance of the introduction of the haunting of hill house.

Shirley Jackson

Gothic fiction, psychological horror

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The Haunting of Hill House

By shirley jackson.

'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson is a must-read horror novel about four people who decide to investigate the many reports of ghosts in Hill House. 

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

‘ The Haunting of Hill House ‘ is a chilling novel about the mysterious phenomena in Hill House, an older home with a tragic and complicated past. The book details the many horrifying occurrences the characters experience and how one main character, Eleanor, handles them. 

Spoiler-Free Summary 

The story of ‘ The Haunting of Hill House ‘ is a thrilling classic gothic horror book that was published in 1959. The book follows a group of four investigators who spend multiple weeks in a haunted house with a long, dark history hoping to record supernatural phenomena. They experience a wide range of unique sights and sounds. The home exerts an impressive pull on one of the characters —Eleanor, and she has an impossible time escaping it. 

Full Summary of The Haunting of Hill House 

Warning – This article contains important details and spoilers

This classic horror novel begins with Dr. John Montague renting out the haunted Hill House, a well-known home filled with supernatural occurrences. Hoping to prove to the world of science that supernatural/paranormal phenomena exist, he picks two people to help him record the many terrifying experiences that occur in the house. 

His two companions are Eleanor Vance, a young woman scarred by an experience she had with a poltergeist when she was a child, and Theodora, another woman who supposedly has psychic abilities. 

The other male main character in the novel is Luke, a young man who is going to inherit Hill House from his aunt. He has a bad reputation and is known to get into trouble. His aunt is very aware of this and wants him to stay busy, watching over the house and making sure that Dr. Montague, Eleanor, and Theodora don’t do anything in the home she wouldn’t approve of. 

Eleanor is the first person to arrive at the home and is immediately struck with feelings of terror. She knows immediately that this is a bad place, somewhere that nothing good is going to happen. Her fear is only enhanced after she meets the caretakers, the Dudleys, who warn her that what she’s feeling is real. She should leave, they say, while she has a chance. Even they are too scared to stay in the house after dark. 

The other female main character, Theodora, comes to Hill House second. She makes the house feel more like a home due to her welcoming personality. She helps put Eleanor at ease. But, at the same time, Eleanor’s complicated past makes it hard for her to open up. Readers learn that Eleanor’s mother recently died and that prior to that, she was entirely responsible for her mother’s care. 

The two men arrive next, and Dr. Montague seems less than excited to reveal the reality of the house they’re staying in. He knows they will feel even worse about the time they’ve committed to staying there, and he doesn’t want them bailing out of his experiment. 

Dr. Montague explains to the other three characters and to the reader, that the house is eighty years old and was originally designed in the shape of a confusing, circular maze. The layout of the home is one of the reasons that the many events that take place there are so terrifying. It’s easy to lose one’s way and become trapped in parts of the house they’ve never been in before. 

A series of dark events occur around the home, including the death of Hugh Crain’s wife (the man who built the home). She died in a carriage crash and never spent any time in the home. Years passed, Dr. Montague explained, and the house passed from Hugh to his eldest daughter’s caretaker, a woman who (after being harassed by the locals) hanged herself. 

The terrifying phenomena that take place in the home quickly show themselves over the next few days. They see animals running the halls, feel cold spots, and even see messages written on the walls in chalk. 

Theodora finds the phrase “Help Eleanor” and “Come home, Eleanor” written on the wall. As time progresses, Mrs. Montague, John’s wife, shows up and states that even though her husband has made no progress, she’s going to change everything and record all the supernatural occurrences in the home. One of the ways she tries to do this is to use her planchette. It allows her, supposedly, to communicate with Nell, a spirit living in the house. The other characters make the connection between the name “Nell” and their companion Eleanor. The group starts to separate themselves from her, worried that something else is going on. 

Eleanor herself worries that something is going on in the house that she can’t control and that she may be tapping into some of the house’s darkest elements without meaning to. She even hears her mother’s voice at one point and tries to find its source. 

The group fears Eleanor’s presence in the house while also fearing for her safety. They urge her to leave the house, but she doesn’t want to; with her mother dead, she has no one to go to and no other home. 

She finally agrees to leave after being convinced that the house is damaging her mind. But, even as she leaves, she realizes that there is nothing she can do to get away from the house. It has a hold on her that she can’t shake. Eleanor suddenly accelerates into an oak tree, feeling as though she’s totally lost control of her actions. In the last pages, Jackson explains that Dr. Montague published a paper explaining everything that happened in Hill House, and no one believes him. 

What is the book The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson about? 

‘ The Haunting of Hill House ‘ by Shirley Jackson is a horror novel set in an old and creepy mansion. The novel follows four people: Dr. Montague, Theodora, Luke, and Eleanor, who are summoned to the house to investigate supernatural occurrences.

What is the main conflict of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson? 

The main conflict of ‘ The Haunting of Hill House ‘ by Shirley Jackson is the conflict between the human main characters and the supernatural phenomena occurring within the home. This is particularly true for Eleanor, who forms a terrifying bond with the house while she’s there.

Who are the characters in The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson? 

The main characters in ‘ The Haunting of Hill House ‘ by Shirley Jackson include Dr. John Montague, a paranormal investigator, Eleanor Vance, a shy and awkward woman whose mother has just died, Theodora, and Luke, the nephew of the woman who owns the house. 

What themes are explored in The Haunting of Hill House ?

Some of the themes explored in the novel include the power of suggestion, the influence of the past on the present, the nature of fear, and the relationship between the supernatural and the psychological.

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The Haunting of Hill House

Shirley jackson.

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Anthropologist and parapsychologist Doctor John Montague , hoping to legitimize the field of parapsychology through groundbreaking new research, invites a carefully-selected group of psychically sensitive individuals from around the country to spend part of the summer at Hill House —a manor in the northeastern United States with a reputation for being deeply haunted. The only two people to accept his invitation are Eleanor Vance , a childhood victim of poltergeist activity who has spent most of her adult life caring for her ailing mother, who has very recently passed away; and Theodora , a bohemian psychic with clairvoyant capabilities who lives with a roommate in a large city. Luke Sanderson , the young man who stands to inherit Hill House from his relatives, also pledges his time for the summer—Montague’s lease states that a member of the family who owns Hill House must be present during the experiment to keep an eye on what the renters are doing to the house, as past tenants have had troubles up at the manor.

Eleanor Vance steals the car she co-owns with her sister Carrie and her brother-in-law and drives over a hundred miles to Hill House, excited to finally have an adventure of her own. As she arrives at the house and meets the caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Dudley , she realizes she is the first one there—and she senses a deeply malevolent energy coming from the house. Nevertheless, Eleanor is hungry for an adventure, and she decides to stay rather than turn tail and head for home. She soon meets Theodora and the two young women bond quickly—Eleanor is dazzled by Theodora’s beauty and wit. Doctor Montague and Luke Sanderson soon arrive, and Doctor Montague explains that Hill House has been the site of a haunting for as long as eighty years. The man who built it, Hugh Crain , purposefully designed the house to be labyrinthine and disorienting, and after his wife’s death in the house’s driveway, a series of strange occurrences took hold of the place.

As the four begin their stay at Hill House, they explore and chart the manor’s twisting depths. A series of strange disturbances occur, mostly at night—but the pounding, rattling, strange laughter, and cold spots throughout the house and on the grounds actually excite the group. The jovial foursome joke about the presence that is all around them, and they have long discussions over meals and after-dinner drinks about the nature of fear, the feeling of terror, and the possibility that the house is trying to pit them against one another. However, after writing in chalk appears on the wall of the great hall one afternoon—writing which is directed at Eleanor—the terror the group feels increases, as does their suspicion of one another. The others suspect Eleanor of writing the scary words herself, while Eleanor reels at the possibility that the house is singling her out. After more frightening occurrences—a terrifying presence which Theodora spots in the woods, and more writing on the wall (this time in blood)—Doctor Montague summons his wife, Mrs. Montague , who is also a parapsychologist, to come join the team.

Mrs. Montague arrives with her friend and traveling companion, Arthur Parker , and expresses her disappointment with how things are going so far—she seeks to draw the lonely, tortured spirit within Hill House out by communicating with it using a planchette, an automatic writing device. Mrs. Montague is contemptuous of her husband’s methods and resistant to hearing about the very real terrors the group has already witnessed, and she insists on contacting the presence on her own. As Eleanor begins to suspect Theodora and Luke of talking badly about her behind her back and even scheming against her, she begins to lose her grip on reality, and feels that the house is urging her to “surrender” to it. She begins seeing and hearing things that the others seem immune to—and most chillingly of all, Mrs. Montague reports back that her planchette has written copiously about Eleanor.

During a night of physical and auditory phenomena, Doctor Montague, Theodora, Luke, and Eleanor all huddle together in the doctor’s room for strength, but at the height of the disturbance, Eleanor willingly gives herself over to the house. She wakes up in the morning with a renewed sense of joy and a strange ability to hear what is happening all over the house. Eleanor confronts Theodora about the tension between them and asks if she can come live with Theodora once the experiment is over. Theodora coldly refuses Eleanor, saying she doesn’t take in strays. That night, Eleanor gets out of bed in the middle of the night and gleefully causes a ruckus, raising the others from their beds by pounding on their doors. She then runs away into the library, from whence she feels the voice of her deceased mother beckoning her. She climbs a rotting staircase in the corner of the library to get to a trap door that will allow her access to the house’s highest turret. The group comes into the library and coaxes Eleanor down from the precarious staircase, reproaching her for her childish and worrisome behavior.

In the morning, Doctor Montague and the others tell Eleanor that she needs to leave Hill House for her own good. Eleanor is unable to express to the others just how much she feels a part of the house—and how impossible it seems that she could ever leave. The others help Eleanor pack and retrieve her car from the garage. As she bids tearful goodbyes to her companions, she begs Doctor Montague to let her stay. He forces her into the car, however, and tells her she’ll feel better once she’s away from the mansion. Eleanor begins leaving the driveway, but is, at the last minute, compelled to crash her car into a large oak tree and commit suicide. In the seconds before impact, Eleanor has a moment of clarity, and wonders why she’s doing what she’s doing.

In a brief epilogue, it is revealed that Doctor Montague published his article about Hill House to great contempt from his colleagues, and was all but forced to retire from academia. The presence which has always haunted Hill House remains there, walking its halls alone.

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The Haunting Of Hill House

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Summary and Study Guide

Published in 1959, The Haunting of Hill House , a Gothic novel by Shirley Jackson, was a 1960 finalist for the National Book Award. The protagonist is Eleanor Vance , a young woman with a troubled past who, along with two other guests, is invited to spend three months in a haunted house to take part in research gathered by Dr. John Montague. Like other Gothic novels, The Haunting of Hill House takes place in an old abandoned mansion and deals with dark family histories, latent desires, suspense, fear, and the supernatural. While highly regarded as a masterful ghost story in its own right, the novel is also an exploration of how the past lingers in the present and of the forces within us that determine our destinies. The supernatural incidents inside Hill House are heavily symbolic and often say as much about the characters as they do about the house. The novel asks whether the heroine’s psychological traumas make her of special interest to the forces of the house or whether she is causing the supernatural events herself. Because the narrative never answers the question, Hill House remains unknowable even at the novel’s end.

At great financial cost, Dr. John Montague rents Hill House, rumored to be haunted, for three months with the hopes of gathering enough information to write a book that will bolster the study of the supernatural as well as his reputation. Accompanying him are Eleanor Vance, who at 32 has spent most of her adult life caring for her late mother, and Theodora , a free-spirited artist. Both women have a history of demonstrating psychic power. Also joining them is Luke Sanderson , a roguish relative of the house’s current owner.

Eleanor is nervous but excited to go to Hill House, the first independent step she’s taken as an adult. When she arrives, she is terrified, for the house seems “vile” and “diseased” (23). She is shown to her room by the passionless caretaker Mrs. Dudley , all the while telling herself that she must leave Hill House at once. She is overjoyed when Theodora arrives and takes the room next door. The two women explore the grounds, though Eleanor is worried about being out after dark. They are vaguely frightened by movement in nearby trees. When they return to the house, Luke Sanderson and Dr. Montague greet them.

After dinner, they gather in the parlor, which becomes their “center of operations” (45), for Dr. Montague to tell them about the history of the house: The original owner, Hugh Crain, lost three wives while living in the house, and after his death, his two daughters fought bitterly over it. Ultimately, the house went to the unmarried older sister, whose companion hung herself from the turret.

The next day, the four explore the house. Eleanor is afraid to go into the library. Dr. Montague informs them that Hugh Crain built the house so that “every angle is slightly wrong” (77), a fact that might explain why the house is so hard to navigate and why doors inexplicably shut even when propped open. Eleanor is annoyed that Theodora and Luke appear to be covering up their fear by reassuring her. That night, Eleanor thinks her mother is banging on the walls and calling for her; when she fully awakens, she realizes the banging is real and that Theodora is calling from her room. Eleanor runs to her, and the two sit terrified as the banging rattles the door in its frame. When Luke and the doctor arrive, they say they did not hear the banging and that the house appears to be trying to separate them.

The next day, they find that the words “HELP ELEANOR COME HOME” written in large letters on the walls of the hallway. Eleanor is angered when Theodora suggests she wrote the words herself. The two bicker; Eleanor thinks Theodora is attempting to exclude her. Later, they discover that similar words have been written in blood over Theodora’s bed, and blood also covers her clothes. In the parlor, Eleanor explains why she was upset by the house’s knowing her name. When she says, “I hate seeing myself dissolve and slip so that I’m living in one half, my mind” (118), the group accuses her of “trying to be the center of attention” (119). That night, Eleanor hears someone hurting a child in Theodora’s room as she and Theodora lie holding hands; however, when Theodora wakes up, Eleanor realizes Theodora hadn’t heard it and that the hand hadn’t been Theodora’s.

Luke finds a book in the library in which Hugh Crain writes to his daughter of the dangers of sin and the necessity for purity; it is illustrated with graphic pictures and is signed in his blood. Following an argument over Luke, Theodora and Eleanor walk toward the woods, where the path turns black and the trees white. Frightened, they push forward until they discover a ghost family having a picnic in the sunshine. They run toward the house, with Theodora telling Eleanor not to look back.

Mrs. Montague , the doctor’s wife, arrives with her driver Arthur so that they can attempt to speak with the supernatural forces in the house. After a tense day in which Mrs. Montague scolds everyone in the house, they retire to bed. Dr. Montague, Luke, Theodora, and Eleanor gather in the doctor’s room, where they hear loud banging in the hallway and experience the sensation of the house destroying itself. Eleanor feels the noise is all in her head and vows to “relinquish my possession of this self of mine” (150).

The next morning, Eleanor can hear every noise all over the house. When Eleanor, Theodora, and Luke go for a walk, Eleanor suggests she might have let her mother die. They fall behind, and Eleanor senses a ghostly presence at the brook. That evening in the parlor, she is happy when she is the only one to hear a ghost singing.

In the middle of the night, Eleanor sneaks down the library but does not go in. When she calls for her mother, she hears laughter upstairs and follows it. She bangs on the bedroom doors, then returns downstairs to the parlor, laughing as the others try to find her. She ends up in the library, where she climbs the dilapidated iron staircase. Luke goes up to retrieve her. When they are safely on the floor, the others express frustration with Eleanor.

The next morning, Dr. Montague tells Eleanor she must leave Hill House, believing “[o]nce away from here, she will be herself again” (177). Eleanor at first refuses to leave. When she finally climbs into her car, she insists she won’t go because “Hill House belongs to me ” (181). She drives away, flooring the gas, and deliberately crashes into a tree. The group leaves Hill House. Dr. Montague’s paper is ill received. Hill House remains, and the forces within “walked alone” (182).

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BOOK VERSUS FILM: The Haunting of Hill House

Happy halloween.

Four people choose to spend their summer in Hill House, hoping to prove the supernatural exists. But one of their number is soon marked out by the house, and over the course of several days it isolates her from the others, determined to make her a permanent resident.

The Characters

Aside from introductions to our four houseguests, the book is told from Eleanor Vance’s viewpoint. She’s spent 11 years looking after her recently departed mother, and now finds herself, at 32, painfully shy and living with her married sister. Life was filled with summer days until her father died 20 years ago; since then, Eleanor counts each summer as another year wasted – so it’s no coincidence she makes her bid for freedom on 21st June: the summer solstice (a Thursday, setting the book in 1956). Eleanor’s inner monologue brims with wonder at her escape, but as Hill House exerts its influence her thoughts take a darker turn. When she begins her journey, her car is “a little contained world all her own” – a telling insight, as the ending will reveal.

Theodora – just Theodora – earns her place by an uncanny knack for predicting cards. A bohemian artist, Theo’s attraction to Eleanor is hinted at, though Jackson is careful not to ‘out’ her (she wrote this shortly after the start of the Lavender Scare: the McCarthy-era homosexual witch-hunt). Theo embodies everything Eleanor lacks, a duality that Jackson has used elsewhere, so it’s natural these two are paired together throughout.

Luke Sanderson, nephew of the house’s owner, is there to keep an eye on proceedings (and himself out of mischief). He arrives with the certainty ghosts don’t exist, unlike the group’s final member, the person running the experiment, Dr John Montague. He yearns to add a sheen of respectability to the supernatural, but for all his research he is ill-prepared for what the house has in store for them…

Having long been interested in the paranormal – quite wonderfully, the author bio for the first edition describes her as “perhaps the only contemporary writer who is a practicing amateur witch” – Jackson read the Society’s reports on a haunted house investigation, and wanted to invent her own. Whilst researching, she found pictures of a haunted-looking house in California… only to discover her great-great grandfather built it.

From the first paragraph, Jackson takes care to present Hill House as a living thing. In her celebrated opening she writes “Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills…”; windows are watchful, cornices are described as eyebrows, and no opportunity is missed to remind us this house is different. It is variously described as vile, diseased, and leprous – something the film alludes to, by including a statue of St Francis curing the lepers.

Book “Exclusives”

There are also several scenes set in the grounds. Eleanor and Theo discover a brook, only to be frightened by movement on the far side. Theo claims it was a rabbit, but we’re not certain she’s being honest. A few nights later they return there, and experience the story’s most visible supernatural activity, culminating in a ghostly family having a picnic. Eleanor has a final scene there, witnessing invisible footsteps crush grass before wading through water to the other side – possibly the ‘rabbit’ from before – but by now she isn’t afraid; her fears have transformed into neuroses at what the others think of her. Hill House is no longer the enemy.

If the book has one weakness, it’s the introduction of Mrs Montague towards the end. She’s also obsessed with the supernatural, but has little time for her husband’s scientific pursuits; her preference is for automatic writing, for making wild assumptions, for constantly chastising John’s methods. This does create one terrific scene – when the ghost ‘reveals’ its name – but her repeated claims of nuns walled up alive releases too much of the tension.

Published in 1959, The Haunting of Hill House received glowing reviews. It was a finalist for 1960’s National Book Award, and is often called literature’s greatest haunted-house story – not bad for a novel that eschews shocks for drip-fed atmosphere. It is cited as the scariest book by many, including Neil Gaiman, and lauded for its elegant writing, with Stephen King describing the opening paragraph as possibly the finest ever written.

For such a highly regarded story, it’s no surprise there are several adaptations. It has been translated to the stage, film (twice) and television, but for this I will concentrate on the first film, 1963’s The Haunting , as it stays closest to Jackson’s story.

But seeing is only one of the five senses (six, if you’re Haley Joel Osment), and stories – especially scary stories – were being told long before films existed. It’s something Robert Wise, in post-production on West Side Story (for which he won his first Best Director Oscar), understood. He saw a Time magazine review of Jackson’s book, read it, and knew he had to make it into a film.

If he seemed an odd choice for director, Wise had that rare knack of mastering any genre. He’d already made The Day The Earth Stood Still and would go on to make The Sound of Music (and that second Best Director Oscar), but Wise started out directing low budget horrors for Val Lewton – from whom he learned audiences are more afraid of the unknown than what they can see – shortly after editing Citizen Kane.

Screenwriter Nelson Gidding suggested the story takes place inside Eleanor’s head, with the other characters being staff and patients at the hospital where she is staying – an idea that possibly originated from this comment by Eleanor: “All three of you are in my imagination; none of this is real”. Jackson liked his idea but confirmed the house and its ghosts were real. However, the script remains as much an exploration of Eleanor’s psyche as of Hill House itself; their symbiosis exemplified by an unsafe spiral staircase, the perfect mirror (in a house full of them) for Eleanor’s deteriorating mental state.

Wise brought the film to Britain, where MGM in London funded the million-plus budget. The house exteriors were filmed at Ettington Park (now a hotel), and several shots emphasised a pair of windows as eyes; coupled with statues, busts, and cherubic door-handles throughout the superb sets, the feeling Hill House is always watching becomes pervasive.

Julie Harris plays Eleanor, with the right amount of vulnerability to offset her character’s neuroses. Harris struggled with depression at the time, but used it in her performance, although it did lead to her feeling isolated. Claire Bloom is equally good as Theo, bringing a joie de vivre to the role, as well as a more protective side towards Eleanor.

Russ Tamblyn initially turned down the part of Luke, but was persuaded by the studio to reconsider, and would later admit The Haunting was one of his favourite jobs (so much so, he cameos in Netflix’s recent version). Richard Johnson plays a more confident Dr John Markway (changed from Montague), filming during the day whilst appearing on stage each evening in The Devils. Johnson was considered for James Bond, but turned it down – although if he hadn’t, there might have been an interesting dynamic with his on-screen wife here, played by Miss Moneypenny herself, Lois Maxwell. Rounding off a uniformly excellent cast is Rosalie Crutchley as housekeeper Mrs Dudley. She’s only got a few lines, but her delivery does a lot to set the mood.

Film “Exclusives”

The most obvious change is the title. Wise asked Jackson if she’d considered any other titles for her book, and there had been one – The Haunting – which he used for the film.

Though largely faithful to Jackson’s story, most scenes set in the grounds are dropped in favour of confining everyone indoors. The whole tale is condensed into three nights too, rather than the eleven nights in the book, but never feels rushed. One reason why is we lose a second occurrence where “Help Eleanor Come Home” appears on the walls, this time in Theo’s bedroom, written in blood. If this was to avoid repetition, and the audience getting restless, the addition of a perfectly executed scare involving a trapdoor is clearly aimed at making us jump out of our collective skins. But if the plot survives largely unscathed, what about the characters?

The first significant divergence is Theodora, whose lesbianism in the book was muted (her ex-partner is never identified by gender) but in the film Theo’s attraction to “my Nell” is obvious – as is her jealousy at Eleanor’s infatuation for Markway, another film addition. Also, whilst Eleanor in the book declares she will go home with Theo only to be told she isn’t wanted, the film’s Theo still plans to take Eleanor and flee Hill House, despite how much their relationship has soured.

The second major change is Grace Markway (formerly Mrs Montague). The film reigns in her excesses – and completely excises her friend, Arthur Parker. She arrives at Hill House not to find ghostly nuns where they aren’t any, but to save her husband’s reputation from a nosy reporter. This Grace suffers John’s obsession with the supernatural rather than shares it, and insists on sleeping in the most haunted room to prove to him that ghosts don’t exist…

The ending is the same, though the film plays it at night, but arriving there is different. The book’s Eleanor intends to crash her car (her little contained world, remember?) into a tree, so desperate is she to remain at Hill House, and only at the last second comes to her senses – too late to save herself. In the film, unseen forces take control of the car as Eleanor drives away, and she resists – initially – but the appearance of Grace on the road makes her swerve, into that tree, implying her death was an accident, more palatable to filmgoers perhaps. The book is ambiguous as to whether she gets what she desired, but the film is less coy; in a haunting recap of Markway’s opening soliloquy, Eleanor’s voice tells us that “we who walk there, walk alone.”

The initial reviews were mixed, and only in later years has its reputation grown. Nowadays, The Haunting is considered the scariest film ever made by many, including Martin Scorsese. Stephen King and Steven Spielberg once talked about remaking it; their collaboration never got produced, though King’s version became the miniseries Rose Red, and Spielberg exec-produced the 1999 remake. That film did the one thing the original deliberately avoided: it showed the ghosts. But, as Robert Wise knew, the things in our imagination are scarier – and 1963’s The Haunting proves, possibly more than any other horror film, that sometimes not-seeing is believing.

The book is beautifully written, with long sentences generously sprinkled with commas and semi-colons; just as well, because some passages take your breath away. Likewise, the film is beautifully shot, and has its own methods for making you breathless.

As a horror story, the film wins. The book is un-nerving, but the film is terrifying, and thirty years after I first saw it, nothing has scared me as much. As a character piece, though, the book wins. The film gives a good telling of this aspect, but despite a terrific performance from Harris, Eleanor’s collapse into insanity works better on the page.

So, both book and film play to their strengths. What we have is a story that works just as well on page and screen – therefore, I’m happy to call this one a draw.

BIO : Nick Jackson has had several short stories published, featuring ghosts, bleak future dystopias, and The Great Gatsby. He’s also written several Book V Film comparisons for Lucy, including the last two Halloween specials .

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The Haunting of Hill House

By shirley jackson.

• The Haunting of Hill House Summary

Hill House has stood for eighty years. It broods darkly and there is something evil inside – something that walks alone. Stories of its haunting have circulated for a long time and it cannot seem to be lived in or rented for more than a few days before the inhabitants leave inexplicably.

Dr. Montague , an anthropologist with an interest in the supernatural, decides to rent Hill House for the summer so he can spend time observing the phenomena. He invites several people of whom he has heard possess telepathic abilities or involvement with the paranormal. Two young women agree to come – the lively and charming Theodora , and the shy and naïve Eleanor. Mrs. Sanderson , the current owner of the house, sends her son Luke along as a family representative.

The novel is largely told through Eleanor’s eyes. She is thrilled to be undertaking this adventure, having spent practically her whole adult life taking care of her demanding invalid mother. Her mother died recently and Eleanor now lives with her sister and her sister’s family. She has never done anything on her own and is anxious to get away from her stultifying existence.

Eleanor takes the family car against her sister’s wishes and begins her drive to Hill House. She delights in every moment, daydreaming and musing about what it might be like to live in some of the places she passes. She arrives at Hill House first and is immediately struck by how horrible it is. It is dark, oppressive, and undeniably diseased. The caretaker and his wife, the Dudleys, are rude and stern and warn her that they leave before dark falls and no one in the town of Hillsdale will ever hear them in the night.

Up in her gloomy room, Eleanor wonders if she ought to flee immediately. However, she hears a voice downstairs and is thrilled to meet the effervescent Theodora. The two young women take a liking to each other. They also meet the friendly and roguish Luke and the professorial Dr. Montague.

The group has dinner and enjoys each other’s company. The three young people beg Dr. Montague to tell them why they are here. He resists, but eventually tells them the story of Hill House. Hugh Crain , a strange and wealthy man, built the home for his young wife and daughters. Sadly, his wife died before seeing the house when their carriage overturned in the driveway. Crain’s two other wives died as well. The two sisters grew up in Hill House for awhile but were then sent away.

After Crain died, there was some question as to which sister would inherit the house, but when the youngest sister married, it was decided that the older sister would live there. The older sister moved in and remained unmarried; only a young village girl lived with her, acting as a companion.

When Old Miss Crain , as she came to be called, died, her companion had a good claim to the house. The younger sister took her to court. The companion won but the younger sister hounded her until she eventually committed suicide; it is said she hanged herself in the tower rafters. The house passed from owner to owner until it ended up in the Sandersons’ possession, though they never resided there.

Now the house sits silent and menacing, and stories circulate about supernatural and spectral events; it has a suffocating hospitality and never seems to want its denizens to leave. The three young people are chilled but cheerfully remain to help the Doctor.

The night passes uneventfully and the next morning the group decides to officially explore the house. It is not as easy to do so as one might think, for the house is arranged in concentric circles and is full of strange angles, stairs that are not level, rooms without windows, etc. It is dark and stuffy, and the doors never seem to stay open.

Dr. Montague, who had studied a map, guides them. They visit most of the rooms downstairs. The library, located in the tower, is said to be the place where the companion hanged herself. When the Doctor opens the door, Eleanor immediately feels a sense of revulsion and smells a strong scent of mold. The others are fine to go in but she shrinks in horror and thinks of her mother for some reason.

The rest of the exploration of the house yields a strange, massive marble statue that is possibly of Hugh Crain and his daughters. Then, disturbingly, the group encounters a patch of air in front of the nursery that is shockingly freezing with no discernible cause. Inside the nursery is disturbing, with two distorted smiling creatures hanging above the door.

That evening an excessive pounding on doors in the hallway awakens Theodora and Eleanor. They think it could be the Doctor and Luke but realize quickly that it is not. The pounding persists, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. It comes right up to the door and feels around the edges. Eleanor screams that it cannot get in and it is silent. There is a giggling laugh as of a child calling for its mother, and then the noise ceases.

Luke and the Doctor come upstairs and the women open the door. The men had seen a dog or some other such creature in the house even though there were no open doors, and followed it outside. They heard no pounding, and it seems that the house wished to separate them.

The next morning the group is calmer but still flummoxed by the past evening’s events. Things become even more concerning when Luke discovers writing on a wall. In huge red letters, the message is “HELP ELEANOR COME HOME.” Eleanor is horrified and blames Theodora, but then apologizes.

Time passes somewhat lazily and uneventfully. The Doctor announces his wife Mrs. Montague will be arriving soon.

That day, Theodora discovers that her fine clothes are covered in thick, smelly red blood. She accuses Eleanor first but realizes she is wrong. She and Eleanor will now share a room, both shaken and nervous. Eleanor wonders what is happening, and realizes she is beginning to absolutely despise Theodora.

In the evening, Eleanor drowses dreamily and seems to say things without knowing what she is saying. That night, she hears a child laughing a rasping, mad little laugh. In the dark, she holds Theodora’s hand, fear filling her. It seems like the child is now being hurt and she begins to shout. Theodora wakes and asks what is wrong, and Eleanor realizes she did not know whose hand she was holding.

The next day, Eleanor sits and talks with Luke, whom she is attracted to but also finds obnoxious. She is jealous of him and Theodora, who seem to talk about her when she cannot hear.

The group finds an old book made by Hugh Crain for his daughter. It is comprised of warnings about the seven deadly sins and has grotesque, inappropriate images.

Theodora and Eleanor snipe at each other and Eleanor runs outside into the dark. Theodora follows and they find themselves on a dark path. They stumble across a spectral scene: a bright and lively family picnic. Theodora screams and pulls Eleanor away; she looks behind her and sees something. The two women flee.

Mrs. Montague and her assistant Arthur arrive. She is brash and assertive, full of plans about contacting the spirits with her planchette (a device like an Ouija board). Arthur is a gruff, bristly man. Mrs. Montague announces she and Arthur will use the library. Dr. Montague does not approve, but she ignores him and talks over him. Eleanor finds her vulgar.

The others are allowed to observe the planchette session. The words that come out are “Eleanor Nellie Nell Nell” and “Home” and “Mother” and “Lost.” Eleanor is frustrated to be singled out again.

Mrs. Montague and Arthur decide to explore the cold spot and the nursery. She asserts that there is no need for fear because she has only love for these spirits and she is here to listen to them and weep for them. The Doctor worries that something is going to happen that night.

The four gather in the doctor’s room. There is a rushing sound in the hallway. Crashing noises are heard in the hallway, then a creeping silence. Eleanor feels like she is dissolving into the house. It seems like the house is destroying itself; Eleanor hears a thin and insane laugh.

The next morning all seems normal. Mrs. Montague and Arthur heard nothing even though they slept in the nursery.

Eleanor tells Theodora that after they leave Hill House she is going to come and live with her. Theodora responds that of course she cannot, and chides her for going where she is not wanted.

In the afternoon, Eleanor grows annoyed at Luke and Theodora. Outside, she watches ghostly footsteps in the grass and hears laughter and voices in her head. She feels held tightly and safely by the house.

Later in the evening, Eleanor realizes she can feel the house moving around her. Mrs. Montague is grumbling that the planchette is saying nothing to her tonight. Eleanor hears a little song sung in a light voice.

That night after everyone has retired, Eleanor slips out of her room, planning to go to the library. It is warm and she calls out to her mother that she is coming. She laughingly pounds on Mrs. Montague’s and Arthur’s doors as she goes, and giggles to hear their gasps within. She hears Theodora scream out that Eleanor is not in the room.

Eleanor runs down the hallway to the library, sneering at how heavy and loud the others sound as they begin coming after her with flashlights. She dances and sings to herself as she enters the library, which is no longer scary to her. She climbs the rickety staircase and feels intoxicated.

The others enter the room and beg her to come down. Luke grudgingly climbs up to help her and Eleanor decides to come down with him. She says she is surprised and just came to get a book.

The next morning, no one says anything about what happened. Eleanor is embarrassed. The doctor says Luke will bring the car around and Theodora will pack up for her. Eleanor tries to resist but Luke tells her she is not welcome anymore.

Eleanor cackles that the life back home that she had told them about was all a lie – she has no cute apartment, white cat, garden, etc. They look at her with frightened faces and she thinks about staying in Hill House forever.

Dr. Montague says her sister is expecting her. Everyone goes outside. She implores the doctor that the house wants her to stay and that she is happy here. The doctor tells her that she must go now.

Everyone says goodbye to Eleanor and she climbs into the car, which feels awkward. She chants to herself that they cannot make her go and Hill House belongs to her. She presses her foot hard on the accelerator and directs the car into the huge tree. One second before it crashes, she wonders why she is doing it.

Mrs. Sanderson is relieved that the group has left. Dr. Montague stops his supernatural studies. Luke goes to Paris. Theodora returns to her roommate. Hill House is not sane and it stands alone in silence. Whatever walks there, walks alone.

The Haunting of Hill House Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Haunting of Hill House is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The Haunting of hill house is a noval about the horrors of family life . Discuss

Family is rather disappointing to the characters: Hugh Crain was a perverse patriarch and his wives kept dying and leaving their daughters motherless; Eleanor's mother was a demanding crone; Luke has no mother; Dr. Montague's wife is a shrew; and...

Why is horror maligned as a non-literary, unintellectual genre?

I think for similar reasons that horror genre is maligned in in film. Some people feel the genre is full of violence and sensationalism with little meaning. We know, however, that it takes a master author or director to create a good horror.

Throughout the book, personification is used when describing the house. What are some examples of this in chapter two

No human eye can isolate the unhappy coincidence of line and place which suggests evil in the face of a house...ch 2

Study Guide for The Haunting of Hill House

The haunting of Hill House study guide contains a biography of Shirley Jackson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Haunting of Hill House
• Character List

Essays for The Haunting of Hill House

The haunting of Hill House essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

• How the Opening of 'The Haunting of Hill House' Projects the Main Themes of the Novel
• Fear and Insanity Gothic Literature: Why 'The Haunting of Hill House' and 'The Little Stranger" Are Not Your Typical Scary Stories
• A House Isn’t A Home: The Horrors of Domesticity in The Haunting of Hill House
• "Familial" Disintegration: A Close Reading of The Haunting of Hill House

Lesson Plan for The Haunting of Hill House

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Haunting of Hill House
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Haunting of Hill House Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Haunting of Hill House

• Introduction

Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Books / The Haunting of Hill House

The Haunting of Hill House Essay Examples

The absolute reality in the haunting of hill house by shirley jackson.

Reality as we see it, is what you make of it. “Reality” has always been perceived to be the harsh truth of life that society tends to overlook. Reality, in the Haunting of Hill House, is deemed to be the ineffable “absolute reality” that is...

Horror and Suspense in the Haunting of Hill House Series

The horror genre has been used for many years and in those many years there have been really cliché moments which ends up making the genre very boring overtime. In late 2018, Netflix released a show that would redefine the horror genre and make viewers...

A Review of the Netflix Series the Haunting of Hill House

Mike Flanagan, known for his excellence in directing horror movies, directs the Netflix series “The Haunting of Hill House”. The series is based from the book “The Haunting of Hil House” written by Shirley Jackson in 1959. The plot depicts two timelines, one during the...

The Haunting of Hill House: a Psychoanalytic, Deconstructionist and Feminist Approach

The Haunting of Hill House is a new Netflix series that presents the story of a family that has just moved in in a house that had rumours of being haunted. The family is formed of two parents: Hugh and Olivia, and their five children:...

Supernatural and Mental Illness in "The Leftovers" and "The Haunting of Hill House"

The themes of the supernatural and mental illness have gained much popularity in many of the novels and series that we watch today. The Leftovers and The Haunting of Hill House talk a lot about mental illness, but say very little. There is a strong...

Alienation and Isolation in Shirley Jackson’s the Haunting of Hill House

Haunted residences are a ubiquitous trope in Gothic literature, from the imposing castles of 18th century English tales towards the unwelcoming haunted houses of 20th century American novels. In Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House (1959), which Stephen King heralded as one of “the...

Analysis of Shirley Jackson’s the Haunting of Hill House Through Sigmund Freud’s Theory of Mastery and Repetition

Shirley Jackson’s, the haunting of hill house is simple yet a complicated horror story generally based around the house which has a dark history of taking lives. The story generally revolves around Eleanor, who had a rough relationship with her mother. The story has mainly...

The Dangers of Blind Optimism in Shirley Jackson’s the Haunting of Hill House

Throughout their young lives, children are taught to branch out, broaden their horizons, follow their dreams, and stay true to themselves. As they grow from adolescents, to teenagers, to adults, life grows more difficult, and challenges grow greater in number. While some are able to...

The Haunting of Hill House: Analysis of the Novel and the Series Adaptation

Possessions and the paranormal have been in included in films and literature for ages. Hauntings and possessions always catch people’s eyes because no matter what, everyone has an opinion on the paranormal. Films or literature based around hauntings is common because some people like that...

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About The Haunting of Hill House

Shirley Jackson

Gothic fiction, psychological horror

United States

The overriding theme of The Haunting of Hill House is grief and its accompanying sense of fear—fear of losing the people you love the most, and fear of not being able to protect them.

It is dissertation on gender roles in the 1950s, a cruel mockery of the standards imposed on women and the limitations of their sanity under duress.

Eleanor Vance, Theodora, Dr. John Montague, Luke Sanderson, Mrs. Montague, Arthur Parker, Mrs. Dudley, Dudley, the caretaker, Carrie

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