"Familial" Disintegration: A Close Reading of The Haunting of Hill House Katrina McGowan College

Shirley Jackson’s classic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House proves by example that feelings of horror don’t have to come directly from supernatural creatures or events, but can come from seemingly normal characters themselves, and more importantly, their relationships with each other. For most of the novel, the story is centered around four main characters with Eleanor Vance as the protagonist and no clear antagonist. The group quickly bonds in a way which they admit feels like a family. This period of peace is short-lived, however, and the progression of this dynamic shifting and falling apart is perhaps most unsettling of all.

Eleanor and Theo immediately bond in a way most comparable to sisterhood even though they themselves joke that they “must really be related” and Theo says “I’m positive we’re cousins”(Jackson 38). Joking as they may be, there is sinister sincerity to the way Theo says “Would you let them separate us now? Now that we’ve found out we’re cousins?” as she puts her arm around Eleanor (Jackson 39). It is through moments like these with tender words and touches between Eleanor and Theodora that build their friendship so quickly. Jackson leads the reader to believe that it is Theodora who is the more...