The Haunting of Hill House Lesson Plan

What are Eleanor’s hopes for Hill House?

Chapter 4 begins with Eleanor waking up feeling like she has slept the best sleep she’s had in years at Hills House. This seems counterintuitive because the reader knows Hill House is a terrible place. However, Eleanor’s attempts at feeling comfortable and telling herself that she belongs in the space shows that she is trying to find a sense of self at Hill House. The beginning of the novel gives some insight into why she would try to do this. Eleven years of her life were consumed by caring for her mother, whom she came to hate. Then, she comes to live with her sister and brother-in-law who infantilize her. Eleanor does not have a...