The Haunting of Hill House Book is a story about four strangers, who all visit Hill House, long-rumored to be haunted. The house is under the direction of Dr. Montague, who is trying to prove scientifically the existence of supernatural forces. In the course of summer Hill House proves to be highly haunted. It’s terrifying on both a psychological and supernatural level, and is an essential read for anyone fascinated by horror.
For a more in-depth overview of the novel (and exactly what will happen at conclusion) have a look below , however, be aware of important spoilers.
The Haunting of Hill House Begins when it comes to an end, and concludes with a terrifying account of the home in itself: “…whatever walked there did so alone.” In fact, throughout the period of the novel Hill House makes obvious that it would like to be on its own.
The story centers around Eleanor Vance, a painfully ignorant girl who’s spent her past year of her life tending to her elderly mother and consequently been unable to spend much time in her “real” world. Also, she possessed supernatural powers. In reality, it’s her predisposition towards the supernatural that makes her a favorite of Dr. John Montague, a philosopher who invites her to come with him during the duration of summer in Hill House as he attempts to scientifically prove the existence in the realm of the supernatural.
Eleanor is willing to accept, despite what she is told by her brother-in-law and sister-inlaw. She steals their car and travels to Hill House on her own. In the house, she meets the Dr. Montague, Theodora, another young woman who has an attraction to the supernatural as well as Luke Sanderson, the heir to Hill House.
When Eleanor arrives home, she is immediately shocked by the feeling of evil. “The house was vile,” Jackson writes. “She shivered and thought, the words coming freely into her mind, Hill House is vile, it is diseased; get away from here at once.” The house’s caretakers, Mr. as well as Mrs. Dudley, both of who are not willing to stay until the dark, also advise Eleanor not to make any changes in her plan to stay in the house for the duration of summer. (When Eleanor is at the gate of the home the house, Mr. Dudley tells her, “You’ll be sorry I ever opened that gate.”) Despite her own instincts and the warnings of Dudleys Dudleys, Eleanor stays.
At the beginning, Eleanor hates the home. The house she lives in is”the “blue” room, which she describes as “chillingly unjust in all dimensions, and the walls were always in the same direction, a tiny fraction shorter than the bare minimum length …” But her mood is changed when she meets an adventurous bohemian Theodora who is sleeping inside her “green” room which is next to her home. The two soon become friends.
It becomes apparent the Hill House is definitely haunted however the supernatural activity can only be vaguely described. There are strange sounds, doors close without explanation, ghosts wander the hallways and blood mysteriously appears on theodora’s clothes, and mysterious graffiti appears on the walls. Some of them read “HELP ELEANOR COME HOME ELEANOR.” Eleanor is the most sensitive of ghosts and is able to experience some that others don’t. As the story progresses, her mental state deteriorates but it’s not certain if this is due to the ghosts of Hill House entirely. Despite her deteriorating health, Eleanor exists in a state of a dream. Eleanor isn’t ready to go away from Hill House because she’s never had a desire anywhere and has never lived life to the fullest and believes this is the most joyful she’s ever experienced.
The other members of the house aren’t thrilled with the paranormal happenings, that are getting more frequent and increasingly frightening. The doctor. Montague calls in Mrs. Montague and her companion, Arthur, to help in the investigation. Mrs. Montague demands to sleep in the most haunted area within the residence (the nursery naturally) and decides to make use of the planchette, which is a device to talk to dead people in order to figure out what’s haunting Hill House. The planchette has told her that Hill House is haunted by an individual named Helen; however the Dr. Montague dismisses her methods.
The most terrifying scenes of the novel, Eleanor is engulfed by a terrifying nightmare. Her mother’s voice is heard, and walks out of her room at dark, banging at the doors of guests around her as she follows the voice into the library. She then climbs an iron staircase which is nearing collapse. Luke continues to follow and climbs the stairs to help her. He is successful, but the guests are shocked and irritated by the actions of Eleanor. In the morning guests demand Eleanor to go to Hill House. Eleanor argues. She’s not ready to leave! She’s the happiest she’s ever experienced and she’s crying! However, she’s crying because Dr. Montague is firm: She has to leave Hill House at once. Jackson wrote: “‘Walled up alive.’ Eleanor began to laugh again at their stone faces. ‘Walled up alive,’ she said. ‘I want to stay here.'”
Eleanor is sad and then gets into the car she stole from her sibling. While driving away she has a brief moment of what she calls “quick cleverness.” She puts her foot on the accelerator, then turns the car right into a tree along the bend that runs along the drive.
Following her demise The guests depart Hill House: Theodora returns to her home, Luke travels to France while Dr. Montague publishes a paper on the supernatural which is met with an “almost contemptuous reception.” The story ends exactly just as it began: Hill House — and anyone who walks through it — in a solitary state.
