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Atmosphere Of Fear In The Haunting Of Hill House

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In The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, the atmosphere of fear is created throughout her novel. Shirley Jackson creates this feeling for the reader by including many literary techniques. Literary techniques are used to influence the reader’s experience and keep them on the edge of their seat. The three most impactful literary techniques that created an atmosphere of fear in the novel are foreshadowing, symbolism, and repetition. The first and most used literary technique in the novel is foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is when the author hints at future events. One example from the text is when Eleanor accidentally bumps into the old lady. The old lady said to Eleanor, “I’ll be praying for you, dearie” (Jackson 9). This moment is foreshadowing …show more content…

Symbolism is the idea that something is being represented as an abstract idea beyond its literal meaning. An example of symbolism from the novel is the color red. The color red appears frequently throughout the novel, such as, “All of them stood in silence for a moment and looked at HELP ELEANOR COME HOME ELEANOR written in shaky red letters on the wallpaper over Theodora’s bed” (Jackson 114). There was also the red sweater, red sandals, and red nail polish painted onto Eleanor’s toes. The symbolic significance of the color red is that it represents blood and violence. Knowing this true meaning helps the reader to develop a deeper thought of the novel, creating a feeling of fear. Another important piece of symbolism from the text is all of the doors in Hill House. For example, ““Every door in this house swings shut when you let go of it”” (Jackson 46). The doors symbolize freedom and self-awareness. When the doors are shut, which is almost always the case in Hill House, the guests inside cannot understand themselves or the house itself. This leads to a sense of fear overcoming the reader. One last piece of symbolism is the cup of stars, “...insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again…” (Jackson 15). The cup of stars represents Eleanor wanting to be her own person and getting everything she wants. Given these

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She finds security in the house and a sense of belonging, which she was longing for. Eleanor's character becomes insane the longer she stays at hill house. The Haunting of Hill House follows more of a stereotypical gothic role in describing the scenes. The house itself has been abandoned and is proclaimed haunted by the people living in a nearby town. In contrary to Sunset Boulevard the ending of hill house ends with Eleanor's suicide, as some say.

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We see some more foreshadowing and symbolism in the story when "The empty chairs faced each other between the silent walls, and the music played.... the house began to die" (Bradbury). The music playing and the chairs facing the walls (as an act of respect) symbolized an atmosphere of a funeral which foreshadowed the "death" of the house. Suddenly, nature's fury physically attacks the house: "The wind blew. A falling tree bough crashed through the kitchen window" (Bradbury).

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For instance, she uses phrases like "something unspeakable" and "a presence too horrible to be endured" to create a sense of impending doom (Jackson 42). Additionally, Jackson's use of an unreliable narrator, Eleanor Vance, adds to the psychological impact of the novel, as readers question the validity of her perceptions and experiences. By leveraging the power of suggestion and her distinctive approach, Jackson creates a deeply unsettling and psychologically resonant reading experience for her audience. In conclusion, Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" is a timeless novel that employs psychological horror through the skillful portrayal of characters' vulnerabilities, the blurring of reality and imagination, and the innovative use of horror elements to create a deeply resonating narrative. Jackson's power of suggestion leaves readers uncertain about the nature of events, blurring the line between the supernatural and the psychological.

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