“Whatever Walked There, Walked Alone”

The Haunting Of Hill House written by Shirley Jackson was published in 1959. This story begins with Dr. John Montague sending out 12 letters with an invitation to spend the summer at a known haunted house by the name of Hill House. However, only two women showed up, Eleanor, and Theodora. Along with Luke, a member of the family that owns Hill House, and Dr. Montague, the four of them would be together throughout the summer. The idea was to study “the causes and effects of psychic disturbances in a house commonly known as ‘haunted’” (Jackson, 1). 

On the first page of this book, I already have a burning sensation of knowing the answers to the questions it presents. Is the house really haunted? What “walks there alone”? Will the doctor finish his experiment? Will these questions even be answered? As I read more and more of this book I wasn’t sure if my questions would be answered. Or if they were to be answered would they be answered in the way I wanted/expected them to be? So I will be reading this book to not only answer my questions but make sense of the things presented in this book that are by all definitions of the word unsensible. 

According to Mckee, a premise is an open-ended question. So what is the open-ended question that presents itself in this book? I would say that the premise is: What if a group of people who have experienced paranormal events moved into a haunted house to investigate it? Both Eleanor and Theodora have experienced something that cannot scientifically be explained, which is why Dr. Montague had chosen them to reside at Hill House with him in the first place. Eleanor had faced a haunting experience “when she was twelve years old and her sister was eighteen, and her father had been dead for not quite a month, showers of stones had fallen on their house, without any warning or indication of purpose or reason, dropping from the ceilings, rolling loudly down the walls, breaking windows and pattering maddeningly on the roof” (Jackson, 4). While Theodora “perhaps the wakened knowledge in Theodora which told her the names of symbols on cards held out of sight urged her on her way toward Hill House” (Jackson, 5). After making the journey to Hill House both women found an instant connection in each other standing in the dark and dreary “haunted” house. 

“The house was vile. She shivered and thought, the words coming freely into her mind, Hill House is vile, it is diseased; get away from here at once” (Jackson, 23). This was Eleanor’s first thought however once Theodora gets there her mind is almost instantly changed: “Thank heaven you’re here,” (Jackson, 30). This scene leads me to find a controlling and counter idea. The controlling idea being: Companionship can help get you through tough situations. And the counter Idea being: Being alone can lead to fear and helplessness. While at Hill House Dr. Montague sets some guidelines to follow for everyone’s well being, among these guidelines he sets one rule above others: Do not send anyone anywhere alone and do not travel throughout the house alone. This rule becomes crucial after the first actual sign of the house being haunted.

“‘When Luke and I are called outside, and you two are kept imprisoned inside, doesn’t it begin to seem’ –and his voice was very quiet–‘doesn’t it begin to seem that the intention is, somehow, to separate us?’” (Jackson, 99). After this night the group wakes up the next morning with excitement in their eyes, and surprisingly acting okay despite the circumstances the night before. However, this rule becomes crucial again when the doctor realizes he broke his own rule by sending Luke to ask for coffee. 

“My notes” the doctor began, and then stopped as the door opened so suddenly that in Eleanor’s mind was only the thought that Luke had not dared face Mrs. Dudley after all, but had stood, waiting, pressed against the door; then, looking at his white face and hearing the doctor say with fury, “I broke my own first rule; I sent him alone,” she found herself only asking urgently, “Luke? Luke?” (Jackson, 106). 

Although I have not finished the book yet I can only imagine that how the book will wrap up is all depending on this scene:

“Can you read it?” Luke asked softly, and the doctor, moving his flashlight, read slowly: HELP ELEANOR COME HOME.” (Jackson, 107).  When Luke comes back from asking for coffee he notices that there is something on the wall written in chalk. Eleanor does not know why her name appeared on the wall asking to “Help Eleanor come home” but we can only assume that Eleanor is tied to Hill House deeper than even the doctor knew.