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W&MScholarWorksW&MScholarWorksUndergraduateHonorsThesesTheses,Dissertations,&MasterProjects4-2009HillHouse,NotSane:ShirleyJackson'sSubversionofHillHouse,NotSane:ShirleyJackson'sSubversionofConventionsandConventionalityinTheHauntingofHillHouseConventionsandConventionalityinTheHauntingofHillHouseRyenChristopherRasmusCollegeofWilliamandMaryFollowthisandadditionalworksat:https://scholarworks.
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edu/honorsthesesRecommendedCitationRecommendedCitationRasmus,RyenChristopher,"HillHouse,NotSane:ShirleyJackson'sSubversionofConventionsandConventionalityinTheHauntingofHillHouse"(2009).
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HillHouse,NotSane:ShirleyJackson'sSubversionofConventionsandConventionalityinTheHauntingofHillHouseAthesissubmittedinpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementforthedegreeofBachelorofArtsinEnglishfromTheCollegeofWilliamandMarybyRyenChristopherRasmusAcceptedfor(Honors,HighHonors,HighestHonors)WalterP.
Wenska,DirectorColleenS.
KennedyKimE.
WheatleyLindaMarieQuigleyWilliamsburg,VAApril28,2009Rasmus2"Letushavealittlemorebrandy.
.
.
andIwilltellyouthestoryofHillHouse.
"-Dr.
JohnMontague,inShirleyJackson'sTheHauntingofHillHouseWithheartfeltthankstoProf.
WalterWenska,ElizabethAnnSutherland,andProf.
DeborahDenenholzMorse.
Rasmus3HillHouse,NotSane:ShirleyJackson'sSubversionofConventionsandConventionalityinTheHauntingofHillHouseUponitsreleasein1959,ShirleyJackson'snovel,TheHauntingofHillHouse,instantlybecameabestseller.
Reviewerspraisedtheworkas"anovel[that]hasdistinctivenessandgenuinepower,"anditsauthorwaswidelylaudedas"thefinestmastercurrentlypracticinginthegenreofthecryptic,hauntedtale"(Oppenheimer227).
Intheyearssinceitspublication,HillHousehasnotonlyremainedJackson'smostpopularandwidely-readnovel,ithasalsoinspiredtwoHollywoodfilms,coloredtheworkofsuchauthorsasStephenKingandAnneRiversSiddons(King271),andevenbeenhailedbysomeas"thefinesthorrorbookinhistory"(Reinsch109).
Ironically,perhaps,thebook'srunawaysuccesshasalsolargelyledtoitsbeingcritically"sidelined"as"toocommercial,toogeneric,"and,indeed,simply"toopopular"forseriousacademicstudy(Murphy2005a19,emphasisadded).
Jackson'shusband,theseminalliterarytheoristStanleyEdgarHyman,oftencommenteduponthedisdainwithwhichhiswife'sworkwastreatedduringherlifetime;"Shereceivednoawardsorprizes,grantsorfellowships,"helamentedintheprefacetohershortstorycollection,TheMagicofShirleyJackson,"hernamewasoftenomittedfromlistsonwhichitclearlybelonged,orwhichitshouldhaveled"(Oppenheimer276).
ThissamedisdainforJackson'sworkhaspersistedintheyearssinceherdeathin1965(Wiswellv-vi).
HaroldBloom,forinstance,wroteofJacksonwiththinlydisguisedcondescensionin2001,characterizingherworkascharming,butunsophisticated–muchRasmus4likethecontrivedgothicworkswithwhichithasforsolongbeenlinked:"Jacksonalwayshadtoopalpableadesignuponherreaders,"Bloomwrites;"herartofnarrationstay[s]onthesurface[and]heraffectsareascalculatedasPoe's"(9-10).
Today,onlyafewessays,twoslimvolumesofcriticism,andanamateur'sannotatedbibliographydeigntomentionTheHauntingofHillHouseatall,andeventhenitismostoftenmadeouttobenothingmorethanacleversuccessortotheclassicalgothictradition,theliteraryprogenyofTheCastleofOtranto,TheMysteriesofUdolpho,andTheHouseoftheSevenGables.
1ThisstudywillseektorevealJackson'snovelforwhatittrulyis:asubversivemasterworkthatmountsamulti-prongedattackagainstthegothicgenreitselfandtheconservativeideologicalconstructsthatithastacitlysoughttoreinforcesinceitsbirthin1763.
UnliketheclassicalworksthattheauthordrawsuponinconstructingHillHouse,Jackson'snovelcannibalizestheformofthegothicandturnsmanyofitsmostrecognizabletropesandconventionsagainstthemselves–effectivelysubvertingthegenre'scharacteristictendencytoupholdthestatusquoandtodemonizethosewhodaretodeviatefromthenorm.
Bypresentingherreaderswithanabomination'svictoryovertheforcesoforthodoxyand,evenmoretellingly,withitsso-calledvictim'spleasureatbeingallowedtoleavebehindtherigidworldofproprietyforanew,aberrant,andthoroughlyunfetteredexistence,Jacksonmanagestostrikeanumberofdecisiveblowsagainsttheideologicalconstructsthatgovernedthesocietyinwhichshelivedandwrote.
Ofcourse,inordertoappreciatethegeniusofJackson'ssubversion,itisfirstnecessary1Throughoutthispaper,theterm"classicallygothic"isusedtodifferentiatewhatSusanSontagmightcall"innocently"gothicworksfrommoreovertlyself-consciousandself-mockingtextslikeOscarWilde's"TheCantervilleGhost,"JaneAusten'sNorthangerAbbey,NeilGaiman's"ForbiddenBridesoftheFacelessSlavesintheSecretHouseoftheNightofDreadDesire,"andTheHauntingofHillHouseitself.
Rasmus5tooutline,ifonlybriefly,whichsocialpreceptstheauthorwaschoosingtorebelagainstbymeansofhernovel.
FollowingtheAlliedvictoryinWorldWarII,agenerationofAmericanmenreturnedhomefromforeignshoresseekingtosettledown,rebuildtheirlives,andenjoythefruitsoftheirwartimelabor(Friedan18).
Afternearlyfiveyearsofconflict,thesemenwantedpeace,quiet,andcalm–amorningpaper,steadywork,andfaithfulwivestobringthemtheirslippersandpotroastsintheevening.
Accordingly,reactionaryconceptionsoffemininityswiftlycametobefetishizedintheAmericanconsciousness,withnarrativespraisingthevirtuesoftheindustrioushousewifeandnurturingmotherbeingprogressivelybroughttotheforefrontinpopularculturaltexts(Hague2;Friedan34,43;Riesman280-1).
Insistentlyandinsidiously,societybegantomandatethatwomen'slivesshouldnolongerbefocuseduponpersonaladvancementoroutsidecareers–astheycouldhavebeenduringthe1920's,30's,and40's–butratherontheinsularpleasuresofraisingchildren,findingandgratifyinghusbands,andrunningorderlyhouseholds(Hague2-3;Friedan15-16).
2"Fewwomenwouldwanttothumbtheirnosesathusbands,children,andcommunityandgooffontheirown,"Redbooktolditsreadersduringthe1950's;"Thosewhodo.
.
.
rarelyaresuccessfulwomen"(Friedan25,emphasisadded).
Tothisend,RosietheRiveterwasstrappedintoanapronandtransmogrifiedintoJuneCleaver,thearchetypical"happyhousewifeheroine"(Friedan33;Riesman282),and"thesuburbanhousewife"herself,BettyFriedanwrites,wassetup2Jacksonherselfoftenfeltthispressuretoconformquitestrongly:"InNorthBenningtoninthefifties,"JudyOppenheimerwritesinherexcellentJacksonbiography,"thereweretownmothersandfaculty-wifemothers–andthentherewasShirley,whofitnomoldwhatsoever"(18).
ManyofJackson'smostcomicalshortstoriesarebuiltupontheflabbergastedreactionsofmoreconventionalwomentoJackson'sunorthodoxlife-andparentingstyles.
Rasmus6as"thedreamimageof[y]oungAmericanwomenandtheenvyofwomenallovertheworld"(18).
Unsurprisingly,manyofthosewhoyieldedtothesesocietaldemandsandattemptedtomodelthemselvesafterthemythical"happyhousewifeheroine"becameincreasingly"bored"withtheirmonotonousdailyroutines(Hague2;Friedan17).
"Lonely,isolated,dissatisfied,anddepressed,"manyliterallybegantofeellike"prisoners"trappedwithintheirownhomes(Hague7)–amindsetthatledsometoexhibitsymptomsofmadness,includinginexplicabletiredness,mysteriouspsychosomaticsoresandboils,andevenalossofthewilltolive(Friedan30-1).
Astheconditionknownas"housewife'sfatigue"becamemoreandmoreprevalentacrossthecountry,thekeepersofthedominantideologyrealizedthatsomethinghadtobedonebeforetheirreactionaryfictionsbegantocrumble.
Tothisend,womenafflictedwithhousewife'sfatiguewereinstructedtoseekpsychiatrichelpfortheirmaladyandtobegintakingmedicationto"correct"their"condition"(Friedan30-1).
Thus,theclaustrophobicmadnessofhousewives–anaturalresponsetoastiflinglyoppressivepatriarchalsocialstructure–wasre-imaginedassomethingshameful,abodilyfailureonthepartsofthewomenwhosufferedatitshands,adiseasetobesweptunderthematandtreatedwithpillsratherthaninvestigatedandaddressed;victimswerehandilytransformedintoperpetrators,andthemythofthe"happyhousewifeheroine"livedon.
Afterall,asFriedanpointsout,"howcould[anywoman]believethevoiceinsideherself,whenitdenie[ed]theconventional,acceptedtruthsbywhichsheha[d]beenliving"(31).
Beforelong,unhappinesswiththestatusquobecamesostronglystigmatizedthat–"asshemadethebeds,shoppedforgroceries,matchedslipcovermaterial,atepeanutbuttersandwichesRasmus7withherchildren[and]laybesideherhusbandatnight"–theaveragehousewife"wasafraidtoaskevenofherselfthesilentquestion"thatfueledhermadness:"Isthisall"(Friedan15).
Thestuffyandconstrictingsocialatmosphereofthe1950'sthusallbutcriedoutforareemergenceofthegothicgenre,aliterarymodethatfirstaroseinresponsetosimilarsocialconditionsjustundertwocenturiesbefore.
Likethewomenofpost-WWIIAmerica,wivesandmothersintheEnglandofthe1760'sfoundthemselveslivinginanincreasinglyquiet,stable,andmorallyrestrictiveeraaswell(Day83).
Awarhadjustendedonthecontinent,businesswasbooming,andthecult-of-reasonidealsoftheEnlightenmenthadcometodominatenearlyeveryfacetofcultureandsociety,includingliterature.
Assuch,themostpopularnovelsofthedaywerethoseauthoredbyaschoolofwriterscalledtheRealists,whospurnedfancifulplots,elementsofthesupernatural,andexoticsettingsinfavorofsimplecharactersandbelievablestorylinesthat"made[no]appealtotheimaginationthatwentbeyondrationalcauses"(Clery23;Fiedler135).
OutlandishchivalricromanceswrittenintheveinofAmadisdeGaulandCassandrefadedaway,andintheirplacearoseworkslikeSamuelRichardson'sPamela,HenryFielding'sTomJones,andDanielDefoe'sRobinsonCrusoe,storieswhoseplots,whileoftenincredible,werenonethelessconsideredplausibleexhibitionsof"lifeinitstruestate,diversifiedonlybyaccidentsthatdailyhappenintheworld"(Clery23;22).
Manysuchtexts,inadditiontothuspraisingrationalityimplicitlybymeansoftheirform,wereovertlypedanticaswellandactivelysoughttoeducatetheirpredominantlyfemaleaudiencesaboutproperandreasonablesocialbehavior,remindingthem,viaPamelaforinstance,thatintherealworldvirtuewouldalwaysberewardedand,viaClarissaRasmus8Harlowe,thattransgressionwouldjustasconsistentlyleadtounhappyends.
Byproducingsuchworks,theRealistsfeltthattheywerehelpingfictionto"carryoutitstruefunction":toinstructthepopulaceinthewaysofgoodnessandrationality(Clery23;Kilgour6-7).
Thisnear-worshipofreasonintheEnlightenment-eranovelmakesiteasytounderstandwhyHoraceWalpolecausednothingshortofanuproarwhen,onChristmasEvein1764,heunceremoniouslyhurledTheCastleofOtrantointothecenterofEngland'sliterarymarketplace.
Hisbook,whichistodaywidelyacknowledgedasthe"firstgothicnovel,"wasafarcryfromthesickly-sweet,morally-upliftingworksoftheRealists,forinOtranto,amedievalItaliancastlebecomesthesettingforghostlyapparitions,prophesiesdeliveredbybleedingstatues,andthehorrorsofpolygamyandfilicide(Norton90).
Unsurprisingly,perhaps,manyearlyreviewersturneduptheirnosesatthenovel'sgoryandphantasmagoricexcessandaccuseditsauthorofusing"rottenmaterials"toproduceaworkof"gothicdevilism"(Norton90).
Originally,this"gothic"designationwasintendedtobetakenasanoffensiveanddismissiveinsult,linkingWalpole'sworktothatwhichcamebeforetheadventoftheEnlightenmentand,byextension,toallthatwas"uncouth,ugly,barbaric,[and]archaic"(Beyer-Berenbaum19;Clery21;Fiedler137).
Farfrombeingoffended,though,theever-brazenWalpoleembracedthisderogatorytermforitstheatricality,andwhenthesecondeditionofOtrantowasreleasedinAprilof1765,theauthor"flippant[ly]"subtitledhiswork"AGothicStory"(Clery21).
ThepopularityofWalpole'sbooksubsequentlypersistedthroughagoodmanyeditions,andoverthenextseveraldecadesworkswrittenRasmus9inwhateventuallybecameknownasthe"gothic"stylewereperenniallyamongstthemostwidelyreadinEurope(Clery24;Fiedler127).
Thereasonsforthegenre'sinstantandexplosivepopularityarenotdifficulttofathom.
Gothicnovelsofferedtheirreaderssomethingthatthepedantic,laced-upworksoftheRealistscouldnevergive:achanceforadeviant,frightening,sexuality-laden,andotherwiseexcessive"id'snightout–atemporaryreleasefromcivilizedconstrictions"(Clemens11;2;Nash154;Kilgour14-5).
3Atthesametime,though,itisimportanttonotethatthenewgenre'sescapistqualityalsomadeitinstrumentalinthecontinuedmaintenanceofthestatusquo.
Althoughthegothicalloweditsconsumerstoindulgetheirmoreanimalinstincts,itdidsoinawaythatwasentirelycontainedandsociallynon-threatening.
Further,whilereaderswereindeedpermittedtorevelinatemporarycarnivalesqueescapefromtheconstraintsofeverydaylife,classicallygothicauthorsunfailinglyfoundwaystoendtheirnovelswithareestablishmentandreinforcementoftheseverysameconservativesocialstrictures(Kilgour7;Lloyd-Smith5;Fiedler139;Clemens6);thegothicloopwasalwaysclosed,withviolentliterarystimulationinevitablybeingfollowedbycarefullycalculateddetumescence(Fiedler134).
4Consider,forinstance,oneofthemostbelovedandpopulargothictales,BramStoker'sDracula.
Towardthefrontofhisnovel,Stoker'sdevianthorror,avampire,isallowedtorunamuck,suckingbloodandcreatingminionstohisheart'scontent.
Asthebooknearsitsconclusion,however,theminionsbegintodieoffonebyoneatthehands3AsRosemaryJacksonhasnoted,itisnocoincidencethatthegothichasatendencytorisetoprominenceinsocietiescharacterizedbyintensesocialandsexualrepression,asinPuritanNewEngland(NathanielHawthorne'sTheHouseoftheSevenGables),theVictorianEra(BramStoker'sDracula),and,ofcourse,thesuburbanAmericaofthelate1950's(ShirleyJackson'sTheHauntingofHillHouse)(Clemens5;Tracy2).
4Assuch,LeslieFiedlerhelpfullycharacterizesthegothicgenreas"horrorpornography"(140).
Rasmus10ofthosewhorepresenttheforcesofproprietyandorder,andintheendthegothichorrorhimselfisultimatelystabbed,exposedtothesun,andreducedtodust.
Appropriately,Stoker'sworkthenproceedstoclosewithaconsummatelyconventionalportraitofthehorror-killer'shappymarriedlife.
Thus,theloopofstimulationiseffectivelyclosed:evilisvanquished,andorthodoxyultimatelyemergesvictorious.
Thissameconventionalstructurecanbeseentounderlieanynumberofgreatgothicnovelswithadevianthorrorattheircenters,amongthemMatthewLewis'sTheMonk,MaryShelley'sFrankenstein,andRobertLouisStevenson'sDr.
JekyllandMr.
Hyde.
LikeDracula,eachofthetransgressivefiguresinthesetalesisallottedacertainamountoftimeduringwhichtheymaytransgressthestatusquo,butitisonlyamatterofpagesbeforeeachisultimatelydestroyedbytheavatarsofpropriety.
Similarly,thoseclassicallyconstructedgothicworksthatprominentlyfeaturewhatStephenKinghascalledthe"BadPlace"–theunheimlichhomeordiseasedcastle–alwaysseemtoendwiththehorroroftheedificebeingdefeatedordispelled(266).
AnenormousamountofturmoilbreaksoutinthedaysfollowingtheyouthfulandvirtuousIsabella'sandEmily'srespectivearrivalsatOtrantoandUdolpho,forinstance,butbytheconclusionsoftheirstorieseachwoman'scontaminatedcastlehasbeenexorcisedofitsrealorimaginedghouls,theirmonstrouswould-beseducershavebeentamed,andacomfortablemarriageloomsonthehorizon.
Ofcourse,notallgothictalesoftheBadPlaceendsohappilyasWalpole'sandAnneRadcliffe's.
RoderickandMadelinefalltothefloorindeathjustbeforetheircontaminatedmansioncrumblesdownontopoftheminEdgarAllenPoe's"TheFalloftheHouseofUsher,"andtheconventinLewis'sMonkandhousesinCharlotteBrnte'sJaneEyre,CharlesBrockdenBrown'sWieland,DaphneRasmus11duMarnier'sRebecca,andStephenKing'sTheShiningallgoupinflames.
Nevertheless,thedeviancerepresentedbyandperpetratedwithineachofthesedoomedstructuresisdispelledbytheirdestructions,andineachcasecharactersrepresentingconventionalmoralityareallowedtoescapefromtherubble.
Hereagain,then,thestatusquoisreturnedtoandpreservedattheendofthenovel;thegothicloopisclosedtightlyoncemore.
Forthisreason,allclassicallyconstructedgothictextsmightrightlybeseenasself-edifyingtoolsofthedominantsocialorder(Ellisxv).
Inthem,thatwhichthreatensthestatusquo(violence,sexuality,anddevianceingeneral)is"monster-ized,"whilethatwhichdefendsitischaracterizedasthoroughlypureandheroic(D'Haen287;290-1;BeyerBerenbaum23,39).
5Assuch,inaninversionofthegoalsoftheRealists,whosoughttoinstillintheirreadersanadmirationforwhatsocietyfelttobegoodandacceptable,theaimofthegothicistcanbestbedescribedasthecreationofasetof"conventionstorepresentwhatisnotsupposedtoexist"(Ellis7,emphasisadded),aseriesof"cautionary"talesthatexaltadherencetodominantsocialnormsbyprovidingchilling"examplesofwhathappenswhentherulesofsocialbehaviourareneglected"(BottinginHelyer726;Dabundo204-5;Day118-9).
6Itmaybeuseful,then,toconceptualizethegothicnovelasakindofsocietalsafetyvalve–itsbasicliteraryformatoncepermittingreaderstoindulgeanaturalinterestinviolenceandphysicality,butalsocontainingandcheckingsuchinterestsbydemonstratingthatallwhotransgressunfailinglymeetwithunhappyends(Lloyd-Smith5;Day72).
5Itisalsonoaccidentthatgothictaleshaveatendencytoreemergeduringhistoricalerascharacterizedbythethreatofsocialupheaval-therevolutionary1790's,forinstance,ortheJacksonian1830'sand40's.
6Tothisend,AlokBhalla's1991studyofthegothicnovelinlateeighteenth-andearlynineteenthcenturyEnglandisappropriatelyentitledCartographersofHell.
Rasmus12Uponafirstreading,onemightverywellmistakeHillHouseforjustanothersuccessortothisgothictradition,onethatemploysthegenre'scharacteristicallyreactionarynarrativestructureinordertoshoreuptheideologicalpreceptsofconventional1950'ssociety.
Init,ashelteredheroinetransgressesthemoralandsocialdictatesoftheworldinwhichshelivesandcomestofindherselfensconcedwithinaclassicallygothiccontaminatedcastle,aBadPlaceinwhichsheisrepeatedlyfrightenednearlytothebrinkofinsanity.
DespitebeingwarnedtimeandagaintogetawayfromHillHouseasquicklyasshecan,theheroinerefusestolistentoreasonand,asaresult,eventuallybecomesinfectedbytheparanormalelementsthatinfestthemansion(41,53,99,156).
LikeStoker'sLucy,Jackson'sonce-pureheroineisturnedintoagothichorrorherself,amonstrousmadwomanwhoterrorizesherhousematesandcasuallyputsherownlifeindanger.
Inthebook'sfinalpages,theunfortunatehorror/heroineisdriventocommitsuicideasaresultofherbeingcontaminated–therebyeffectively,iftragically,preservingthestatusquoatthenovel'send(Cleveland230;Kahane342).
Asever,themonsterisdestroyed,transgressionispunished,andthosewhoremainedtruetowhatisconventionallythoughtofasgoodandreasonablethroughoutthenovelareallowedtowalkawayunscathed.
Ostensibly,then,Jackson'sworkinvitesonetobelievethatitisconstructedaccordingtothestandardgothic"recipe"(Gamer55),foritcertainlyseemstoemployanumberofconventionalgothicingredientstopullitsaudienceintoaclosedtextualloopofcontrolledsensualstimulationandcarefulde-escalationtowardasocietalvictoryoverRasmus13thedeviant.
7Infact,thisfaadecompletelymisledanumberofJackson'searliestreviewers.
Justafteritsrelease,forinstance,OrvillePrescottcharacterizedHillHouseas"aconventional,evenanold-fashionedghoststory"fullof"familiar-to-triteelements"(1),asentimentechoedbyEdmundFuller,whowassimilarlytakeninbyJackson'sliberalemploymentof"theclassicparaphernaliaofthespookstory"(4).
Inyetanothercontemporaryreview,HarvenaRichtercalledEleanor"atormentedsoulwhoneedsdesperatelytobesaved"byherfellowghosthunters(1),whileGeorgeStadewentsofarastodescribeJackson'snovelasa"classicghoststory"whose"characterslearnthatsufficientfearwilloverthrowlogic,reason,goodwill,andanythingelsethatcivilizationprovidesasinsulationagainstthepoweroftheblacknesswithin"(4;2).
Manymore1950's-erareviewers,however,werehopelesslyconfusedbyJackson'swork.
OnewriterfortheWinnipegFreePresswasmanifestlyirritatedthatHillHouserefusedtoconformtothestandardsoftheclassicalghoststory:"Afteraboutahundredpagesofbuildup,wefinallygettotheshake,rattleandrollofahauntedhouse,completewithcoldchillsandallthatsortofstuff"(1,emphasisadded).
The"tone"ofthenovel,wroteanevenmoreannoyedNewsweekjournalist,"isblithe,sometimescomic,sometimesevencute"(1),somethingthatMargaretRagsdalecharacterizedasbeing"aboutasappropriateasMickeyMouseinaGreektragedy"(1).
"Ican'tfigureoutwhatshewantstodowiththestory,"oneofJackson'sownearlyeditorialreaderswrote,"Spoof.
.
.
GothichorrorShe'dbettersoonmakeuphermind"(LoC21).
87Jacksonherselfwasnostrangertoclassicallygothicfictionandwasthoroughlyfamiliarwithitsconstituentelements.
Infact,hershortstory,"LordoftheCastle,"representsastraditionalaworkofthegothicasoneislikelytoencounterinthecontemporaryera.
8Becausetheyarenotnumberednororganizedinalogicalfashion,variousscholarshaveutilizedavarietyofdifferentsystemswhencitingfromtheauthor'sunpublishednotesuponanddraftsofHillHouse,whicharemaintainedbytheLibraryofCongressandarecolloquiallyknownas"TheHillHouseFiles.
"Thesecitationsystemsrangefromtheoverwhelminglyintricate(TriciaLootens,forinstance,identifieseightRasmus14Thisperplexityspringsfromthefactthat,likesomanywhocameafterthem,thesecontemporaryreviewersmistookJackson'snovelforaworkofwhatRaymondWilliamsgenerallycalls"residual"fiction,somethingthatdredgesupoldliteraryformsinordertorecallastyleofwritingthatisfirmlyrootedinthepast(171,6).
AsHaroldH.
Wattsputitwhiletryingtodrawtheattentionofcontemporaryaudiencestothebook'spsychoanalyticsubtexts,thefamiliarelementsofthegothicparaphernaliathatJacksonchoosestoweavethroughHillHouse"hoveraround"casualreaders'"head[s]likethehelmetinTheCastleofOtranto,"distractingthemfromthenovel'struethemesandpreventingthemfromappreciatingitscomplexliterary"depths"(1).
Blindtothebook'sdeliberateplaywiththegothictropesofold,theyareunabletoappreciatethefactthatHillHouseis,inactuality,an"emergent"work,onethatpurposefullyrootsthroughthejunkheapofthepast,findsthesparepartsthatitneeds,andusesthemtobuildsomethingentirelynewanddifferent(Williams171).
Indeed,incannibalizingthegothicandappropriatingmanyofitsmostcharacteristicelements,Jacksonmanagesnotonlytoconstructanovelthatdiffersfromitsgothicancestors,butonethatopenlyrejectstheirprimaryideologicalassertion:thattheforcesrepresentativeofthedominantsocialorderareinherentlygoodandrighteousandwillthereforetriumpheternallyoverthemonstrousforcesofthedeviant.
9differentnarrativestrandswithinthefilesandassignsadifferentabbreviationtoeach)tothepracticallynon-existent(DarrylHattenhauer,forhispart,makesnoattemptatcitationatall,andsimplyreferencesquotesfromthefilesasbeingeitherfromJackson's"notes"or"drafts").
Forthesakeofsimplicity,relevantcitationsfromtheHillHouseFilesare,inthispaper,prefixedwiththelettersLoCandcitedbytheorderinwhichtheyappearwithinthefilesthemselves.
9Assuch,WilliamshimselfmightlabelHillHouseasan"oppositional"ratherthanan"alternative"workofemergentliterature,foritisatextwhichnotonlyseekstodifferentiateitselffromwhatcamebeforeit,butalsoactivelyrebelsagainstthesocialstricturesthatthegothicelementsofitsframeworkhavetraditionallybeenusedtoreinforce.
Rasmus15Consider,forinstance,whatseemstobeanindisputablygothicelementofJackson'stext:herheroine.
Atfirstglance,EleanorVanceappearstofittheclassicallygothicmoldbeautifully(Cleveland229);likeUdolpho'sEmilySt.
Aubert,Otranto'sIsabellaandMatilda,Monk'sAntonia,and"Usher's"Madeline,Nellis"perfectlychaste,dutiful,obedient.
.
.
useful,orderly,"andconsummatelypassive(Hoevelerxv).
Inaddition,shefindsherselftowardthefrontofJackson'snovelinthemoststereotypicalofgothicscenarios:shehasbeenimprisoned–twiceoverinfact.
Onthesurface,then,sheseemstorecallanynumberoftheclassicallygothicheroineswhocamebeforeher.
UponaclosereadingofJackson'stext,however,anumberofinconsistencieswiththissurfacecharacterizationquicklybegintopresentthemselves.
Tobeginwith,unlikeeveryoneoftheheroinesmentionedabove,Nell'simprisonmentcomesnotatthehandsofsomedepravedordeviantcharacter–amadman,greed-drivenopportunist,orreligiouszealot–butisinsteadengineeredbyapairofavatarsofthedominantsocialorderitself,eachofwhomactstoenchainEleanor'smindaswellasherbody.
Thefirstofthesetwoishermother.
Forthepastelevenyears,Nellhasspenthereverywakinghourdevotingthewholeofherexistencetothecareofthisdomineeringinvalid.
Shehasdoneso,shesays,notbecauseofsomedeep-seatedsenseofloveoraffection(indeed,JacksonstatesexplicitlythatEleanor"genuinelyhat[es]"hermother[11]),butratherbecauseitiswhatisexpectedofherasasingle,unmarrieddaughterlivinginthe1950's(Cleveland229;Shinn54);"IhadtostaywithMother,ofcourse,"shetellsTheoontheirfirstnightinHillHouse(114,emphasisadded).
Sadly,Nell'sdutifulconformityhascomewithaheavyprice,forovertimeherentirelifehasdevolvedintonothingmorethananprogressionof"smallreproaches,Rasmus16constantweariness,andunendingdespair"(11);asJacksonstatesintheseconddraftofhernovel,Nell'ssingle"joywas–afteryearsspentcaringforhermother–onlyasenseoffreedomfromguilt"(LoC36).
Tohavelefthermother'shouseforanyperiodoftime,eithertogetaneducation,findoutsideemployment,orpursueromancewould,asJacksonwritesinhernotes,haveequaleda"betrayalofmother"(LoC26),andsoherprotagonisthasspentthemostpotentiallypromisingandexcitingdecadeofherlifeindoors,alone,andterriblylonely.
10Assuch,Nell'ssituationcloselymirrorsthepredicamentofthosewomenaboutwhomFriedanandDavidRiesmanwroteintheirrespectivesociologicalstudiesofthe1950's;likehousewivesalloverAmerica,Nellhasbeencagedwithinherhomejustassurelyashergothicsisterswereintheircells,chambers,andtowers(Hague7).
ThemoremodernEleanor,however,isboundinplacenotbyphysicalrestraints,butratherby"chainsinherownmindandspirit,"bondsforgedbyanunceasingideologicalbarrageof"incompletetruthsandunrealchoices…noteasilyseenandnoteasilyshakenoff"(Friedan31).
11Yetalthoughherimprisonmentatthehandsofthedominantsocialordermaynotbephysical,JacksongoestogreatlengthstoillustratethatNell'sincarcerationisjustashorribleasanyfoundwithinthepagesofaclassicallygothictext(Friedman113).
PerhapsthemoststrikingexpressionofthissentimentoccursduringEleanor'ssecondnightinHillHouse,whensheandTheoencounterthemansion'shauntingforthefirsttime.
Afterdeterminingthatthepoundingsoundthatshehearsinthehallwayisbeingmadebytheentitythatinfeststhehouseandnotbyherdeadmother,Nellamazedlyfinds10Eleanor'slonelinesssothoroughlypermeatesherlifethatJacksonreferredtoheras"mylonelygirl"whendiscussingherwithothers(Jackson1968252).
11Significantly,evenNell'sfewstolenminutesoffreetimearespentinconsummatelysolitarypursuits:"Thereneverwasmuchexcitementforme,"shetellsTheodora,"when[Mother]wasasleepIkindofgotusedtoplayingsolitaireorlisteningtotheradio"(114).
Rasmus17thatsheislessdisturbedbytheideaofconfrontingaphantomthanbyherinitialfrenziedmisperceptionthatshehadsomehowbeentransportedbacktoherformerlifeofincarcerationandservitude.
"Now,"Eleanorthinks,overwhelmedbyapervasivesenseof"calmness"afterhavingherfirstimpressionprovenwrong,Now.
.
.
Itisanoisedownthehall,fardownattheend,nearthenurserydoor.
.
.
notmymotherknockingonthewall…Notatalllikemymotherknockingonthewall.
.
.
isthiswhatIwassoafraidabout.
.
.
itsoundslikesomethingchildrendo,notmothersknockingagainstthewall.
.
.
.
(170,emphasisinoriginal)Here,then,Jacksonratherdirectlyindicatestoheraudiencejusthowabhorrentherprotagonist'sformerconventionallyacceptablelifewasforher:theprospectofdealingwithaghostfrightensNelllessthanbeingimprisonedoncemoreasamothertohermother,aslavetothedominantsocialorder.
Inaninversionofthegoalsoftheclassicallygothictext,therefore,dutyanddomesticity,thecornerstonesof1950'sfemininity(and,forthatmatter,conventionalfemininitythroughouthistory),arecastasnothinglessthanwellspringsofterrorinJackson'ssubversivenovel.
Itisperhapsappropriate,then,thatNell'sescapefromhersocially-constructedprisoniseffectednotbymeansofrescuebyadashing,masculineexemplarofthestatusquo–asistrueinUdolpho,Otranto,Monkandseveralotherclassicallygothicworks–butratherbymeansofwhatwouldtraditionallyberegardedastherepugnantheightofdeviance:amatricide.
LateinHillHouse,JacksonhasEleanorstatequitematter-of-factly:"Itwasmyfaultmymotherdied.
.
.
Ioughttohavebroughtherthemedicine;Ialwaysdidbefore.
ButthistimeshecalledmeandIneverwokeup.
.
.
I'vewonderedeversinceifIdidwakeup,"shegoeson,"IfIdidwakeupandhearher,andifIjustwentbacktosleep.
Itwouldhavebeeneasy278-9).
Bymeansofthisself-accusation,Jacksonconsciouslyinvokesyetanothermajorgothictrope:thekillingofaRasmus18familymember(Tracy199,201-2).
Classically,asinOtranto,Monk,Wieland,and"Usher,"suchdeathsarerepresentedasmajorcatastrophesandareoftenseverelypunished(Fiedler131).
InHillHouse,though,Nell'sindirectmatricidesetsherfreefromtheprisoninwhichshehaslivedformorethanadecade(279).
Thisbeingthecase,onecouldsaythatJacksonsetsupasortofanti-gothicloopatthispointinhernovel:thedominant–intheformofhercontrollingmother–imprisonedtheheroine,andadeviantactsetsherfree.
Hereagain,then,thegenreisunderminedandtheideologicalpreceptsthatithashistoricallysupportedaredeliberatelydestabilized.
Althoughfreedfromtheprisonoffilialduty,however,Nellisquicklyforcedintoyetasecondcageforgedbythedominantideologyandguardedbyanotheravatarofconventionality:heroverbearingeldersibling.
Followinghermother'sdeath,Nellisleftfriendless,homeless,andnearlypenniless,andwithnomarketableskillsorromanticprospectstospeakofsheisforcedtotakeupresidencewithherhatedsister,Carrie,herdim-wittedbrother-in-law,andheryoungniece,Linnie.
12Thesethree,butparticularlyhersister,keepJackson'sprotagonistinacocoonofoverprotectionandenforcedinfantilism,relegatinghertoacotin"thebaby'sroom"(313),refusinghertherighttodrivethefamilycarwithoutpermission,andfrettingobsessivelyoverhermaidenlyvirtue(16).
Truly,itisalmostasifhersuffocatinglycontrollingmotherhasbeensomehowreincarnatedintheformofNell'soverprotectivesister.
13Infact,indoingallthatshecan12Carrie'shusbandisnevernamedinHillHouse,butheiscalledeitherJohnorJerryinseveralofJackson'sdrafts.
13Originally,itseemsasthoughCarrieherselfwasintendedtorepresentaveritableembodimentofthestatusquo.
"Certainly,"NellsaysinanearlydraftofHillHouse,Carrie"likedtothinkofeverythingintheworldpairedneatlyofftwoandtwo…certainly,noonetookgreaterpleasurethanmysisterinmeltingherselfintoaclearlydefinedbackground,gatheringsnuglyaboutherallthelittlesafeguardsandreassurancesofplatitudeandidentityLoC11).
Justafewlineslater,Eleanorrevealsthat,morethananythingelse,Carriewantstotransformhersisterintoacopyofherself,andisforeversendingNelloutonRasmus19tostifletheprotagonist'sdesiretoparticipateinDr.
Montague'sexperiment–which,Carrieworriesirrationally,mayinvolveNellbeingcompromisedsexually–theprotagonist'ssisterherselfstatesthatsheisonlythinkingofwhattheir"Motherwouldhave"wantedforherdaughter(19):anormallifemuchlikeCarrie'sown,centeredaroundthehomeandentirelydevoidofthekindofdangerandunorthodoxyinherentinthevirginal,unmarriedNell'sproposedstayinastrangeandisolatedhousewithamanshedoesnotknow.
Findingherselfjailedoncemorewithinadismalcellfashionedfromthemoresofthesocietyinwhichshelives,itisfittingthatEleanor'ssecondescapeinJackson'stextisalsoengineeredbytheemploymentofdeviantbehavior(Newman264;DowneyandJones215).
Thistime,though,Eleanor'stransgressionsinvolvenotmatricidebutthemoreminorsinsofdisobedienceandtheft.
14Yetnotwithstandingtheformthatittakes,whatismostsignificantaboutNell'ssecondflightisthefactthatitisentirelyherowndoing:Dr.
MontaguemayhavebeentheonewhoprovidedNellwithanexcusetobreakfreefromhersister,but(inadeparturefromtheclassicallygothicescapeplot)heisnottheonewhoactuallydoestherescuing.
Instead,inJackson'ssubversivenovel,herheroinesavesherself.
Thus,Eleanor'ssecondescape,likeherfirst,invokesaconventionalelementofthegothicformwhileatthesametimeimplicitlyillustratinghowstrictadherencetothecodesanddictatesofthedominantsocialorder(inNell'scase,the1950'spredilectiontokeepwomensecurelylockedwithintheconfinesofrespectability)canoftentimesresultinincarcerationsjustasfearsomeasthoseblinddates,hopingthatshewilleventuallyfallintoalifeidenticaltoCarrie'sown(LoC11).
ThesefactsmaketheideaofCarrieasasecondcontrollingmotherfigureevenmorecompelling.
14Onemight,however,maketheargumentthatNellcommitsakindofdisplacedmatricideinthrowingoffthewomanwhoprofessestodowhatMotherwouldhavewantedinkeepingtheheroineinfantilized.
Rasmus20engineeredbythehorrorsthatmanifestthemselvesoverthecourseoftheclassicallygothictext.
Indeed,itisonlyafterJackson'sinfantilizedprotagonisttoddlesoutofhersocially-constructedcageandoutintothewide,"unknown"worldthatNelltrulybeginstofeelhappyandfree(LoC45).
15Theauthorisnotyetreadytoliberateherheroineentirely,however.
Tothecontrary,bymeansofEleanor'sjourneytoHillHouse,Jacksonlullsherreadersintothefalsebeliefthatthetraditionalgothicplotstructuremayendurethroughherworkafterall,withNell'stransgressiveescapesinevitablyleadingtoherbeingpunishedforherinsubordination.
Earlyoninherdrive,JacksonhasEleanorcontinueoninhernewandtransgressivepatternofbehavior,fantasizingrecklesslyasshemakesherwaydowntheroad(26-30),and,afterspottingasignfor"daredevildrivers,"registeringonlythewords"DARE"and"EVIL"(28)–"daretobeevil,"todowhatyouarenotsupposedto,toresistthestatusquo,toactindependently.
Later,whileeatinglunchataroadside"countryrestaurant,"shewritesofNellimpishlyencouragingalittlegirlsittingnearhertofollowherowntransgressiveleadandtodisobeyauthoritybyrefusingtodrinkhermilkunlessitisbroughttoherinherspecial"cupofstars"(31).
Thismaneuverhavingresultedinsuccess,JacksonallowsNellonemoredreamwhileontheroad,inwhichtheprotagonistcastsherselfastheveryantithesisofthe"happyhousewifeheroine,"anembodimentofallthatisdeviant:awitch(33).
Afteronlyafewpages,however,JacksonsummarilychecksthechainofrebelliousnessthatbeganafterEleanor'sillicitdeparturefromthecityearlierintheday.
AfterarrivinginthelittlevillageofHillsdaleand15Tothisend,itisnoaccidentthattheauthorhasEleanordepartforHillHouseonJune21,thepaganfeastofMidsummer.
Asadevotedstudentoftheoccult,Jacksonwoulddoubtlesshaveknownthatthisdate,thelongestdayoftheyear,representsforpractitionersofwitchcraftaturningtoward"Litha,"thegentleornavigable.
Inchoosingtohaveherheroinesetoutonthisdate,theauthorimpliesthatNellherselfisturning,bymeansofherescape,fromatimetostrifetoatimeofpeace.
Rasmus21decidingtostopforcoffeeinthetown'srun-downcafé–somethingagainstwhichDr.
Montaguehasexplicitlywarnedherinhisletter–Nellalmostimmediatelyrepentsofherflagrantdisregardforauthority,forthepeopleofHillsdaleturnouttoberudeandevensomewhathostile,totheextentthat,foramoment,Nellevenwonderswhetherthewaitresshasputpoisonintohercoffee(35).
16Chastened,thetransgressingheroinereturnstohercarandpreparestodrivethelastfewmilestoHillHouse,silentlyvowingthat"nexttime,[she]willlistentoDr.
Montague"(35).
Thisnarrativefeint,whichallowstheauthortostringherreadersalongwiththepromisethatHillHousewillultimatelyconformtoclassicallygothicconventions,isdrawnoutevenfurtherasshedescribesherprotagonist'sapproachtoHillHouseitself,whichseemstoexhibitallofthesymptomsofwhatisperhapsthemostwidelyrecognizableanddeliciouslydisturbingofallgothictropes:theexotic"BadPlace"(King266;Parks246;Tracy4).
Atfirst,thefewdisconnectedglimpsesthatEleanorisabletocatchofthemansion'scharacteristicallygothicarchitecturestrikeherascharmingandremindheroftheplotsofseveralclassicallygothicnovels.
Indeed,asNelladvancesJacksonplayfullybeginstoconflateHillHousewiththehousesinRadcliffe'sUdolphobyhavingherprotagonistwonderwhetherthisedificewillalsohaveatower,asecretchamber,andanundergroundtunnelconstructedbysmugglers(46).
Uponbeingconfrontedwiththemansionfullon,however,Nellisoverwhelmedbythehouse'stangibleauraofevil,andinsettingdownherprotagonist'sreaction,JacksonquiteconsciouslytiesHillHousetotheCastleofUdolphoitself(Schneider6;Alesso15).
16AnearlierdraftofHillHousecastthisbrief,rebelliouspitstopasanevenmoreunpleasantandtraumaticevent–withoneofthelocalspeltingEleanorwithabarrageofundisguisedinsults(LoC13-4).
Rasmus22ConsiderthesetwopassagesintroducingRadcliffe'sandJackson'srespective"BadPlaces":Silent,lonely,andsublime,itseemedtostandthesovereignofthescene,andtofrowndefianceonall,whodaredtoinvadeitssolitaryreign.
Asthetwilightdeepened,itsfeaturesbecamemoreawfulinobscurity,andEmilycontinuedtogaze,tillitsclusteringtowerswerealoneseen,risingoverthetopsofthewoods.
.
.
.
(Radcliffe216).
.
.
HillHouseseemedawake,withawatchfulnessfromtheblankwindowsandatouchofgleeintheeyebrowofacornice…Thishouse,whichseemedsomehowtohaveformeditself,flyingtogetherintoitsownpowerfulpatternunderthehandsofitsbuilders,fittingitselfintoitsownconstructionoflinesandangles,reareditsgreatheadbackagainsttheskywithoutaconcessiontohumanity.
(47)"Thetwodescriptionsareremarkablysimilar,"CharleneBrunnellnotes,"andtheirsinisterandforebodingeffectuponcharacterandreaderisdisturbing"(inReinsch192).
Strangely,althoughNellherselfexperiencesthisdisturbingfeeling,sheisunabletosaypreciselyfromwhenceitcomes.
17Intheend,theonlythingshecanbesureofis"thesickvoiceinsideherwhichwhisper[s],getawayfromhere,getaway.
.
.
HillHouseisvile.
Itisdiseased.
Getawayfromhereatonce"(48,6).
18Later,afterignoringthisinternalwarningandbeingleftaloneinherbedroombyMrs.
Dudley,themansion'sdourhousekeeper,Eleanorsteadilygrowssoinexplicablyfrightenedofthemansionthatshecannotevenmusterthecouragetomoveacrossthecarpet.
Uponafirstreading,then,itmightappearasthoughJacksonissimplycontinuingtofollowtheclassicallygothicrecipeinherconstructionofHillHouse;certainly,theprotagonist'shorrifieddescriptionsofthemansionseemtocastitastheunimpeachableheirofOtranto,Udolpho,Bly,andtheHousesofUsherandtheSevenGables,"animage17JacksonmaythusbedrawinguponasimilarpassagefromPoe's"Usher"intheselinesaswell,whosenarrator,whenspeakingoftheeponymousedifice,states:"Iknownothowitwas-but,withthefirstglimpseofthebuilding,asenseofinsufferablegloompervadedmyspirit.
.
.
Whatwasit-Ipausedtothink-whatwasitthatsounnervedmeinthecontemplationoftheHouseofUsherItwasamysteryallinsoluble;norcouldIgrapplewiththeshadowyfanciesthatcrowdeduponmeasIpondered.
"(Poe137-8).
18Notably,inthefirstseveraldraftsofHillHouse,themansionitselfiscalledeither"b--house"or"monstrosehouse,"implyingthatbothliterallyandfiguratively,HillHousewas"bornbad"(94).
Rasmus23ofpower,dark,isolated,andimpenetrable"(Parks25).
However,onecannothelpbutwonderwhetherHillHouseconformsalittletoocloselytothefamiliararchetype.
Infact,themoreonereads,themorethemansion,whichonthesurfaceseemstobesoclassically"Otranto-ish,"asonecontemporaryreviewerputit(NewYorkTimes1),beginstolooklesslikeaserioussettingandmorelikeaself-consciouspasticheofclassicalgothicelements.
AsTheodoraandEleanorobserveontheirfirstdayinHillHouse,thebuildingseemstohavebeenputtogetherbysomeonewhohaswatchedonetoomanyhorrorfilms.
NellevenmusesaboutwhetherCountDraculamightbethetrueowneroftheimposingoldpile,towhichTheoreplies:"Ithinkhespendsallhisweekendshere;IswearIsawbatsinthewoodworkdownstairs"(65).
Beforelong,everyoneinHillHouse(apartfromtheDudleys,ofcourse)beginstomakejokesaboutthemansion'sostentatious,evencampy,atmosphereonaregularbasis.
"It'saltogetherVictorian,"Theodoraobserves,"theysimplywallowedinthiskindofgreatbillowingoverdonesortofthing"(68);"alittlehideaway,"shecallsitlater,"whereIcanbealonewithmythoughts.
Particularlyifmythoughtsareaboutmurderorsuicide59).
Asthenovelprogressestowarditsconclusion,NellandTheorecurrentlymakefunofthemansion'sfaux-spookyaura,castingitvariouslyasthesubjectofapicture-postcard(201)andthecastleinafairy-story(187).
Eventhenormallyhumorlessdoctorcannotresistgettingajibein,callingHillHouse'slibraryaplace"moresuitableforsuicides,Iwouldthink,thanforbooks"(137).
Seenrightly,then,HillHouseisnotmeanttobereadasthedark,forebodingsuccessortoUsherandUdolpho,butratherasa"caricature"oftheseclassicallygothicbuildings(Egan48),onesothoroughlysteepedinthetrappingsofthegenrethatitbecomesalmostcharming–amusinginitsowngothicpretension.
1919Infact,Jacksondeliberatelyremovedalinefromanearlydraftofhernovelthatstatedthattherewas"noRasmus24WhentheyhearofHillHouse'sconsummatelygothichistory,theghosthunterscannotresistmockingthehouseallthemore,forthemansion'ssordidstoryisoverstockedwithelementsofthegothicparaphernalia,almosttothepointofridiculousness.
Thereis,forinstance,thewhiffofafamilycurseabouttheestate:eachofthethreewivesofHughCraine,thevain,pretentiousmanwhodesignedHillHouse,diedinvariousunnaturalwayseithershortlybeforeorshortlyaftersettingfootinthemansion.
Later,theghost-hunterslearn,thehousealsobroughtmiserydownuponCrain'stwodaughters,whoinheritedtheresidenceaschildrenupontheirfather'sdeath.
Becausetheeldersistereventuallygrewoldwithoutmarrying,itwasagreedthatshewouldtakeupresidenceinthemansionalongwithayoungcompanionfromthenearbyvillageofHillsdale,butinatypicallygothicturnthiscompanionpurportedlyendedupbetrayinghermistressby"dally[ing]inthegardenwithsomevillagelout"while"OldMissCraine"laydyingupstairs(104).
ThecurseofHillHouseeventuallydestroyedthisyoungwoman'slifeaswell–foralthoughsheinheritedthemansioninturn,shewashoundeduntilthedaythatshedied(appropriately,oncemore,byherownhand)byOldMissCrain'sderangedyoungersister,whofeltthatshehadbeencheatedoutofherrightfulpatrimony.
Hereagain,itmayseematfirstthatJacksonissimplyfollowingthegothicrecipeinconstructingherBadPlace'spast:thehistoryofHillHousecertainly"looks"and"feels"incrediblygothic.
However,bythrowingsomanyfamiliarelementsoftheparaphernaliatogetherintoasingleconvolutedsaga,JacksondeliberatelyconstructsHillHouse'shistory,likethemansionitself,asaratherself-consciouspastiche.
Inaddition,thecrudecause-and-effectdownfallsofherstory'svictims("don'tdoanythingstrangeorridiculousness"aboutthehouse'smalevolentface(LoC2).
Rasmus25unorthodoxoryourfamilywilldieoff,personbyperson";"illicitsexleadsinevitablytodeath")functionassatiricaldartsthathighlightthetransparencyofthegenre'scharacteristicallyconservativemeta-textualactivityandinflatethesequietideologicalnudgestotherealmsoftheoverblownandheavy-handed.
Assuch,whatseemstobeasimplenodtothegothicgenrecanmorerightlybeviewedasakindofliterary"attack,"onethat"exaggeratesgothicstorytellingconventionsandgroundrules"inordertorevealthemforthemelodramaticandinanetechniquesthattheytrulyare(Egan49).
Itis,therefore,noaccidentthattheterribletaleofHillHouseendswithajoke(110),northattheremainderofJackson'stextisstuddedwithothernarrativejabsthatmakelightofthemansion'ssordidpast(113,118,160),for"theconventionatwork"inherostensiblygothicnovel"is,"asJ.
S.
Rubensteinputsit,"thatoftheTransylvanianhorrormovie–butinburlesque"(25).
ItisappropriatethatthelovelyTheodoraismostoftenthepersonwhopointsouttheaporiaofHillHouse'sconservativegothicatmosphere,formorethananyoneelsesheisthecharacterwhostands,asJacksonputsitinhernotes,"againsttheworldandconvention"(LoC19;59,64,76,262;Egan34).
20Note,forinstance,Theo'sintenseandunabashedselfishness(114,127,205,284),hertendencytoliterallyinterruptthediscourseofthedominantbybuttingintothedoctor'spompouslectureswithjokesandquestions(98,101-4,138-9,145),andthefactthat,outofallofthedoctor'sassistants,onlyTheoisineptatbridge(111)–thatomnipresent,convention-ladenstapleofupper-middleclass1950'ssociety.
Further,thereisthebaresthintthatTheodora'ssexualitymaynotbeentirelyorthodox:JacksoncagilyinformsherreadersthatTheoliveswitha20Indeed,NellcomparesTheotimeandagaintoananimal,acreatureentirelyoutsideofthesocialsystemthatappliestohumanbeings(63,80,4,125,30,66).
Rasmus26carefullyun-gendered"friend"–afriendthatoneofherdraftsexplicitlyrevealstobeawoman(LoC15).
Thiscompanionisrepeatedlyreferencedasifshewerearomanticattachment(anddid,infact,oncereceivefromTheoavolumeofAlfredDeMussetbearinga"loving,teasinginscription"[15]),somuchsothatNellaskswhetherTheoismarriedduringoneconversationofwhichherflatmateisthesubject(117).
21ThistextualambiguityhasledsometospeculatethatTheomightbealesbian(Haggerty141;Kahane341;Wise0.
30.
33).
22Others,perhapsdueinparttoTheoandLuke'sobviousattractiontooneanothertowardtheendofJackson'snovel,havechosentoviewTheoasbisexual(King284;deBont0.
18.
21).
Inanycase,Theo'sblatantsexuality–whateverformitmaybesaidtotake–setsheroffallthemoresharplyagainstthevirginalEleanor,whohasspentelevenyears"alone,withnoonetolove"(11).
Indeed,itmightbesaidthatTheodorastandsasEleanor'stotalopposite–herclassicallygothic"darkdoubl[e]"(Hattenhauer164;Lootens162;Markley196-7).
23Formorethanadecade,Nellhasdweltinaworldofdirtylaundryanddarkness,while"Theodora'sworldwasoneofdelightandsoftcolors"(14).
24Further,whereasNellhasalwaysobeyedtheideologicaldemandsofsociety,evenattheexpenseofherownfreedomandhappiness,Theobelievesfirmlythat"dutyandconscience"are"attributes21Itisalsoworthnotingthatinadditiontoinvokingromancebynatureofthetopicsofhispoetry,JacksonmayalsobereferencingthefactthatDeMusset'sgreatlovewasGeorgeSand,theBaronessDudevant–awomanwhoherselfblurredgenderboundariesbysmokingtobaccoandsportingmen'sclothing.
22Whencitingfromafilm,thehour,minute,andsecondatwhichparticularscenesorquotesoccurissetdownasthecitation.
Thus,aquotethatoccurredinthethirdsecondofthesixteenthminuteofthefirsthourofthefilmiscitedas(1:16:03).
23Theterm"darkdouble"isusedthroughoutthispapertodifferentiatethisparticulargothicconventionfromanothertypeofdouble–themoresuperficial"uncannysimilarity"-styledoppelgnger–whichcanalsobeseentocropupinmanyclassicallygothictexts(Markley196).
24Interestingly,thisclothingmetaphorfunctionsnicelyasanillustrationofjusthowdifferentJackson'stwomajorfemalecharactersarefromoneanother.
EarlyinHillHouse,justbeforeshemeetsTheoforthefirsttime,infact,Nellfeelsthatthebrightlycoloredtopsandslacksthatshehaspurchasedforherjourneyareanaffronttoproprietyandregretshavingboughtthem,whereasTheorevelsinherowngarishclothingandhitsherlowestpointinthenovelwhenthehaunting–perhapssensinghergreatloveofhergarments–coversthemwithbloodinanattempttosplitherandEleanorapart(Haggerty145).
Rasmus27whichbelon[g]properlytoGirlScouts"(14).
Thus,TheoistheYangtoNell'sYin;sherepresentseverythingthatisdeviant,unorthodox,andtherefore,atleastintheeyesofthedominant,"bad.
"Thisbeingthecase,TheoisbothwonderfulandfrighteningtoEleanor.
Ontheonehand,sherepresentsthekindofintellectualfreedomandsensualhedonismthatNellhasbeendenied.
"LookingatTheodora,"thenarratorsays,"itwasnotpossibleforEleanortobelievethatsheeverdressedorwashedormovedorateorsleptortalkedwithoutenjoyingeveryminuteofwhatshewasdoing;perhapsTheodoranevercaredatallwhatotherpeoplethoughtofher"(127);likesomanygothicheroesandheroinesbeforeher,Eleanordevelopsa"fascinationwiththeillicit,"asJacksonputsitinhernotes,andfindsitdifficulttolookaway(LoC19).
Ontheotherhand,TheoterrifiesNellbecausesheisaveritableincarnationofthedeviant,awalkingslightagainsteverythingthatNellhasbeenbroughtuptoregardassacrosanct.
Assuch,sheisalsoanaffronttoEleanor'sdeadmother,awomanwho,itishinted,despisedtheothernessandostentationthatTheoherselfsingsandcelebrates(56,155).
Thus,Nell'sconflictedattitudetowardTheo,onecharacteristicofthestereotypicalrelationbetweengothicprotagonistandgothicdarkdouble,seemstorepresentyetanotherexampleofJackson'sadherencetothetraditionalgothicformula(Hattenhauer168).
Hereaselsewhere,however,Jacksonisonlyusingtheresidualtropeofthedarkdoubleasrawmaterialforanemergentattackuponthedominant.
Thetraditionalshadowydoppelgnger,whilefascinatingtotheclassicallygothicnovel'sprotagonist,nearlyalwaysstandsasanobjectoffearandrevulsion;itisdecidedly"other,"andrepresentsthe"self"fortheclassicalheroorheroineonlyinthatitbearssimilaritytotheself;certainly,nooneinaclassicallygothictextwantstobeorbecomemorelikehisorRasmus28herdarkdouble(Day20;Markley196,200).
Consider,forinstance,thegrotesquedoppelgngerfigurespresentedinsuchworksasFrankenstein(amalformedmonster),DorianGray(ahorribleportrait),Jekyll,Otranto,andTheHoundsoftheBaskervilles(murderousmadmen),Screw(ashamedandmiserableghost),andevenJackson'sownclassicallygothic"LordoftheCastle"(ademon).
Eachofthesedoppelgngersismadeouttobefascinating,yes,buteachissimultaneouslyterribleandrepellentaswell.
Conversely,Nellnotonlyadmiresherowndarkdouble,sheactivelytriestoimitateandemulateher.
InanearlydraftofHillHouse,Jackson'sprotagonistspeaksofherdesiretobecomemorelikeTheodoraquiteexplicitly,statingthatshewouldgiveagreatdealtobetheintoxicatingcreaturewhoseeveryglancedrivesmenwild,whosmiles,andwinsaworld,whonods,andfoilsthedevil–Iwouldgiveagreatdealtobethatcreature.
Well,whowouldn'tTheyalwayscometobadends,butatleasttheycometosomekindofend;notliketherestofus,whosmile,andnod,andjustgoon.
(LoC40)Inthefinishedtext,however,Nell'slongingisexpressedsomewhatmoreobliquely,touchedupononlybymeansofindirectstatementsandhalf-jokingremarks.
DuringtheparlorgamethattheghosthuntersplayontheirfirstnightinHillHouse,forinstance,Eleanorfashionsherimaginaryalter-egoafterhernewfoundfriend:"Iambyprofessionanartist'smodel,"shesays,justasTheoisforherflatmateinhersparetime(82;15).
"Iliveamad,abandonedlife,"Nellcontinues,againindirectlyreferencingherdouble(82).
25YetdespitemanagingtoscrewupenoughcouragetomasqueradeasTheoduringthisgame,Nellalmostimmediatelyfeelsembarrassedbyherbrazenness;"Dearme,"shethinks,aftermentioningthather"affairs"(punintended,nodoubt)arethetalkofthecafes,"Dearme"(82).
Later,afterhavinghertoenailspaintedforthefirsttime(againin25Notably,Nellconcludesbystatingthatshe"ratherthink[sshehas]aheartofgold"(82),afirstimpressionofTheothatwillbealtereddramaticallybytheendofJackson'snovel.
Rasmus29imitationofTheo),Nellissurprisedbyherownaudacityandfeelstheurgetowashthepolishoff.
Thedominantideology,givenforminJackson'snovelbytheinsistentmemoryofNell'smother'svoice,hastaughttheprotagonistthatcosmetics(and,indeed,allformsofshowinessor"foolishness")are"wicked"(155).
Thus,whileshemightlongtobelikeTheoearlyinJackson'snovel,tobefreefromanddisdainfulofconvention,Eleanorsimplycannotshakeoffthementalshacklesthathavebeentightlyfastenedaroundhersinceheryouth,nomatterhowridiculoustheymayseemtoherattheageofthirty-two(91,155,166).
26YetherinabilitytobreakwithproprietyandfullyembracethedeviancethatcharacterizesTheodoradoesnotnegatethesubversivesubtextualmessageconveyedbyJackson'sappropriationanduseofthetropeofthedarkdouble.
InshowingthatinheritedideologicalinhibitionsaretheonlythingskeepingNellfromenjoyingthesamepersonalsenseoffreedomthatherglamorousandself-assureddoppelgngerdoes,Jacksononceagainmanagestomakeproprietyitselfseemevilandexcessivelyrestrictive,muchasshedidinconstructingNell'simprisonmentswithinandescapesfromhersocially-constructedideologicalcagesearlierinHillHouse.
Appropriately,thechieffoiltoTheo'sdeviancyinJackson'snovelisDoctorMontague,averitableembodimentofconventionalityandpropriety.
Intheveinoftheclassicallygothic"manofscience"(9-10)–atraditionthatincludesFrankenstein,Jekyll,Moreau,andevenFaust(Fiedler133)–thedoctorwishestofillintheblankspacesonthemapandtobringtheunknownoutofthedarknessandintothelight,whereitcanbeexamined,explained,andfixedwithaneatly-typedidentifyinglabel(184).
27This26Nell'sobsessionwithherpersonalhygiene(115,55)andhercompulsive,almostreligiousdesiretodoeveryone'sdishesontheirsecondnightinHillHouse(162)aretiedtothissameideologicalfettering.
27Ironically,theshortsightedMontagueneverrecognizeshispower-seekingtendencies.
Infact,hequiteunselfconsciouslycondemnsthosefoolswhowouldsayanythingtogainpoweroverwhattheydonotRasmus30scientificimpulse,however,isrepresentativeofamuchmorebasicconservativeideologicaldrive(onethatwasaliveandwellinthe1950's)totamethetransgressive,whateverformitmaytake,andtoforceitbackintoline;afterall,asWilliamGoldingpointedoutinhiscontemporaryreviewofJackson'snovel:"Ifyoucanunderstandathing,youcancontrolit,andifyoucancontrolit,youhavebeatenitintoasystemandriditofthepowertoterrify"(14;Barthes197328;D'Haen287).
28Tothisend,MontagueisobsessedwithinvestigatingandelucidatingthenatureofthemysteriousHauntingofHillHouse.
AsPaulReinschobserves,Montague"thrivesonmysterybutstrivesequallytoendit"(16),muchlikeahunterchasingdownhisprey.
Thissentimentismirroredinthedoctor'sdictionthroughoutJackson'swork;heisforeverreferringtoHillHouseasa"wilderness,"whichheintendstomapoutandtotame(83;84,112;Hattenhauer156).
Indeed,Montagueseemstoviewhisquestforknowledgeasakindofdivineundertaking.
Duringthegroup'sintroductoryparlorgame,forinstance,thedoctorchoosestointroducehimselfas"apilgrim,"oneseekingthesacred(83).
Inattemptingtofindoutwhatmakesthehousetick,thedoctorferventlyhopestorenderoneoflife'sgreatmysteriesacoldandpracticalmatterofscience–justasFrankensteindidwithlifeandJekylldidwiththedualforcesofhumangoodandevil.
Thisbeingthecase,MontagueactsaswhatJacksoncallsher"anti-magic"character,apersonwhomovesherunderstand:"People,"hesays"sadly"atonepoint,"arealwayssoanxioustogetthingsoutintotheopenwheretheycanputanametothem,evenameaninglessname,solongasithassomethingofascientificring"(94).
28ItissignificantthatthefirstthingsthattheghosthunterscollectivelyexpressinterestindoingaftertheyarriveatHillHouseallinvolveprocessesofnaming.
Thereis,forexample,theirprotracted"naminggame,"initiatedbyLuke,whichtakesplaceassoonastheyhaveachancetositdowntogetherforthefirsttime(81-2),andTheo'salmostimmediateinterestinnamingtheroomsofHillHouse,whichcropsupjustafterthenaminggame'sconclusionandisdiscussedatlengththefollowingmorning(83,13).
JustasthedoctorisattemptingtoexertcontroloverthedeviantunknownbyseekingoutaproperlabelfortheHauntingofHillHouse,then,hisassistants–particularlyLukeandTheo–attempttogettheirbearings(thatis,togetcontrolofthemselves)upontheirarrivalbyapplyingnamestothepeopleandspacesaroundthem.
Rasmus31plotalongbyworkingagainsttheelementsofthefantasticinhertextandseekingtoexposethemasexplainablephenomena(Jackson1968254;Parks246-7).
29Toachievethesebasicallyself-aggrandizingaims(Montaguestatesdirectlythat"success"inHillHouseprimarilydependsnotsimplyupontheghosthunters'enjoymentoftheirsojournatthemansion,butalsoonhissynthesisoftheirexperiencesintoabookthatwill"rock[his]colleaguesbackontheirheels"),thedoctorsetsuphisexpeditionthroughJackson'sBadPlaceasasortofsciencefairproject(78).
Hebeginsbyselectingacarefullycontrolledgroupoftestsubjectsthathasbeensystematicallyculledofthosewith"subnormalintelligence"andthoseunsuitablebecauseoftheir"cleartendencytotakethecenterofthestage"(9).
Oncehehashismaterialsassembled,thedoctorthendoesallthathecantokeephissubjects"ignorantandreceptive"(92)–muchlikestripsoflitmuspaperreadytochangewhenintroducedintovolatileenvironments.
30Atthesametime,MontaguesetshimselfupasasortofomnipotentGodfigure,onewhoknowsallandkeepshisunderlingsinaweofhisknowledgebyhoardingit(90;LoC20).
Inaparodictwist,though,itturnsoutthatJackson'sseeminglyclassicallygothicmanofsciencedoesnotevenhaveenoughpowertogethissuppliesinorder.
UnlikethedeadpiecesofmeatthatyieldblindlytoFrankenstein'sneedleorthechemicalsthatdutifullycombinejustasJekyllintendsthemto,thesubjectsofMontague'sheavy-handedpatriarchalexperimentliterallyrebelagainsthim.
Despitehisattemptstokeepthemblissfullyuninformed,hisassistantsclamorforknowledgeandpesterhiminto29Howappropriate,then,thatDr.
MontaguereadsonlytheworksoftheRealist,Richardson,duringhisstayinHillHouse.
30Itisinterestingthatthedoctor,apurveyorofthedominantideology,usesthisparticularcombinationofwords,"ignorantandreceptive,"astheyareenormouslyreminiscentofsimilarphrasesusedtodescribethepawnsoftherulingclassesinthewritingsofMarx&EngelsandAdorno&Horkheimer.
Rasmus32tellingthemallthatheknowsaboutHillHouse(88-92).
31Theircollective"mutin[y]"(90)defeatinghisattempttodefinehisrelationshipwithhissubjectsasonebetweenmasterandvassal,thedoctorthentriestorestructurehisrelationshiptothemasonebetweenafatherandhischildren(93,153,168,187,197),yetthisdominant-inflectedactivityisalsosubverted:althoughthedoctorconstantlyseekstoruinLuke's,Theo's,and(inmorewaysthanone)Eleanor'splayinHillHouse,thethreeofthemcollectivelycometoviewhimassomethingofanannoying,iflovable,bumbler(79,82,88,320),muchlikethefathersinsuchpopular1950'ssitcomsasTheLifeofRileyandMyThreeSons.
Lateinthenovel,Nell(perhapsattheproddingofHillHouseitself)goessofarastodescribehimas"simple"and"transparent"(195).
EvenJacksonherselfjotsdownabriefbarbagainstthedoctorinhernotes:"doctor–foolish"(LoC23).
Thus,thedoctorandthepatriarchalEnlightenment-esquehegemonythatherepresentsare–likethetraditionallydangerousgothicelementsofthedarkdoubleandthecontaminatedcastle–de-fangedandmaderidiculousinJackson'stext.
Montague'sineptnessishighlightedevenfurtherwhenhebeginsattemptingtoapplyscientificmethodsofstudytoHillHouseitself.
Atfirst,itseemsasifhisschemamightactuallyturnouttobesuccessful.
Hisstudyofamapallowshimtonavigatethemansionrathercomfortablyduringhisfirstnightinside–somethingthathasrepeatedlyfrustratedothersinthepast(84;139).
Later,justasMontaguepredicts,theghosthunters'firsteveningturnsouttobearelativelyuneventfulone:"Thereisapatterntothesethings,"hesayswithatouchofsmugness,"asthoughpsychicphenomenaweresubjecttolawsofaveryparticularsort"(89).
Similarly,whenhediscoversacoldspotthat31Clearly,hisattempttoexcludefromhissubjectpoolthosewithoverbearingandself-centeredpersonalitieswaswildlyunsuccessful.
Rasmus33correspondstotheonefoundatthereputedlyhauntedBorleyRectory,he"pat[s]hishandstogetherwithdelight,"andhappilymusesthathehasfound"theheartofthehouse"(158).
Beforelong,though,thedoctor'scomplacencybeginstoslipawayalongwithhisabilitytocontroltheeventsgoingonaroundhim.
Tryashemight,hisstudyofthemansion'sfrozenheartprovesfruitless.
Infact,thespotseemstoactivelyresistthedoctor'sstudy,chillinghishandsbeyonduse,andhelaterfindsthat"athermometer,droppedinthecenter.
.
.
refuse[s]toregisteranychangeatall,"afactthatcauseshimto"fumewildlyagainstthestatisticiansofBorleyRectory,whohadcaughtaneleven-degreedrop"whenstudyingtheirowncoldspot(198).
32Similarly,thedoctor'stheoriesthatthedisturbancesinHillHousemayresultfromsomekindofnaturalphenomenaareinvalidatedwholesalewhenthemansionbeginstospeaktooneofhisassistantsbyname.
ThisunpredictablebehavioronthepartofthehouseonlyexacerbatesMontague'sinitialdisdainforitsoverallunorthodoxy,andasaresulthisattitudesbothtowardboththeedificeitselfandtheentityinhabitingitbecomeincreasinglyhostileasJackson'snovelprogresses.
Montague'sattitudeis,ofcourse,understandable,aseverythingaboutHillHousefliesdirectlyinthefaceofthedominantideologicalpreceptsthathebothespousesandembodiesinJackson'snovel.
Forthisreason,onemightpositthatthehating,broodingHillHouserepresentsasortofanti-Montagueintheauthor'stext,and,therefore,theanti-dominant(316).
Onthemostbasiclevel,theformofthemansionitselfdefiesreasonableness.
Itisrepeatedlydescribedasanabominationinspace,aplacewithoutthe32Ironically,thedoctorismostlikelyreferringinthispassagetotheteamofghosthuntersassembledbyHarryPrice–agroupwhoseworkisnowwidelyregardedasutterhokum.
Thus,Jacksonhasherheroinemakeanall-too-accurateobservationwhenshedismissesthedoctormidwaythroughHillHousewiththewords:"Hebelieveseverysillythinghehaseverheard"(195).
Rasmus34rightanglesandlevelplanesthatcharacterizewhatthedoctorcalls"sensible,squared-awayhouses"(140).
Everyangleis–atleastinthetraditionalsense–"slightlywrong,"afactthatresultsin"afairlylargedistortion,"asthedoctorputsit,"inthehouseasawhole"(141,emphasisadded).
Eleanormakesasimilarobservationearlierinthenovel,whenshedescribesherbedroomashaving"anunbelievablyfaultydesignwhichleftitchillinglywronginallitsdimensions,sothatthewallsseemedalwaysinonedirectionafractionlongerthantheeyecancouldendure,andinanotherdirectionafractionlessthanthebarestpossibletolerablelength"(55,emphasisadded).
Significantly,neitheroftheseconventionality-fetteredcharactersisabletoappreciateHillHouseasitscreatororhisdaughtersdid–thatis,asarefreshingarchitecturaldeparturefromthenorm(100-2,140,157).
Instead,thedoctortendstospeakofHillHousewithdistaste;"'Itis'"hesaysatonepoint,hisvoice"saddened–'amasterpieceofarchitecturalmisdirection'"(141-2).
Iftheirregularitiesofthe"woodandstoneofHillHouse"areenoughtosetthedoctoronedge,onecanonlyimaginehowirksomethestubbornlyinexplicableparanormalaspectsofitshauntingmustbetohimwhentheybegintomanifestthemselvesduringhissecondnightinthehouse.
Apartfromtheaforementionedcoldspot,whichnotonlydefiesstudybutseemstohavenodiscernablesource,thereisalsothehaunting'smoregeneralcapacitytovarythetemperatureinanyroomoronanypartofitsgroundsatanytime,asitdoesduringnearlyeveryoneofthemanifestationsthattakeplaceinthenovel(170,213,231,265,283,304).
Further,thereisthehouse'sabilityto"dance,"toliterallyshudderwheneveritchoosesto,asitdoesfollowingNellandTheo'sexperienceinthegardenandjustafterNell'ssurrendertothehauntingonthefirstnightofMrs.
Montague'svisit(235,266).
EvenmoredisturbingisthefactthatthehouseRasmus35cancausethese"earthquake[s],"asJacksoncallstheminhernotes,tobefeltbyonepersonorsetofpeopleandnotanother–somethingthatisalsotrueofthevarioussoundsthatthemansionisabletoproduce(LoC54;179).
Inaddition,HillHousehastheabilitiestowriteandspeak,facultiesthatarenormallyreservedtohumanbeings.
Thehousecanchoosetocommunicatewhatithastosayviaanumberofdifferentphysicalmediumsaswell;ituseschalktospelloutitsfirstwrittenmessageandbloodtoscribbleitssecond.
Thisfactrepresentsanevenmorefundamentalassaultuponreason,foronecannothelpbutask,asMontaguehimselfdoes,WheredidthehousegetitsbloodAfterexaminingthegiantmessagethatappearsaboveTheo'sbedandthesubstancethatdrenchesherclothes,thedoctorsaysastonishedly:"Iwouldswearthatitisblood,andyettogetsomuchbloodonewouldalmosthaveto204).
Althoughhestopshimselffromfinishinghisthoughtonecansafelypresumethatheoriginallyintendedtoobservethat"onewouldalmosthaveto"drainanentirecorpsetomanufacturesuchascene.
33Finally,thereisthehaunting'sabilitytomakeitswriting,andindeedallofitshandiwork,disappearwheneveritwishes;Theo'sclothingandwallsarepristineandblood-freeonthedaythatEleanorleavesHillHouse(312).
34Andthen,ofcourse,thereisthebasicfactthatthemansionis"haunted"tobeginwith;thatanythingsupernaturalisgoingoninHillHouserepresentsadefactoassaultuponreason.
Itisimportanttonote,however,thatJackson'shauntingisevenmore33InarguingthatHillHousewasneverhauntedtobeginwith,HattenhauerchoosestoignorejusthowmuchliquidissplashedaroundTheo'sroom,andinsteadpositstheratherbizarretheorythatEleanorpaintedthemessageonTheodora'swallusingherownmenstrualblood.
Notonlywouldsuchanactbephysicallyimpossible(recallthatthelettersaboveTheo'sbedaremassive),anon-ghostreadingofJackson'sworkwasexplicitlydebunkedbytheauthorherselfduringa1961interviewwiththescreenwriterforRobertWise'sTheHaunting,whoalsobelievedthedisturbancesinthebooktobefigmentsofNell'simagination(Wise[commentarytrack]0.
16.
06).
34JacksonherselfindicatesthatthiscleaningwasnotdonebyMrs.
DudleybothbyallowingMrs.
Montague–aconfidantofthehousekeeper–toobservethatthedomesticwaskeptfromherdutiesbyalockeddoorandbyinformingherreadersthattheroom–althoughblood-free–isindecentlydusty(312).
Rasmus36aberrantthanmost.
Indeed,whencomparedwiththeentitythatinhabitsHillHouse,manyoftheghoststhatcropupinclassicallygothictextsappeartobepositiveparagonsofrationality.
Consider,forinstance,thespiritsthatappearinClaraReeve'sTheOldEnglishBaron,Screw,Otranto,andSevenGables.
Eachisintrinsicallyconnectedtoasingle,discrete,deceasedhumanperson.
Putdifferently,everyghostisindexicalofadeadhumanbeing;youcan'thaveaghostwithoutadeadperson–theyareinexorablylinkedwithoneanother(Fiedler132).
Assuch,theclassicallygothicghostisacreaturefirmlytiedtotheknowabledomainsofbothhumanityandhistory.
Furthermore,classicallygothicghostsusuallyhaveconcretereasonsforreturningtoearth,andwhentheirpurposesareeitherfulfilledorthwarted,therebyrenderingtheircontinuedterrestrialpresenceunnecessary,theydisappear.
Thus,thestandardgothicghostisacreatureofcause-and-effect:itbeginsasaperson,itdieswithunfinishedbusiness,itreturnstotheworldofthelivingasaghostinordertofinishitsbusiness,andwhenitsbusinessisfinisheditdepartsfromearthonceagain.
Inspiteofitssupernaturalness,itcanbesituatedhistorically,understoodinthepresent,anddescribedeasilybymeansoflanguage.
Forallofthesereasons,onecanarguethattheconstructionofclassicallygothichauntingsservesasyetanotherstrategytoeffectthepreservationofanideologicalsystemthatrestsuponorderandrationality:evenitsmostfantasticliterarycreationsactaccordingtologicalsystemsandprecepts.
Conversely,theHauntingofHillHouseutterlydefiesthisclassicallygothicpattern.
Tobeginwith,itisnotthemanifestationofsomepersonwhowasoncealiveandhassincecomebacktoperformafixedtask.
Tothecontrary,Jackson'snarratorstatesthatHillHouse"seemedsomehowtohaveformeditself,flyingtogetherintoitsownRasmus37powerfulpatternunderthehandsofitsbuilders,fittingitselfintoitsownconstructionoflinesandangles"andnow"rear[s]itsgreatheadbackagainsttheskywithoutaconcessiontohumanity"(47,emphasisadded).
Inotherwords,thehauntingisnotonlynottheresidualspiritofahumanbeing,itisoutsideofhumanityaltogether;thereisnoreasonforthishaunting'sexistence,itsimplyis.
AsJacksonputsitinhernotes:"HouseisHaunting–canneverbeun-haunted"(LoC20).
35Itsvariousmanifestationsareentirelyarbitraryandwhollydisconnectedbothfromhistoryandreason.
Thehauntingcanappearasadogonenightandapicnickingfamilythenext;ithasnofixedphysicalreferent,andsoitcansignifyitselfinwhateverwayitwishes.
36Clearly,then,HillHouseanditshauntingareentitiesthatdisrupttherational,scientificideologyofcause-and-effectespousedbybothEnlightenment-eraandcontemporarykeepersofthestatusquoandreinforcedbytheclassicallygothichaunting(Barthes1970193;Derrida1);unliketheghostsportrayedinOtrantoorSevenGables,theHauntingofHillHouseisnotaunifiedanddefinable"structureofsignifieds,"butratherapluralandunstable"galaxyofsignifiers"–an"intentionalcacography,"asRolandBarthesmightputit(Barthes19705).
37Thisbeingthecase,itisalsoimportanttoobservethattheorigins,characteristics,andmotivationsofHillHouse'shauntingcannotbedescribedbymeansoflanguage,the35ThispointislostuponanumberofprominentJacksonscholars,severalofwhomproposevariouslythatthehauntingrepresentstheresidualpsychicenergyofHughCraine(Lootens157),Nell'smother(King292,Smith152,andTime–whichwentsofarastotitleit'sreviewofHillHouse"Momdidit"[110]),orEleanorherself(Cleveland229,Hattenhauer163,BleirerinReinsch108).
36Ironically,Jacksonoriginallyintendedtoinfestherhauntedhousewithanumberofincrediblyconventionalghosts(shewasparticularlyexcitedabouttheideaof"aveiledladymoaning")beforemakingthedecisiontowriteamoresubversivework(LoC22).
37Tothisend,Jacksonmightbesaidtohavecreatedaghostto"suithermind"muchasHughCrainebuiltahousetosuithis(140).
"MychildrenandI,"shewasfondofsaying,"donotanyofussubscribetothepatcause-and-effectruleswhichsomanyotherpeopleseemtouse,andwhichworksoineffectuallyandunreliably"(Oppenheimer139).
Rasmus38toolwhichthedominant(and,appropriatelyenough,itsavatarJohnMontague)sooftenemploysinordertoexplainand,byextension,controltheworldaroundit(D'Haen98;Barthes197328;Derrida1,4,7).
Infact,HillHouseanditsauthorialcreatorseemtorevelinthedisruptionofthatsemioticstructurethatTheoD'Haencalls"thelastrefugeofreason"(D'Haen290;Botting173;Eagleton142-3).
Earlyoninherwork,forinstance,Jacksonhashercharactersstateexplicitlythattheycannotputintowordswhatpreciselytheyfindsohorribleanddisturbingaboutthemansion.
OneofNell'sfirstobservationsuponlookingupintothefaceofHillHouseforthefirsttimeisherfrustratinginabilityto"locate"thesourceofthe"badness"thatimmediatelyoverwhelmsandsickensher(48).
Theoexpressessimilarfeelingsofuneasewiththeindefinabilityofthehouseanditsinfestationlaterthatsamenight:"Ijustdon'tunderstand,"shesays,"It'sahorribleoldhouse,andifIrenteditI'dscreamformymoneybackafteronefastlookatthefronthall,butwhat'shereWhatreallyfrightenspeopleso"(98,emphasisinoriginal).
Facedwiththisquestion,theheretoforeself-assureddoctorcomesupshort.
"Iwillnotputanametothatwhichhasnoname,"hesaysdejectedly;likeeveryoneelseinhisparty,hemustanswerTheo'squestionaboutthenatureofHillHouse'sinfestationwithastringofwordsthataresurelybitterertohimthananyothers:"Idon'tknow"(98).
AsJackson'snovelprogresses,thissameemasculatinginabilitytotrapHillHouse'shauntingwithinthenetoflanguagecropsupagainandagain(Schneider9).
Afterthefirstsetofmanifestationsthatthepartyexperienceswithinthemansion,forinstance,LukefindshimselfunabletospeakconfidentlyaboutwhatpreciselyhadledhimandDr.
MontagueontheirwildgoosechaseacrossHillHouse'sgrounds:"Wewerechasingadog,"hesays,beforecorrectinghimself:"Atleast,someanimallikeadog"Rasmus39(178,emphasisadded).
TheoexhibitsasimilarinabilitytodescribewhatsheherselfsawduringthepicnicapparitionthattakesplacejustbeforeMrs.
Montague'sarrivaltowardtheendofJackson'sbook.
Afterturningtolookbehindherandseeingsomethingthatfrightenshernearlytodeath,TheoforcesEleanortorunbacktothehouse,whereLukeandthedoctorarewaiting.
WhenLukeaskswhathashappened,Theocanonlyexclaim,"Ilookedback–Iwentandlookedbehindus.
.
.
"beforecollapsingintoNell,unabletosayanythingmorethan"Eleanor.
.
.
Eleanor.
.
.
Eleanor"(234-5).
Finally,ineverycase,thepartyfindsitallbutimpossibletowritewhattheyhaveexperienceddownonpaper(197,274).
"Whatareyousayingaboutthosenoiseslastnight,"Theoasksatonepoint,lookingupfromhernotes,"Ican'tdescribethem"(274,emphasisinoriginal).
Notably,itisnotonlyHillHouse'snon-physicalattributesthateludetheghost-hunters'attemptstofitthemintothestructureoflanguage.
Indeed,eventhemostsolidobjectsinthemansionmanagetosubverttheparty'sdesiretonameand–byextension–togaincontroloverthem.
PerhapsthebestexampleofthissubversionoflanguagetakesplaceastheghosthuntersaremakingtheirwaythroughHillHouseforthefirsttime,exploringitsunknownreachesandattemptingtobringthemansionwithintherealmsofthereasonableandtheknowable.
Followingtheleadofthedoctor,theymarchthroughthelabyrinthinehouseratherlikecivilizingconquistadors,givingarbitrarynamestorooms,proppingopendoors,andopeningdraperiesastheygo(135-52).
Whenevertheyencountersomethingstrangeorunfamiliar,theymakeplanseithertodomesticateit(asLukedoeswiththehouse'stower[138])ortodestroyit(asTheoproposestheydowhentheypassthetaxidermieddeer'sheadinthegameroom[136]).
3838Tothisend,Mrs.
Montagueisentirelycorrectwhensheobservesthatthereare"foreignelementspresentin"HillHouse(247):theyaretheghosthuntersthemselves.
Indeed,asRobertaRubensteinobserves,theRasmus40Oneaspectofthemansion,however,entirelyresiststheirconqueringattempts;"It'snotthere,"TheosaysuponcatchingsightofthegiantmarblestatuethatsitsinHillHouse'sdrawingroom,"Idon'tbelieveit'sthere"(143).
Indeed,"aghastandincredulous,"theentirepartymusttaketurnsguessingatwhatthestatuarypieceismeanttorepresent,yetintheendtheysimplycannotagreeuponacommonreading.
Ironically,thissimpleiconicsign–thekindthatissupposedtopointmostdirectlyandobviouslytoitssignified–sendstheentiregroupofghosthuntersintolinguisticshock,withvariousmembersproposingsuchdisparatedescriptionsas"Venusrisingfromthewaves,""St.
Franciscuringthelepers,"andNell'sownfantasticsuggestion:"adragon"(144).
Intheend,theirpitifulattempttoimprisonthestatue'ssubjectwithinthestructureoflanguagecollapsesintoyetanothercacographyofnonsensicalsignifiers–onethatissuspiciouslyreminiscentofthesimilarlyindefinableHauntingofHillHouseitself(144).
Thus,HillHouse'ssubversivesculpturerepresentstheantithesisbothoftheclassicallygothicstatuepresentedinWalpole'sOtrantoandtheequallygothicfamilyportraitsmentionedtowardtheendofHawthorne'sSevenGables,whichnotonlystandassignifiersofaspecifiedsignified(specifically,anumberofdeceasedfamilyancestors),butalsoacttoconnecteventstakingplaceinthepresentdirectlytothosewhichtookplaceinthepast(Botting121;Ellis58).
Contrarily,thestatueinJackson'sworkcannotdefinitelybesaidtorepresentanythingatall,andactuallymanagestocausemajorslippagebetweenthepastghosthuntersareconsistentlycastinHillHouseasdoublesoftheprotagonistsoftheplaythatJacksoncompletedjustbeforeshebeganworkonhermostfamousnovel:are-imaginedversionof"HanselandGretel"(148).
Inthiswork,thebrotherandsisterareportrayedasinconsideratebratswhotormentthestory'switch.
Candy,theyreason,ismeanttobeeaten.
Withthisnarrow-mindedthoughtfixedintheirbrains,thepairdisregardsthefactthatthewitchdoesnotsharetheirvaluesandproceedtoeatherhouse.
Tellingly,Jacksonendsherversionofthestorywiththechildren,notthewitch,beingpunished(Rubenstein148).
Similarly,thedominant-mindedghosthuntersinHillHouseshortsightedlydefythemansionbymaintainingthatdifferenceanddevianceareevilontheirface,andmust,therefore,becombated.
Ironically,Dr.
Montagueisindignantwheneverthehousereturnstoitsnativecondition,andchastisesMrs.
Dudleybehindherbackforassistingthehouseindefyinghim(152).
Rasmus41andthepresent,asevidencedbyTheo'swildsuggestionsthatbothMrs.
DudleyandOldMissCrain'scompanionarerepresentedinthepiece(despitethefactthatneitherhadyetbeenbornwhenthestatuewasconstructed)andthatHughCrain'syoungerdaughter'slawsuitisalludedtointhework(eventhoughthiseventalsotookplacelongafterthestatuehadbeeninstalledwithinHillHouse)(144).
Again,Jacksoninthisepisodetakesupatypicalpieceofgothicparaphernaliaandturnsitinsideout,usingwhattraditionallyservedasawhollyknowableconnectiontothepastasatooltodestabilizethereason-basedsystemsofbothlanguageandhistory.
SherepeatsthissubversivestrategyofinversionfurtheroninhernovelwhenshehashercharactersstumbleuponthewrittenmessagesleftforthembyHillHouse'shaunting–messagesthatinvokeyetanotheraccoutrementofthegothic:thetropeofthediscoveredmanuscript.
Intheclassicallygothictext,thisliteraryelement,muchliketheancestor'sstatueorportrait,mostoftenworkstoelucidateandlinkthepresenttoaknowableandunderstandablepast,asitdoesinScrew,Udolpho,andSevenGables(Heller4;Kilgour15).
Tothisend,theclassicallygothicdiscoveredmanuscriptcanbeviewedasyetanotherconventionalplotdevicethatassistswiththecontainmentofthestrangenessoftheclassicallygothicworkwithinareasonablechainofcausesandeffects.
Jackson'sowndiscovereddocuments,however,serveonlytocomplicateandobfuscate.
Consider,forinstance,thehaunting'sfirstmessagetoitsguests:"HELPELEANORCOMEHOME.
"Writtenasitis,inexclusivelycapitallettersandwithoutpunctuation,thissimplecombinationofwordscouldbetakentomeanavarietyofdifferentthings.
Isit,onewonders,apleaaddresseddirectlytoEleanorherself–"Help,Eleanor!
Comehome!
"–asTheodoraassumesthatitis(194),oristhemessageinsteadanimperativeRasmus42addressednottoNell,buttoherfellowghosthunters,acommandto"helpEleanorcomehome"Theuncertaintyinherentinthisfirstcrypticmessageiscompoundedwhenasecond"document"is"discovered"writteninbloodonthewallaboveTheodora'sbed.
Thismissive,"HELPELEANORCOMEHOMEELEANOR"(204-5),isevenmoretransgressivelyungrammatical,astherecanbenodoubtthatitcomprisesatleasttwodistinctphrases.
Again,oneislefttowonderwhetherthestatementshouldbeunderstoodas"Help,Eleanor!
Comehome,Eleanor!
",as"HelpEleanorcomehome.
Eleanor!
",orevenas"Help!
Eleanor!
ComeHome!
Eleanor!
"Thepossibilitiesarelegion,andneitherJacksonnorherhauntingprovideanydefinitiveanswers;botharehappytokeepthemessages'recipients–andthereadersofHillHouseitself–inthedarkandlinguisticallyoffbalance.
Thus,Jacksonconstructsbothhercontaminatedmansionanditshauntingasliteralrepresentationsofthefailureoflanguageand,byextension,rationalityitself.
Thisbeingtrue,itisrathereasytounderstandwhyDr.
Montague,forwhomthesesubvertedpreceptsconstitutesomethingclosetoreligiousdogma,wasteslittletimeincastingtheirdestroyerasadangerousand,evenmoresignificantly,villainousentitywithnothingbutsinisterintentionstowarditsguests.
ItishewhomakesthefirstexplicitlinkbetweenJackson'shauntingandthevillainofaclassicallygothicnovel,when,duringtheparty'sfirstnightinHillHouse,hemakestheobservationthat"whenLukeandIarecalledoutsideandyoutwo[EleanorandTheodora]arekeptimprisonedinside,doesn'titbegintoseemthattheintentionis,somehow,toseparateus"(179).
Thedoctorwondersfurtherinthispassagewhetherthehauntingmaybemakingplanstoabductoneorbothofhisfemaleassistants,actionthatistypically(onemightevensaystereotypically)associatedwiththeclassicallygothicvillain(Heller4;Day79;Tracy197).
Rasmus43Atfirstglance,thedoctor'sconflationmayseemjustified.
Afterall,theHauntingofHillHousestands,formostofJackson'snovel,indiametricoppositiontoEleanor,thetext'sgothicheroine:whereassheislargelyinnocent,passive,andconventional,thehaunting,likemostgothicvillains,ismostoftenrepresentedascalculating,active,anddeviant(Lootens167;Murphy2005b116;Rubenstein136).
Further,thehauntingisfrequentlydescribedbyJackson'snarratorasbeing"mad"(75)or"notsane"(7)–yetanothercharacteristicattributeoftheclassicalvillain(King291).
Finally,thereisthefactthattheentitythatinfestsHillHouseseemstohaveeffectedthedeathsofseveralofitstenantsovertheyears(90,100-10).
Bearingallofthisinmind,itisperhapsunsurprisingthatwhenHillHouse'shauntingconcertedlybeginsreachingouttoEleanor–thecharacterwhois,nexttothedoctor,perhapsmostinthralltotheideologyofthedominantsocialorderinthebeginningofJackson'sbook–itencountersagooddealofinitialresistance.
Havinglivedsoconventionallyforsolong,Nellinstinctivelyconflatesthehouse'sunorthodoxy,itsoverwhelmingdifferent-ness,withwrongness(55),and,therefore,with"evil"(47,9)–henceherreflexivedenunciationofHillHouseas"vile"and"diseased"uponcatchingsightofthemansionforthefirsttime(46).
39Nonetheless,despitethisinitialsenseofrevulsionatthesightofHillHouse,Nellcannotstopherselffromsilentlyhummingapopularsongcalled"OMistressMine"assheforcesherselftowalkthroughthedooroftheimposingedifice–asong,oddlyenough,whosesubjectistheconsummationoflove:"Tripnofurtherprettysweeting,"39Inanearlydraftofhernovel,JacksonmakesitsomewhatclearerthatNell'sinitialrecoilingfromHillHousespringsfromitsintrinsicdifferencefromtheconventionalbyhavingherobservethat"veryprobablythelocalladieswouldburntheirwhiteglovesbeforetheywouldsetfootwithinthegatesofHillHouse"(LoC3).
Rasmus44shethinks,"journeysendinloversmeeting"(49).
40Asthissongplaysthroughhermind,theauthorwritesthatNelltemporarilylosesherfeelingsoffearandtrepidation,"laugh[s]…put[s]herfeetdownfirmlyand[goes]uptotheverandaandthedoor,"atwhichpoint"HillHousec[omes]aroundherinarush"(49),languagewhichsuggeststhatNell'sfirstphysicalencounterwithHillHousecanbereadasaratherromanticone–ameetingredolentofonebetweenlong-lostloversreunitingwithoneanotheratlast(Lootens153).
ThefactthatthischaracterizationisimmediatelyfollowedbyadescriptionofEleanor'sutterfearatbeingforcedtowalkthroughthehouse'shallwaystoherroomfurthersuggeststhat,althoughtheprotagonist'ssociallyconstructedsuper-egomaybetellingherthatHillHouseisrottenandevil,sheknowsonamuchmorebasic,instinctivelevelthatsheandthemansionaresomehowmeantforoneanother.
41Suchareadingissupportedbythispassage'sfinalsentence,whichdescribesNell"watchingthewaveringreflectionofherhandgoingdownanddownintothedeepshadowsof[HillHouse's]polishedfloor"(51;Hattenhauer160).
ThistellinglinealsoseemstoforeshadowthenatureofEleanor'sultimaterelationshipwiththemansion:theywillnotonlybehappytogether,theywillfusewithoneanother,withtheprotagonistherself"goingdownanddownintothedeepshadows"ofthehouse'sveryconsciousness.
Inadditiontopointingtowardtheconclusionofhernovel,thisliteralreflectionofJackson'sheroineinthesubstanceofHillHousealsorecalls,onceagain,theresidualgothictropeofthedarkdouble,suggestingthatTheomaynotbeNell'sonly(orevenherprimary)doppelgngerinJackson'swork.
Suchasuspicionisconfirmedbytheauthor40Thissong'slyricsaretakenfromShakespeare'sTwelfthNight,andweresettomusicintheearly1900'sbyanumberofpopularcomposers,includingArthurSullivanandDavidAmram.
41Afterall,JacksonwritespointedlythatEleanor"c[omes]"toHillHouse,shedoesnot"go"(11).
HerdictionthussuggeststhatHillHousehasalwaysbeenNell'shome,andthatthehauntinghasbeenwaitingforhertocometoit.
Rasmus45herself,who,inherhandwrittennotes,explicitlypairsherprotagonistandhergothichorrorwithoneanother:"EleanorisHouse,"Jacksonwrites(LoC23).
42Obviously,though,thesimilaritybetweenNellandthis,herseconddouble,isnotaphysicalone,asitwaswithherfirst.
Rather,Jackson'sprotagonistissimilartoHillHouse'shauntinginessenceratherthanform(Hattenhauer159).
Morespecifically,bothNellandtheentitythatinhabitsthemansionareepitomicoutsiders,misunderstoododdballswhodonotfitincomfortably–atall,infact–withthemainstream.
Botharescornedbytheavatarsofthedominantsocialorder(Nellbyhersister,andHillHousebynearlyeveryone,butmostlyDr.
Montague)fortheirdivergencesfromthenormandarecompelled,therefore,tostandutterlyaloneatthestartofJackson'snovel.
Byitsend,however,thesedoubleswillmeetandmeshwithoneanotherinascenethatrepresentsthesubversiveclimaxofJackson'sthoroughlysubversivework.
Earlyintheauthor'sbook,however,anyideaofsuchafusionwiththeHauntingofHillHouseutterlyrepulsesJackson'sprotagonist,whowantslittlemorethantobeacceptedbyherfellowghosthuntersandtoadopttheminturnasthelovingfriendsandfamilymembersthatsheneverhad(192,4,211-2).
Indeed,NellisinitiallydisgustedbyHillHouse'sattemptstoseparateherfromhernewfoundcompanions,evenasshecannothelpbeingintriguedbyitsstrangenessandunconventionality–anambivalencethatevokesoncemorethetraditionallygothicfear-fascinationrelationshipbetweendarkdoubles(180-5).
Overtime,however,Nell'sattitudetowardthehousebeginstomovefurtherandfurtherawayfromactivedislikeandmoretowardoutrightinfatuationasshecomestothebitterrealizationthat,unlikethehaunting,whichseemsobsessedwithher,42Significantly,thisnoteisenormouslyreminiscentofanotherofJackson'shandwrittencommentsuponNell'sother,morefleshlygothicdouble:"TheoisEleanor"(LoC25).
Rasmus46Luke,Theo,andDr.
Montaguearemuchmoreconcernedaboutthemselvesthananyoneelse.
Theyconstantlydownplayherfearofseparationfromthem,andpatronizinglycharacterizeherveryrealdreadatHillHouse'srepeatedattemptstoreachouttoherastheself-aggrandizingtantrumsofaprimadonna:"Vanity,"Lukesays,followingoneofherterror-drenchedoutbursts,towhichTheodoraadds,"Alwayshavetobeinthelimelight"(213).
Facedwiththisconstantderisionattheexpressionofherfears,Nellgraduallylearnsthatinordertomaintainanykindofattachmenttothosearoundher,shewillneedtokeephertruefeelingshiddenaway.
NoteveninHillHouse,shediscovers,willshebeallowedtobeherself,auniqueindividualwhodoesandsaysasshepleaseswithoutregardforothers.
Instead,justasshewasforcedtodointheoutsideworld,Eleanorwillhavetoconformtoherhousemates'expectations,maintainingdecorumatalltimeslestshebedisparagedandostracized(195,212).
Withherinitialnavehopesoffindingunconditionalloveandacceptancewithhernewhousematesthoroughlyshattered,Nell'sattitudetowardtheonce-terrifyingandvillainousHauntingofHillHouseundergoesaratherextremetransformation.
Witheveryoneelseintheghost-huntingpartyhavingabandonedher,Nellbeginstofeel"flattered"bythedevianthaunting'scontinuingattentions(Lootens164;Cleveland230).
Incontrasttoherfearatthesightofthehouse'sfirstmessage,forinstance,Nellviewsthehaunting'ssecondbeckoningasanexpressionofitsattractiontoher(Lootens164).
Infact,asshereadsthebloodywordssherathersurprisedly"f[inds]herself"silentlyrepeatingthewordsofthelovesongthatpoppedintoherheadthefirsttimethatthehouseembracedheronitsveranda:"Ostayandhear,yourtruelove'scoming,thatcansingbothhighandlow.
Tripnofurther,prettysweeting;journeysendinloversmeeting.
Rasmus47.
.
"(203).
Here,then,inyetanothersubversionofthegothic,Jacksonmanagestotransformtheterribleimageofawalldrippingwithbloodintonothinglessthanaloveletterthatintriguesratherthanfrightensherprotagonist(204-7).
Bytheendofthisscene,NellhasbeguntodistanceherselffromhermoreconventionalhumanconnectionsandtotakeherfirstsmallstepstowardacceptingthestrangeandseductivepowerthatinhabitsJackson'shauntedmansion(Haggerty145).
Stillboundbyherdesiretodowhatisexpectedofher,however,NellstavesoffherincreasingattractiontoherdarkdoubleandresolvestogiveamoreorthodoxloveratrybeforereciprocatingthedecidedlyunorthodoxromanticadvancesoftheHauntingofHillHouse.
Withthisendinmind,Nellturns,perhapsnaturally,toLuke,whomJacksonsetsupasasortofprototypeoftheclassicallygothichero.
LikeOtranto'sTheodore,theveryfirstsuchhero,Lukeisyoung,single,andtheheirtothenovel'sinfectedcastle(15).
Thisbeingthecase,CarolClevelandnotesthatifHillHousewere,infact,atypicalgothicghoststory,itwouldalmostinevitablyendwithLukeandNell'sengagement(229-30;SmithinReinsch128).
Indeed,uponcatchingsightofLukeforthefirsttime,evenNellherselfwonderswhethertheywilleventuallyenduppairedwithoneanother(75).
InJackson'ssubversivetext,however,thisdominanttropeisentirelyundermined.
Herprotagonist'sfirstexchangewithLukeonHillHouse'sveranda,forinstance,isentirelyanti-climactic,andNellquicklyascertainsthat,quiteunlikeOtranto'sTheodore,Lukeis"reallykindofsilly"(75).
Subsequently,throughoutthecouple'sintimateencounterinthemansion'ssummerhouse,Lukeisamazinglyself-absorbed,egoistic,"vain,"andshallow(217).
Timeandagain,hesimply"leads[Eleanor]on,"asJacksonputsitinhernotes,tellingherpreciselywhatshewantstohearinordertoinducehertoRasmus48continueflirtingwithhim(LoC20).
NellisnottakeninbyLuke'sact,though,andultimatelyarrivesatthedefiniteconclusionthat"heissimplynotveryinteresting"(220),andthathisconventionalcourtshipingeneralpalesincomparisonwiththeoverwhelmingattentionsbeingpaidtoherbythesupernaturalmonsterthathauntsHillHouse(217;Shinn52).
43InhavingNellreachthisconclusion,Jacksononceagainmanagesnotonlytoparodythegothicgenreitselfbylampooningoneofitsmostbasicconstituentelements–thedashingandpassionateyounghero–butalsotounderminethedominantideologicalpreceptthatthistropehastraditionallyreinforced,andwhichhaspersistedthroughJackson's1950'sandevenintothepresentday:namely,theideathattheonlythingthatayoungwomanneedstobehappyisaman(Friedan32,4).
PerhapssensingthatEleanor'sresistancehasbeguntofade,thehauntingcapitalizesupontheprotagonist'srejectionofLukeandchoosesthedayafterherencounterwithhimtosignificantlyrampupitsseduction.
Whentheghosthuntersgathertogetherinthedoctor'sbedroomafterthedoctor'svisitingwifeandherdimwittedassistantArthurhavegonetosleep,theyagainexperience"theunrealcold"followedbythesoundsofpoundinguponHillHouse'smanydoors(263).
Thistime,however,Eleanorisabletopredictwhatwillhappeninsequence,andwhen(263-5);infact,itisalmostasiftheprotagonisthasgainedtheabilitytoreadHillHouse'smind.
Asthemanifestationcontinues,Nelleventuallycomestofeelasifthewholeofherbeingisfusingwiththeentitycausingthenoisesthatshehearsoutsideinthehallway.
"Iwillneverbeabletosleepagainwithallthisnoisecomingfrominsidemyhead,"shethinks,43OnesuspectsthatNellwassubconsciouslyawareofthisfactallalong.
Indeed,thewholesummerhouseepisodeisprefiguredmuchearlierinthenovelonNell'sthirddayinHillHousewhen,afterwatchinghimdepartfromtheroom,Theosighs,"LovelyLuke,"towhichEleanorresponds,entirelyunprovoked,"LovelyHillHouse"(190).
Rasmus49andthenasksherselfamazedly:"Howcantheseothershearthenoisewhenitiscomingfrominsidemyhead"(264).
Theanswer,sheintuits,isthatsheisnolongersimplyanindividualhumanperson:"Iamdisappearinginchbyinchintothishouse,"shethinks,"Iamgoingapartalittlebitatatime"(265).
Asthemanifestationnearsitsclimax–thenoiseinthehallintensifying,thehousequaking–Eleanormakesthedecisiontostopbeingafraid,toceaseresistingthehouse'sstrenuousadvancesandtogiveherselfoverbodyandsoultothesuitorwhoseemstowanthersobadly.
"We'regoing,we'regoing"(267),Nellthinks,recallingthewordsshespokeatthebeginningofherjourneytoHillHouse:"Iamgoing,Iamgoing"(23).
"Iwillrelinquishmypossessionofthisselfofmine,"shedecidesnow;shewill"abdicate,giveoverwillinglywhat[she]neverwantedatall,"thatis,herseperateness,herindividuality.
"Whateveritwantsofme,"Eleanorsays,"itcanhave"(268).
ItisnotablethatJacksonchoosestoendthisscenewiththewords"I'llcome"(268).
Certainly,theentireepisodeislinguisticallycouchedintermsofareluctantsexualencounter,somethingpresentinanumberofprominentgothicnovels.
Thereis,forinstance,thehaunting'sinsistentphysical"pounding"onthewallsofthehouseanditsmetaphysicalpoundinguponthedoorofNell'smind(262),eachofwhichisreminiscentoftherepetitivethrustingofaphallus.
Further,thereisTheo'suseoftheterm"dancing"todescribethehouse'sactionstowardtheclimaxofthemanifestation,atermthathasbeenusedcolloquiallyasametaphorforsex(e.
g.
,"thehorizontaldance").
Therearealso,ofcourse,Eleanor'svirginalfeelingsoffear,confusion,anduncertaintythroughouttheepisode.
Itisimportanttonote,however,thatthisincidentcomesinduecoursetomirrornotarape,butrathersomethingmoreakintowhatLindaWilliamshascalledaRasmus50"ravishment,"withNelleventuallymakingthedecisiontogiveoverwillinglytoherseducer(164-5).
Thisbeingthecase,Jacksonmanagestosubvertyetanothergothictropeinthisscene–thatoftheunwillingsexualencounter–makingitintosomethinginitiallydistressing,but(aswillbeseen)ultimatelygoodandempowering.
Inthisway,Nell'sravishmentistheinverseof,forinstance,theliteralrapethattakesplaceinLewis'sMonkandthemetaphoricrapesthattakeplaceinStoker'sDracula,eachofwhichisexclusivelytraumaticandvictimizing.
FollowingNell'sownunwillingsexualencounter,however,shenoticesthatshehastakenonsomeofHillHouse'ssuperhumanabilities:shecanhear,incredibly,"everything,alloverthehouse"(271;Kittredge234).
AlthoughthisnewfoundskillisneverexplainedinJackson'stext,sheattributesitinhernotestoa"sharingofpower"(LoC19),amoveonthepartofthehousetogiftitsmatewithsomeofitsownuniquecapabilities.
Heretherefore,Jacksonpresentsherreaderswithyetanotherturnonthetraditionaltropeofthemeetingofdarkdoubles,forunlikeFrankenstein,DorianGray,and"Usher's"Roderick,Jackson'sheroineisnotdestroyedbyherdoppelgngerbutrather(asshewasinhermeetingwithTheo)empoweredbyheropposite,thistimebytheacquisitionofabilitiesthatgobeyondtheboundsofnormalhumansensation.
Ontopofthis,Nell'shorror/lover,farfrombringinghertoharm,goestogreatlengthstoremindherofitsaffectionforheronthedayafterherravishment.
Whilestandingalonebythebrook,Nellisvisitedbythehaunting,whichcallstoherfrom"insideandoutsideherhead"(282).
"Thiswasthecall,"thenarratorstates,"that[Eleanor]hadbeenlisteningforallherlife"(282),thecallofsomeone(or,perhapsmorerightly,something)whotrulylovesanddesiresher.
Asthevoicecontinuestocallout,"Eleanor,Eleanor,"theRasmus51protagonistfindsherselfbeing"heldtightandsafe,"asifbyalover(283).
44Thus,whileTheoandLuke,therepresentativesoftraditionalromanticloveandfriendship,haveeachinturnutterlyrejectedNell'sattemptstobondherselftothem,Jackson'sunorthodoxhauntingwelcomesher(quiteliterally)withopenarms,therebydestabilizingtheclassicallygothicnotionthatalltransgressionandunorthodoxyisnecessarilyfrighteningandevilbyrevealingthemostconventionallymonstrousfigureinhernoveltobetheonewiththemostempathyandloveforJackson'sfragileheroine.
Followingthisdisplayofthehaunting'sdesireforherandthefeelingsoffulfillmentthataccompanyit,NellfinallygivesherselfovertoatotalfusionwithHillHouse.
Nolongerdoesshefeeltheneedtopandertothosearoundherinordertogainthelovethatshehasbeencravingforsomanyyears.
HavingfoundtotalandunconditionalacceptanceinthepersonoftheHauntingofHillHouse,Eleanordecides,forthefirsttimeinherlife,todropallpretense,allaccoutrementsofproprietyandladylikebehavior,andtobecomeawhollydeviantcreature–acreatureverymuchlikeherdarkdouble,hernewfoundparanormalparamour(77,122).
Significantly,NellbeginstobecharacterizedatthispointinJackson'snovelnotasalover,asshewasduringherravishmentandherexperienceatthebrook,butratherasachild.
WhileobservingTheoandLukeinthesummerhouse,forinstance,Nell"put[s]herhandsoverhermouthtokeepfromspeakingtoletthemknowshewasthere,"ratheroddbehaviorforathirty-two-year-oldwoman(286),asisheropen-mouthedeavesdroppingatthediningroomdoor(291).
Oncemore,then,NellfindsherselfinfantilizedinJackson'swork,butthistimetheregressiontakesplaceofherownfreewill:itisnotforceduponherbyherdomineeringsisterorthepatronizingdoctor,asitwasbefore,butisratherembracedandacceptedasameansof44Or,aswillbecomeimportantshortly,perhapsbyamother.
Rasmus52escapingthestricturesofthecivilizedadultworldandofreturningtoaconscience-less,almostanimalstate–toatimebeforeshewasforcedtoabidebythedominantsocialorder'sconceptionsofrightandwrong,properandimproper.
Theauthor'srepresentationofher(atlast)sociallyunrestrainedandthereforetransgressiveprotagonistasanintrinsicallychildishfigureinthispenultimateportionofhernovelisnomerecoincidence,forJackson,muchlikeEmersonbeforeher,alwaysthoughtofchildrenasbeingoutsideofthedominantsocialorder,existinginasortof"magic"statethatprecededtheadolescentfallintoknowledge,guilt,andcivilizedpretensionandconformity(Oppenheimer209).
Farfromdecryingthisyouthfulwaywardness,however,Jacksonoftenreveledinit,asisevidencednotonlybyherowntrue-lifemotheringtechniques(shealwaysencouragedherchildrentothinkforthemselvesandgreatlyresentedthosewhopressuredthemtoconform[Oppenheimer139,143,203,46]),butalsobythecontentsofmanyofherpoemsandshortstories.
Thisstanzafromtheauthor'sundatedpoem"Portrait"standsasanearlyperfectexampleofthewaythatJacksonmostoftenportrayedpre-adolescentsinherwork:TherewasachilddancinginthegardenandIwentoutandspoketoit.
"Child,"Isaid,"youaresteppingonmyflowers.
""Yes,"saidthechild,"Iknow.
""Child,"Isaid,"youaresteppingonmygarden.
""Yes,"saidthechild,"Iknow.
""Why"Isaid.
"Iamdancing,"saidthechild,"can'tyousee"(Jackson1998126)Infact,Jacksonchosetorecyclethetextofthenurseryrhymethatprovidesthatframefor"Portrait"whenconstructingheraccountofEleanor'sfirsteveningspentinharmoniousunionwithHillHouse:asNellsitsontheflooroftheparlor,experimentingwithhernewpowers(shefindsthat,inadditiontobeingabletohearnoisesbeingmadealloverHillHouse'sgrounds,shecanalsoreadthemindsofthosegatheredaroundher)shepicksupRasmus53onthesoundofaninvisiblepersonsingingthechildren'ssong"GoWalkingThroughtheValley"fromthecenteroftheroom(292-3;218,271,318).
45Amorphousandindefinableasever,thehauntinghaschangeditsvoice,whichisonlyaudibletoNell,tosuittheneedsofitschosenone.
Nolongeristhehouse'scalltheimpassionedsighofalover;now,itis"achild'svoice,singingsweetlyandthinly,onthebarestbreath"(297).
Laterthatsameevening,aftereveryonehasgonetosleep,Nellrespondstothehaunting'scallandsetsoffinamadfrolicthroughHillHouse,poundingoneachoftheghosthunters'doorsandrushingupanddownthehallway,mimickingthemanifestationsthatsheherselfexperiencedonhersecondandfifthnightsinHillHouse(170,261-2,300).
JacksonconsciouslyhasNellimitatethehauntingyetagainasshe"dance[s]"throughtheballroomandoutontoHillHouse'sveranda,justasthehouseitselfdidduringtheravishmentepisode(303).
Intruegothicfashion,theshelteredheroine–nowhavingsuccumbedtotheseductionsofthedeviant–hascometoresemblethehorrorthatsheherselfoncefeared.
Yetunlike,say,Lucy'smetamorphosisinStoker'sDracula,thistransformationisnotframedasdespicableinJackson'snovel,butratherassomethingdesirableandempowering;themimickingofHillHouse'shauntingallowsNelltotakedelightfulrevengeuponthosewhohavehurther,whichshedoesbothbyrendingTheo's45Ingeniously,JacksontransformsthewordsofthisnurseryrhymeintoakindofacodedinvitationfromthehauntingtotheheroinetoexploreandpossesseverypartofHillHouse.
"Gowalkingthroughthevalley,/Gowalkingthroughthevalley,/Gowalkingthroughthevalley,/Aswehavedonebefore….
"thechild'svoicesings,indirectlyinvitingNelltoplayuponandrelishthegreenhillsandbabblingbrooksofthemansion'sgrounds(296).
"Goinandoutthewindows,"ittellshernext,encouraginghertofrolicwithinthehouse'swallsaswell–aninvitationshewillgleefullyacceptonlyafewpageslater(297).
"Goforthandfaceyourlover,"thevoicesayslastofall,acommandthatNellwillfollownotonlyduringherensuingrompthroughthemansion,butalsointhefinalpagesofJackson'sbook,whensheconsummatesherrelationshipwithHillHouseonceandforallatthenovel'sclimax(297).
Tellingly,inthegamethatgoesalongwiththisnurseryrhymeanumberofchildrenstandinacirclewhileotherchildrenweaveandduckaroundthemtryingnottobetouchedbytheirlinkedhands.
Thosewhoaretouchedmustrunaroundthecenterofthecirclewhilethosethatformthelivingringsing,"Goroundandroundthevillage.
"LaterinJackson'snovel,afterNellhasbeencaughtbyherfellowghosthunters,thisispreciselywhattheyattempttoforcetheheroinetodo–gobacktocivilization,the"village,"andliveoutadullandemptylife,spinningroundandroundwhileultimatelygettingnowhereatall.
Rasmus54scarfandprovokingandthenlaughingatherhousemates'fearandconfusionasshescampersupanddownthemansion'scorridors(300-1).
Her"infection"byHillHousealsolendsNellagooddealofveryrealphysicalpower:shecannowopenthemansion'shugefrontdooreffortlessly,somethingwhichshewasincapableofdoingonherfirstdayatthehouse(66;301,3).
NellalsobecomesincreasinglyalignedwithHillHouseonamentallevel.
WhenshehearshernamebeingcalledbyTheo,forinstance,shemakesaratherpuzzlingstatement:"IhadforgottenEleanor"(300).
Fromthis,onecaninferthat,whilepoundingonhercompanions'doors,Nell'sindividualsenseofselfbecameentirelyfusedwiththeconsciousnessofthemansion'shaunting.
46AsconnectedassheistoHillHousebythispoint,though,Nellhasstudiouslycontinuedtoavoidthemansion'slibrary,whichishousedatthebaseofitstower,growing"sick"whensheapproachesitandwhispering"Mother,Mother…Mother"(301;303).
Infact,fromherfirstencounterwithit,shehasfoundthelibrarytobeutterlyrepulsiveandfrightening:"Ican'tgointhere,"shesaysduringtheghosthunters'firsttourofthehouse,forfromwithintheroom,thenarratorsays,"thecoldairofmoldandearth…rushedather"(137),carryingwithitasmellthatJudieNewmanequateswiththetombofEleanor'sdeadmother(Newman175).
Certainly,Nellherselfmakesthisassociation:"Mymother–,"shesays,astheodorwashesoverher(137).
Aftertheothers,oblivioustoanysmell,havegoneintoexploretheroomwithouther,Nellfindsthatherhandshavebecomecoldandthatshe"want[s]tocry"(138).
Naturally,Eleanor–who46ItisimportanttonotethattherelationshipbetweenNellandthehauntingbothhereandlaterinJackson'sworkisnotcharacterizedasbeingthesameastherelationshipbetweenamasterandaslave,apossessorandapossessed(asJodeyCastricanohassuggested[87]),butratherasaunionoftwohalvesintoawhole.
ThismoresensitiveinterpretationwillbekeyininterpretingandunderstandingofthefinallinesofJackson'swork.
Rasmus55fearedandhatedhermother–findsthisspacerepulsiveatfirst;forher,theideaofmotherhoodhasonlyeverbeenassociatedwithfilth,guilt,anddisappointment.
Nevertheless,Nellcontinuestolongdesperatelyforamotherwholovesher,adesirefirstevidencedinthetwomother-fantasiesthatoccurearlyinJackson'stextwhiletheprotagonistisonherwaytoHillHouse(Rubenstein136;Newman172).
Thereis,forone,the"daintyoldlady"who"t[akes]care"ofNellinthehousewiththeStoneLions(27).
ThereisalsothequeenwhotellsEleanorthattheywilllive"happilyeverafter"aftershehaspassedthroughthewallofoleanders(29).
ThissamelongingisreflectedlaterintheanswersthatNell'sunconsciousgivestoMrs.
Montagueduringthelatter'splanchettereading(252-4).
Duringeachoftheseepisodes,theideasof"home"and"mother"areconflatedintoasingledesirableobject:aholisticsenseofcomfortandacceptance,somethingthatNellhasbeenmissingallherlife.
Now,inthenovel'spenultimatescene,theHauntingofHillHouse–anentitythat,inaclassicallygothicstory,wouldberegardedunquestionablyasanunorthodoxabominationfitfornothingbutrevulsionanddestruction–seekstoprovideherwithwhatshehasforsolongdesired.
Toachievethisend,thecacographousHauntingofHillHouseunfixesitselfoncemore,becomingnotalovernoraplaymate,butratheranew–andvastlyimproved–motherfigure(Cleveland230).
WhenNellarrivesatthelibraryonherfinalnightinthemansionandisoncemorerepulsedbyits"odorofdecay,"thehauntingcallsouttotheprotagonistwiththesoothingmaternalwords"Comealong"(299).
Intrigued,Nellsaysquestioningly,"Mother"andisansweredby"asoftlittlelaugh"which"float[s]"towardherdownthehouse'sstaircase(299).
Almostlikeachildplayinghideandseek,NellRasmus56followsthedisembodiedvoicetothenursery,fromwhenceshethinksthematernalcallsmaybecoming.
Nellmiscalculates,though,forthevoiceiscomingnotfromwithinthenursery,butfromaspotjustinfrontofit:thelocationofthehouse'scoldspot–theplacethatDr.
Montagueearliercalled"theheartofthehouse"(158).
Significantly,thisheartspotisnowcoldnolonger,atleastnotforNell.
Justafewminuteslater,whenthethreatofbeingcaughtbytheghosthuntersforcesEleanortolayasideheroldfearsandtorunbacktothelibrary,shediscoversthattheold,"cold"tombredolentof"moldandearth"hassomehowmetamorphosedintothewombofhernew"housemother"(278)–aplace"notcoldatall,butdeliciously,fondlywarm,"where"thestonefloormove[s]caressingly,rubbingitselfagainstthesolesofherfeet"(304).
47Fromthispassage,then,onecanseethattheconceptofmotherhoodhasclearlybeenredefinedinNell'smind,theoldfearofherbiologicalmotherhavingbeensupplantedbytheacceptanceofthisnewandlovinghousemother.
Thus,yetanotherclassicallygothicconventionissubvertedinHillHouse:thetropeofthediscoveredrelation.
Traditionally,thisdiscoverywouldcomeafteraninterrogationofthepast,anilluminationoflong-hiddenhistoricaltruths,relationships,andsecrets,asitdoesinOtranto,Udolpho,Monk,andJackson'sown"LordoftheCastle"(Heller4,Tracy203).
Conventionally,brothersandsisters,parentsandchildrenwoulduncovertheirconnectionswithoneanother,therebyreinforcingonceagaintraditionalideologicalconceptsofapastcausallyconnectedtothepresentandofthefamilyunitassacredandenduring.
InJackson'ssubversivework,however,the47YetanotherstanzaofJackson's"Portrait"comestomindduringthischaseepisode:"Faroffamongthetreestherewasalittlegirlsitting,andwhenIcametohershelookedatmeandfrowned.
.
.
'Whoareyouhidingfrom'Isaid.
/'Everybody,'sheexplained.
/'Why'Iasked.
/'Theywantmetocombmyhair,'sheexplained.
'"(Jackson1998128).
LikeJackson'slittlegirl,Nellisalsorunningfromtheconformity-peddlingavatarsofthedominantsocialorder.
Rasmus57discoveredrelationturnsout,incredibly,tobenotalong-losthumanbeing,butanentirelyunfixedhaunting–onethatonlytakesonthecharacteristicsofarelativeoftheheroineinordertofurtheritsownends.
Whatismore,thefearofincest(anothergothicstaple)isplayeduponinthissceneaswell;inadditiontopresentingitselfnowashermother,rememberthattheHauntingofHillHousehadpreviouslyunfixeditselftoactasNell'sloverandravisher.
Yethere,thespecterofincestservesnotas"aviolation"thatthreatensthestabilityofthefamily–thatbasicself-perpetuatingunitofthedominantsocialorder–butratherasthemeansbywhichthesupernaturalentitythatinhabitsJackson'smansionmanagestoprovideitschosenoneallthatshehaseverwantedbyactingatonceasbothmotherandlover(Day120;Tracy201).
Forherownpart,farfromfeeling"corrupted"byheratonceamorousandfilialrelationshipwiththeHauntingofHillHouse(Day120),Eleanorispositivelydelightedwithherincestuoussituation:"Iamhome,"shethinksgleefully,asshetwirlsindelightatthefeelofhermother/lover'slight,airycaressesonherskin,"Iamhome,Iamhome"(304).
Havingsorecentlybeengrantedherlife'sgreatestwish,Nell'snextthought–"now,toclimb"–mightatfirstappeartobeastrangeone(304).
Surely,asshebeginstoascendthetower'sricketyironstairs,Eleanorknowsthatshemaybeheadingtoherdeath.
Onemustunderstand,however,thatforJackson'sprotagonistdeathnolongerstandsassomethingtobefeared(asitdoesinnearlyeveryclassicallygothictext),butrathersomethingutterlydesirable,thelasthurdlestandinginthewayofhercompleteunionwithHillHouse–anactthat,naturally,cannottakeplaceuntilshehasbeenfreedofherphysicalbody(Newman180).
48Thisbeingtrue,Nell'sclimbtothetopofthe48HattenhauerlikensNell'swillingnessto"dieforlove"tothewillingnessofamartyrtodieforhisorherfaith(LoC40;Hattenhauer157).
Hecallsherage,forinstance(Nellisthirty-two),"appropriateforoneonRasmus58mansion'stowercanbeseennotasamarchtowardoblivion,butratherasakindofpassagethroughabirthcanal,onethatleadsupoutofherhousemother'swombandtowardthedualconclusionofNell'soldlifeandhersimultaneousrebirthintoanewone.
Appropriately,asEleanorgrowssteadilyclosertohergoal,allofhermundane,fleshboundthoughtsbegintodropawayentirely:"timeisendednow,"shethinks,"allthatisgoneandleftbehind"(305,emphasisinoriginal).
Infact,whenherfellowghosthuntersfinallydotrackherdownandbegincallingforhertostoppoundingagainstthetrapdoorthatleadsupontotheturretoutside(thesiteofOldMissCraine'slittlecompanion'sownsuicide),Nellfindsthatshe"[can]not"even"rememberwhothey[are]"(305).
Perhapsunderstandably,theheroine'ssuicidalbehaviorinthissceneseemsquitestrangetothemenandwomenwholookupatherfromthebaseofthetower,fortothemherabandonmentoftheworldviewmostcommonlyagreeduponasthe"normal"onemarksheroutasacertifiablelunatic(185,210).
Notably,however,Eleanor'sovertdisplayofpsychoticbehaviorinthissceneputsDr.
Montaguehimselfbackuponfirmlyfamiliarground,forbyreflexivelyascribingNell'sunorthodox,self-destructiveimpulsestoherhavinggoneoutofhermind,thedoctorallowshimselfthepleasureoffixingtheheroine'sunfamiliarbehaviorwithaconvenientsemioticlabelthatallowshimoncemoretoreduceapparentunorthodoxytotherealmoftheknowableand,byextension,toregainacomfortingdegreeofcontrol(howeverillusoryitmightbe)overtheworldaroundhim.
thevergeofmartyrdom(137).
Whilethisparticularconnectionmaybesomewhattenuous,itisafactthatJacksonherselfseemstohavehadideasofmartyrdominthebackofhermindasshewroteHillHouse,foranearlydraftbothlocatesaportraitofthemartyrSt.
Sebastianinthehouse'swomb-towerandhasNell'scar"burst[ing]intoflames"afterithitsitstree,therebytyingherdeathtothoseofthemartyrsintheFoxeillustrationthatMontaguefindsinHughCraine'sBookofMemories.
Althoughthisexplicitmartyr-imagerymayhavebeenremovedfromthefinaldraft,Jackson'swritingcontinuestoimplyheavilythat"HillHouse'sonlyvictimisavolunteer"(Reinsch122).
Rasmus59Thus,likemanymembersofthereal-world1950's-erapatriarchythatherepresents,thedoctorfacilelymanagestoexplainNell'seccentricbehaviorawayasasymptomofinsanityandissubsequentlyabletorallyhisfellowghost-hunterstoeffectthe"salvation"ofthe"mentallyill"Eleanorfromherself.
Inpursuitofthisend,theghosthuntersbegintoplayoutaseriesofstereotypicalgothicrescueplots.
Luke,evertheincipienthero,guidesNellawayfromthetower'strapdoor(andherowndeath/rebirth)andbackdowntowardtheworldshehasendeavoredforsolongtoescape(308).
Thedoctor,meanwhile,resolvestobindNelltothatworldbysalvaginghersanityandsendingherback"home"tothecity(313),whereshecan"beherselfagain"(315).
Inyetanothersubversionofthegothicgenre,however,EleanorherselfexhibitsnodesiretoleaveJackson'sprototypicallygothicBadPlaceandthehorrorthatdwellswithinit:"It'stheonlytimeanything'severhappenedtome,"shesaysofherstayinthehauntedmansion,"Ilikedit.
.
.
Iwon'tgoaway"(317-8).
Theprospectofreturningtoherstifling,mundanelife,"sleep[ing]onacotat[her]sister's,inthebaby'sroom"(313),is,forNell,nodifferentfrombeingliterally"walledupalive"(315)likethevictimsinTheMonkandPoe's"TheBlackCat.
"49Disregardingherdesiretoescapethelivingdeathofconventional1950'ssociety,however,Nell'stwogothic"saviors"stoicallyusherherintoherautomobilethemorningafterhernear-misswithdeath/rebirth,muchlikeprisonguardsreturningarecalcitrant49Thispointisunderlinedinanunpublishedfirst-personpassagewrittenbyEleanorherself,which,inanearlierdraftofHillHouse,wastohaveactedasaprefacetoJackson'snovel.
Init,Nellspeakstotheworldthatshehasleftfrombeyondthegrave:"mygod,amigoingtohavetocomebacktothis[sic]worldagainfoul,rotten,beastly--whatofmebelongshereletmetellyouwhatithinkofyou,youandyourworld.
Ithinkyouareliarsandthievesandmurderersandfiltyh[sic]withdisbelief;ithinkyouliveinasqualidplaceofhorror;ithinkyouhavedirtiedyourselvesbeyondunderstanding.
iwouldnotwillinglyliveamongyou,hearyourcynicism,seeyoursores,touchyourfleshlyhands;youaremonstrous;youarepeople--whatofmebelongstoyou…ileftyouthedayiwenttomonstrosehouseandnowiamgoingtotellyouwhy…iwilltellitperfectlysensiblybecauseihateyousomuchiwanttoseeyousufferwhenyouhearwhereihavebeen(LoC39).
Rasmus60inmatetohercell:"Thedoctortookherbythearm,"thenarratorsays,"and,withLukebesideher,ledhertohercarandopenedthedoorforher"(319).
Onceinsidethecar,though,Jacksonhasherprotagonistplayoutwhatsheconsiderstobetheproperendingtoanywell-toldstory.
Inheraddress,"ExperienceinFiction,"Jacksonstatesthateveryworkshouldbemadeupofaseriesofinterconnected"incidents,"each"parallelingthefinalone"(Jackson1968207).
Tothisend,thephrase"Iamgoing"isonceagaininvoked(321),tyingNell'sfinalautomobileride(likehersurrenderduringtheravishmentscene)toherinitialescapefromtheprisonofhersister'sapartmentand,indeed,theconventionalworlditself.
Now,asthen,the"carworksfine"andNellis"goingoffintotheunknown"(LoC45).
Thistime,however,thephrase"Iamgoing"isimmediatelyfollowedbyyetanothersnippetoftextthatcropsuptimeandagainthroughoutJackson'snovel–thesameone,infact,thatcameintoNell'sheadthefirsttimethatHillHousecaughtherupinitsembrace:"journeysendinloversmeeting"(321).
Byjuxtaposingthesetworecurringlinesinherlead-uptoNell'ssuicide,Jacksonthusindicatesthatherheroinemustnowundertakeyetanotherescape,thistimefromherearthlylifeitself.
"Theycan'tmakemeleave,"Eleanortellsherself,"notifHillHousemeansmetostay"(321),andwithadeliberate"tur[nof]thewheel"that"send[s]thecardirectlyatthegreattreeatthecurveofthedriveway"(322),Nellfinallymanagestofindwhatshe(andeveryotherclaustrophobichouseboundwomaninthe1950's)hasalwayslongedfor:awayout(Hague7;Friedan15).
5050Inallowinghertoembraceherdeathinthisway,JacksonhasEleanordoubletheactionsoftheprotagonistofanotherofhershorterworks,itselfentitled"LoversMeeting,"whereinayoungwomanmuchlikeNellcanonlyfindpeaceintheactofkillingherself.
Thelovers'"meeting"referredtothroughoutthisshortstoryisultimatelyrevealedtorefertothecomingtogetheroftheheroineandananthropomorphicpersonificationofdeathitself.
Thus,itisnocoincidencethatitsprotagonistalsohumsMozart's"LaChiDaremLaMano"asshemovestowardherearthlydemise.
Rasmus61InchoosingtoendhernovelwithEleanor'sflightfromtheconstrainedlifethatawaitedherbackinthecity,Jacksonsubvertsthegothicgenreonefinaltimebyunderminingtwoofitsmostconventionalendingsatonce:theweddingoftheheroandheroine,andthedefeatofthegothichorror.
NotonlydoesNellnotmarryLuke,theclosestthingthatHillHousehastoaclassicallygothichero,shehappilyspurnshim(andconventionalityingeneral)infavorofalovers'meetingwithahorror,onethat–unlikethoseinOtranto,Screw,Shining,andSevenGables–remainsdecidedlyaliveandhauntingattheendofthenovel(323).
Moreover,itisimpliedthatthismeetingresultsinalastingrelationshipbetweenthepair,forwhileitistruethatJacksonbothopensandclosesherworkwiththewords"silencelaysteadilyagainstthewoodandstoneofHillHouse,andwhateverwalkedtherewalkedalone"(323),acloselookatthetextrevealsthattheline"HillHouse,notsane,stoodbyitselfagainstitshills"(7,emphasisadded),whichappearsinthenovel'sfirstparagraph,hasbeenchangedto"HillHouseitself,notsane,stoodagainstitshills"initslast(323,emphasisadded)–therebysuggestingthatthehauntingisnolonger"alone"or"byitself"inthesamewaythatitwasearlier,buthasbecomefusedwithEleanor.
51Thus,thetraditionalgothicloopremainsunclosedattheconclusionofJackson'snovel;thereisnodetumescentreturntothestatusquo,notidymarriageoftheheroandheroine,nodecisivevanquishingoftheunconventional.
Tothecontrary,itisJohnMontague–theauthor'sembodimentofallthatisnormal,proper,scientific,andsane–whostandsdefeatedandmockedbyhisscholarlypeersonthefinalpageofherwork,whilehergothichorror(itself"notsane")continuestostand"againstitshillsholding51RobertWiseseemstohavepickeduponthissamenuanceinJackson'stext,forhechoosestoendhis1961adaptationofthenovelwithEleanor'svoicespeakingtheline"andwewhowalkherewalkalone"(1.
51.
20).
Rasmus62darknesswithin,"justasithasforeightyyearsandmightforeightymore(323,emphasisadded).
Concomitantly,TheHauntingofHillHouseitselfcontinuestostandasarebuketotheconservativeideologybothofthegothicgenreandof1950'sAmerica:withinitspagestransgressionandunorthodoxyareconsistentlycelebratedintheirmostsubversiveforms,whileconventionalconceptsofpropriety,familialdutifulness,andscientificandlinguisticauthorityarerepresentedasthetruesourcesofterror.
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