Beyond Absurdity: Shirley Jackson & Existentialism

Shirley Jackson was one of the most widely renowned contributors to American gothic fiction, turning out notable works like The Haunting of Hill House & We Have Always Lived in the Castle. While she is best known for her darkly humorous horror stories, her writing in these novels also explores themes of existentialism, such as detachment & isolation. Although Jackson is often characterized as a creator of absurdity, her themes surrounding the post-war philosophy of existentialism are frequently overlooked. Here, I’ve broken down the basics of how Jackson incorporates this philosophy throughout both The Haunting of Hill House & We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Starting with The Haunting of Hill House, Jackson begins with arguably her most famous quote: “No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality.” The purpose of this line is usually attributed to the fact that the characters in Hill House mentally unraveled as the story progressed, but I believe that it also reflects the existentialist post-war attitude towards society. 

Existentialism is defined as a philosophical outlook that highlights the individual’s freedom to connect to a meaning that they have established themselves. Jackson’s opening line supports this approach by identifying and articulating her chosen meaning. Additionally, Hill House’s main character, Eleanor, is a lonely & withdrawn protagonist who becomes an original prototype for the existentialist character. Eleanor accepts an invitation to stay at Hill House in an attempt to escape her own dreary life and find refuge in what she believes will be an adventure no worse than her regular aimless existence. 

She is not exactly disappointed but instead terrified when she realizes that Hill House will not offer her comfort, only trepidation. Still, she stays at Hill House, and her fear quickly grows as she begins to realize that Dr. Montague’s claim about the house being haunted may possess some validity. Eleanor and the others become existential beings through their choice of staying at Hill House. They all choose catastrophe over relief because they are rooted in their decisions to stay solely because they can. At the end of the novel, Eleanor is sent away for what the others insist is her own good, but she feels betrayed when the group casts her out, even though she knows that staying at Hill House is damaging her well-being. This can be attributed to the fact that she views the house as the only place she belongs. She emphasizes the fact that she does not have anywhere else to go, & Hill House is the only place she’s traveled to of her own free will. 

In the end, she drives her car straight into a tree and kills herself. This is the most logical choice from Eleanor’s point of view because she repeatedly states throughout the book that there is no place for her anywhere. Even though it was clear from the start that Hill House would not offer Eleanor any comfort, it was the only place she felt she could go. When faced with banishment, she realizes that she no longer has any sanctuary and chooses to die in the place where she thinks she belongs the most. Again, this highlights the themes of existentialism & isolation beyond the gothic elements often associated with Jackson & her works. 

Similar to The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is also considered a cult classic among readers of American gothic literature. Castle also features a detached protagonist, Mary Katherine Blackwood (or Merricat), although not in the same way as in Hill House. While Eleanor is lonely & socially detached, Merricat is more psychologically detached due to her estrangement from others. Merricat weaves together the intricacies of existentialism in Jackson’s last novel as she grows increasingly paranoid and agitated, highlighting what can happen when someone becomes as distrusting & alienated as her. 

Due to the mass murder of every Blackwood (except Merricat, her older sister Constance, & their Uncle Julian) that took place in the Blackwood mansion six years before the novel, the townsfolk ruthlessly terrorize Merricat & Constance when they can, even going as far as to blame Constance for the murders. Because of this, Merricat harbors an intense hate for them all, which only strengthens her belief that she cannot trust anyone but Constance. Eventually, that belief dissolves as she becomes doubtful of Constance as well, specifically when Charles Blackwood comes to visit. 

Charles claims to be Constance & Merricat’s cousin whom they have not seen since before their family died. Merricat makes it clear that she does not like him because he can destroy her carefully constructed world by influencing Constance. Charles seems to be aware of his influence on Constance as well, most clearly seen when he makes degrading comments about Merricat to her cat while she is in the room. Eventually, Merricat & Charles’ feud grows to a new destructive height when she attempts to get rid of Charles by setting his room on fire. This is a very significant act when analyzing existentialism in We Have Always Lived in the Castle because it is stated multiple times throughout the novel that the Blackwood mansion is Merricat’s only sanctuary in a town where people hate her so vehemently. By deliberately destroying part of her home & asylum, Merricat almost perfectly embodies the philosophy of existentialism.

Furthermore, this embodiment is only heightened when it is revealed that Merricat was the one who murdered her family six years ago by poisoning them. With the knowledge that Merricat allowed her sister to shoulder the blame for her crimes, the reader can recognize that the message Jackson is conveying through this tale matches the running theme of distrust & existentialism: you cannot trust those around you, no matter how close. Due to the destruction of their home, Merricat & Constance create a delusion and reside in it happily. Now, at the end of the novel, they are completely isolated, yet bizarrely content in their own warped way. In other words, the ending falls in line with existentialism by showing us that Merricat & Constance are agents of their own free will, no matter how destructive or absurd.